Welcome to the
Institute for Global Understanding
The mission of the Institute for Global Understanding (IGU) is to promote awareness of issues and challenges of our dynamic, interdependent world.
Through academic programs, field experiences, service learning, and engagement in local and global communities, IGU fulfills Monmouth University’s broad mission of promoting global understanding, diversity, and leadership.
12thAnnual Global Understanding Convention
HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS
April 8 - 12, 2013
Diversity is....
Student Rachel Gramuglia, Department of Communication
Poster Exhibit April 8 - 12, 2013
Anacon Hall
This poster presentation shines a light on diversity in a brand new way. What would normally be a conversation about what students think diversity is, is snap shot with a brief (and creative) explanation of what they think diversity means. They say pictures are worth a thousand words, and these pictures are worth a thousand more.
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Forty Two Years of Bangladesh: Society, Politics, and Development
Monday, April 8, 2013
10:00 - 11:15 a.m.
Wilson Auditorium
Golam M. Mathbor, School of Social Work
Faisal Ahmmed, Department of Social Work
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
Neaz Ahmed, Department of Social Work
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
(Panel Discussion)
Bangladesh achieved its independence in 1971. The country is small in size but amongst the largest in population (160 million). It houses peoples of many ethnic groups, linguistic communities, major religious persuasions, and numerous economic and professional categories. Among all the countries that are striving for development, Bangladesh has made great strides in its economic programs achieving 6 to 7% steady growth rates. It has been able to hold on to its democratic processes, in spite of the numerous obstacles thrown at it periodically. But, most importantly, it has achieved tremendous successes in its social development, and is very close to achieving the goals set for the millennium development. This panel presentation critically examines determinants of social and economic development given the heightened situation the country is encountering.
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Opening Ceremony Lecture
RIO + 20 and the Future We Want
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Wilson Auditorium
Nikhil Seth
United Nations
Director Division for Sustainable Development
Co-Sponsored by:
Leon Hess Business School ▪ Honors School ▪ School of Science ▪ School of Education ▪ School of Social Work ▪ Global Sustainability Minor Steering Committee ▪ Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies ▪ Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences
This Event is Free and Open to the Public - Classes are Welcome.
For more information, please call 732-923-4666 or send e-mail to IGU@monmouth.edu
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Sandy's "Silver Linings"
Searching for Positive Outcomes
in the Aftermath of a Disaster
Public Policy, Environmental & Real Estate Perspectives
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
1:00 - 2:15 p.m.
Wilson Auditorium
Elizabeth Cooner, Assistant Director of the Polling Institute
Tony MacDonald, Director of the Urban Coast Institute
Peter Reinhart, Director of the Kislak Real Estate Institute
(Panel Discussion)
Superstorm Sandy pounded New Jersey in the fall of 2012, leaving devastation in its wake. Liz Cooner will share findings from the Polling Institute's surveys, detailing impacts from the storm and public response to various policy initiatives. Tony MacDonald will discuss the increasing threat of impacts on coastal environments from storm intensity and sea level rise, and community adaption strategies. Peter Reinhart will address opportunities for "smart growth" in rebuilding as well as policy implications of the loss of affordable housing. The panelists will engage session participants in a discussion of priorities for federal, state, and local Sandy response, restoration, and recovery efforts.
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GUC Special Event
Thursday, April 11, 2013
3:30 - 6:00 p.m.
Wilson Auditorium
Dava Sobel
Book Signing at 3:30 pm
Special Screening of "Galileo's Battle for Heavens" from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Author Presentation at 4:30 p.m.
SPONSORED BY:
The Honors School ▪ The Wayne D. Mc Murray School of Humanities and Social Sciences ▪ School of Science ▪ The AAUW of Northern Monmouth County
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Provost's Film Series
"Moolaade"
Host: Dr. Thomas S. Pearson
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Discussant: Dr. Robin Mama
Thursday, April 11, 2013
7:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Pollak Theater
When a woman shelters a group of girls from suffering female circumcision, she starts a conflict that tears her village apart in this film by Ousmane Sembene.
Plot summary from the IMDB (Internet Movie Database) website.
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Dialogue in Nigeria: Muslims & Christians Creating Their Future
Friday, April 12, 2013
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Anacon Hall
Prof. Saliba Sarsar, Monmouth Dialogue Group
Joe Ritacco, Monmouth Dialogue Group
Len Traubman, Palestinian-Jewish Living Room Dialogue Group, CA
Libby Traubman, Palestinian-Jewish Living Group Dialogue Group, CA
(Film)
This award-winning, hopeful documentary gives voices and faces to 200 courageous Muslims and Christians - diverse young women and men - who unite successfully in Jos, central Nigeria. Refusing to be enemies, they are together during days and evenings of the 2010 International Conference on Youth and Interfaith Communication. They are tense yet excited to finally cross lines of religion, economics, tribe, and gender to transcend the status quo and discover empathy for each other's personal life experiences. Together they realize that "an enemy is one whose story we have not heard," while listening-to-learn and thus dignifying themselves and the "others." Face to face and in small circles, they begin with ice-breakers and continue in depth to discover one another's equal humanity - fear, grief, needs, hopes, and concrete plans for a shared future. These determined young Nigerians illustrate how others worldwide can successfully connect and communicate to create authentic community.
The film makers follow the screening with a 60-minute totally participatory audience experience giving voice and ears to everyone in the auditorium. Face-to-face in pairs, then collectively, attendees express: 1. What in the film touched you, had meaning for you? 2. What new possibility or initiative was awakened in you? This dialogical experience allows a new quality of listening-to-learn while maximizing cinema. It discovers new social intelligence and models community building.
