International Studies

This week I am at the Kroc Institute for Peace Studies with a BGSU “Team” led by Dr. Marc Simon (Director of Peace Studies) and Dr Ellen Gorsevski (COMS). I call it “summer camp for faculty”–in the very best sense! It’s a chance to explore new ideas, meet new people who areactive in the field, and get to know some of my BGSU “homies” better. Amazingly, the whole thing is being offered at no charge to participating faculty; we just paid our own travel and housing and some of the meals. (We did have to compete to be accepted as a team!) Still, faculty life is good; it’s a beautiful campus, and I’m looking forward to learning a lot this week. Will keep the blog updated! Here’s the conference link:

http://kroc.nd.edu/newsevents/events/2009/06/14/493

Interesting acquaintance of the day: Dr. Daniel Groody, CSC, a priest and asst prof of theology who spent years working with migrants on the US-Mexico boder and has written several books about the theology of migration. (I never knew there was a such a thing!) It is interesting, and just a little bit jarring, to be on the campus of a Catholic University where topics like theology and religious calling are front and center. Prof. Groody (or should I say Father Daniel?) wanted to stay in the border region, but his religious community decided he should be a college professor instead–and because of that vow of obedience, that’s what he did!

Just one of many fascinating people at this gathering!