Professional Development for Teachers

Documenting the Hmong Diaspora: Literary, Cinematic, and Oral Historical Approaches to Diaspora

Instructor: Mitch Ogden, Department of English

This week-long institute explores the burgeoning fields of diaspora studies and transnationalism by considering the case study of the Hmong diaspora. Our exploration and consideration are framed, organized, and animated by looking carefully and critically at/through some of the lenses that commonly project, reflect, refract, magnify, and obscure the experiences and culture of a diasporic community, namely literature, film (both documentary and narrative), and oral history. Special emphasis will be given to how production and consumption of these lenses—as assigned activities as well as assigned class texts—might work in a variety of classroom settings. The Twin Cities metro constitutes a vibrant node in the Hmong diaspora and is home to numerous cultural creators who work in the different modes of our framework. Several of those creators, artists, scholars, and activists will participate with us.

Workshop dates

July 14 - 18, 2008 9:00 - 4:00pm

Location

University of Minnesota - Room TBA

Cost

The registration fee varies for each program - please see the course list below for the registration fee. If your registration fee is not received at least two weeks prior to the start of the program, your registration will be cancelled.

The $75 fee for *summer institutes *include the cost of CEUs, readings, field trips, and lunch for each day of the institute.

Credit

Teachers earn 30 CEUs and have the option to register for graduate credit. Students are responsible for tuition expenses.

If you wish to register for undergraduate or graduate credit, you will be assessed tuition at the current rates and you will register through the College of Continuing Education. Please indicate the type of credit you require in the registration form or see the registration link below.

Housing

During our *week-long summer institutes only*, teachers from outside the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area are eligible to stay in on-campus housing in single rooms. Each institute has a limited number of housing scholarships available to teachers on a first-come, first-served basis. After the housing scholarship funds are depleted, you may still pay for a room at the rate of $50/night. Apply for housing (PDF).

Travel Stipends

To encourage teachers from outside the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area to attend our *week-long summer institutes*, we have a limited number of travel stipends available. Teachers may apply for stipends up to $250 and they may be used to defray the costs of airfare or mileage. Apply for a travel stipend (PDF).

Cancellation Policy

If you decide to cancel your registration, please contact Molly McCoy at 612-624-7346 or outreach@umn.edu at least two weeks prior to the start of the program. If your request to cancel is received after the deadline, your registration fee will not be returned to you.

Register Online

Documenting the Hmong DiasporaL Literary, Cinematic, and Oral Historical Approaches to Diaspora. Space is limited, please register early.

The World of Islam

Instructor: G.S. Sahota, Department of Asian Languages and Literature

Location: University of Minnesota - Room TBA

This week-long institute is meant to introduce teachers to the multifaceted nature of Islam and Muslim society in general. While attention will be given to matters of scripture and religion, the emphasis will be on the cultural forms, political idioms, and social structures that have characterized Islamic societies to the present day. Over the week, we will read parts of the Quran, explore Sufi devotionalism, survey early modern Muslim empires (such as the Ottoman and the Mughal), relish Persian and Urdu poetry, consider artistic and architectural motifs, and watch documentaries and films from or about the Muslim world. We will conclude by examining various perspectives on contemporary issues. The focus here will be anti-secular movements, the predicament of Muslim women in diverse contexts, and particular controversies that have surrounded Muslim communities in Western locations. One general aim of the workshop will be to understand more precisely the modes by which religion as a general phenomenon exists in modern society. Guest lecturers will join us at different points in the course of the institute to share their expertise.