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The Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) provided educational support for an exhibit at Cheekwood that highlights a disappearing folk art traditionally found on Latin American drivers' trucks and buses. "Dichos: Words to Live, Love and Laugh by in Latin America" is on display to the public through Jan. 17.
Vanderbilt is among a small number of schools that have set up state-of-the-art labs for political science research. The Research on Individuals, Politics and Society Lab is housed on the ground floor of Calhoun Hall.
Vanderbilt professors Jonathan Gilligan and Michael Vandenbergh are among researchers who have identified 17 activities that individual households can do to significantly reduce overall carbon emissions. The steps are explained in the recently published article "Household actions can provide a behavioral wedge to rapidly reduce U.S. carbon emissions."
Vanderbilt University Professor of Political Science Bruce Oppenheimer spoke about the continued increase in presidential power at the expense of Congress during the university's annual Constitution Day program on Sept. 23. The event took place in Flynn Auditorium of Vanderbilt Law School.
Vanderbilt students, faculty and other interested individuals came together recently for a unique improvisational art experience directed by renowned artist Oliver Herring. Participants worked with Herring to create a so-called TASK event on a Sunday afternoon in the Ingram Art Studio.
Podcast from the The "Like a Prayer" series, part of the Religion and the Arts and Contemporary Culture Program financed by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.
Colorful, portable sculptures and panel discussions with Vanderbilt faculty members are all part of Art Makes Place, a year-long project to bring more contemporary art to Nashville's public spaces.
Five alumni who have distinguished themselves through a variety of careers and have made significant contributions as staff members of the university's student media were inducted into the Vanderbilt Student Media Hall of Fame on Oct. 16, 2009. The event was held in conjunction with Homecoming/Reunion Weekend.
Devin Fergus' research revisits era of LBJ, Nixon and New Right
Black Power's complex relationship with liberalism during the civil rights era and the surprisiing consequences of that interaction are explored in Devin Fergus' book Liberalism, Black Power, and the Making of American Politics, 1965-1980.
Vanderbilt sociologists Jennifer Lena and Richard Peterson analyzed 60 samples of American music and found that each one --over time -- took on forms that were roughly comparable during their developmental sequences. The professors call these four distinct genre types Avant-garde, Scene-based, Industry-based and Traditionalist. "Classification as Culture: Types and Trajectories of Music Genres" has been published in the American Sociological Review.
Strong evidence was found in the 2004 and 2008 AmericasBarometer surveys carried out by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) that Honduras was unusually vulnerable to political instability, says Vanderbilt political scientist Mitchell Seligson. He is the co-author of "Predicting Coups? Democratic Vulnerabilities, The AmericasBarometer and The 2009 Honduran Crisis," part of the Insights Series published by LAPOP.
Assistant Professor of Theology John Thatamanil values the benefits of learning about a variety of religious faiths in a non-judgmental way after his own experience of studying Hinduism. It proved to be an excellent way to connect to his Indian roots. Thatamanil, a native of India, grew up in a Christian family. He discovered that his own beliefs were strengthened and improved through his research of other faiths.
Historical Perspectives on Contemporary American Foreign Policy
Two wars, an international economic crisis, continuing terrorist incidents...these are among the many foreign policy challenges facing President Barack Obama. Professor of History Thomas Schwartz discussed issues surrounding troubled areas such as Iraq, the Middle East and others in a lecture to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The course is called "Perspectives on America." The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers non-credit courses to all interested adult learners. For more information, call 615-322-5569.
Listen to a podcast of Cal Turner, chairman of the Turner Family Foundation, former CEO, chairman and president of Dollar General Corporation and member of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust, speaking Feb. 26.
Listen to Patrick O’Keeffe reading in Buttrick Hall as part of the Gertrude Vanderbilt and Harold S. Vanderbilt Visiting Writers Program at Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt Summer Academy is one of several programs offered by the university to meet the intellectual and cognitive needs of highly gifted youth while sampling college life. The university's Programs for Talented Youth have expanded in recent years to inform parents and educators of these learners as well.
Events from scholarly presentations to a concert will mark three major events at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Tuesday, June 17: the dedication the new $110 million Medical Research Building IV; the renovation of L.C. Langford Auditorium; and the unveiling of a sculpture by world-renowned artist Frank Stella.
Gary Gerstle's award-winning book American Crucible: Race and Nationhood in the Twentieth Century was recently cited on NPR's Fresh Air as one of the "Best Books for a Transformative New Year."
Students will be next-door neighbors with faculty at The Commons, Vanderbilt's new community for first-year students opening in August. VUCast's Princine Lewis has more on move in day for the dean of The Commons.
Associate Professor of Psychology David Zald is the lead researcher for a study exploring why novelty-seekers are more at risk for drug abuse and other unsafe behaviors. The researchers found that novelty-seeking individuals have fewer autoreceptors in their brain to regulate the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Anyone who's ever dreamed of walking the red carpet at the Oscars for an award-winning screenplay might want to check out a book by William M. Akers before proceeding too far along. The Vanderbilt senior lecturer in theater is the author of "Your Screenplay Sucks: 100 Ways to Make It Great."
While many people associate the word "pork" with lawmakers wasteful spending for pet projects, new Vanderbilt political science research demonstrates the importance of cabinet secretaries and their political beliefs in the distribution of lucrative federal grants.
Marshall Breeding, director for innovative technologies and research at the Heard Library, recently spent three weeks in Argentina helping libraries there develop strategies to revamp their automation systems. Breeding received a prestigious Fulbright Senior Specialist grant to carry out this project.
Associate Professor of Communication Studies Vanessa Beasley says presidential inaugural addresses generally celebrate a smooth transition of power, use rhetoric to bring people together and lay out general principles for the new administration. Beasley, who has written a book that looks at inaugural addresses since the late 1800s, says there are high expectations for Obama's address on Jan. 20.
Connie Vinita Dowell, a Vanderbilt University graduate with three decades of experience working in academic libraries, includiing two senior leadership positions, is the university's new dean of libraries.
Deadlines are fast approaching for Vanderbilt Summer Academy, a unique learning experience for highly talented middle and senior high students. Each course is taught by stellar Vanderbilt faculty and scholars and participants also have time to meet other students with similar intellectual interests, take an enjoyable elective class and enjoy the university's outstanding residential facilities.
Listen to a podcast of a talk by Emily Rapp, the author of "Poster Child" talk about her experiences as a disabled teenager with a prosthetic leg and how those experiences affected her body image.
Watch video about the Scholar Identity Institute at Vanderbilt University, an innovative program now in its third year that aims to give young black men the academic and personal skills and attitudes they need for lifelong success. The video features interviews with the young men, and program coordinators Gilman Whiting and Donna Ford.