On Sunday, at the graduation of the class of 2010, John Braxton (class of 1970) was awarded an honorary degree for his conscientious objection during the Vietnam War and his long peace and justice activism. In her introduction, President Chopp said, “John Braxton, you are a long-time Quaker activist and labor reformer, and founder and co-chair of the Philadelphia Jobs with Justice Coalition. Your long history of advocating for social and economic justice and your tireless efforts to campaign against the proliferation of American military power in the Third World have helped to reshape policies and institutions from the local to the national level.”
Braxton went on to challenge the class of 2010, “We face problems on a scale that we have never faced before – but they are solvable if we don’t ignore them. The solutions require building powerful social and political movements – and people do find a way to do that even in the darkest times. Today, we have the tools to guide this process more intelligently and nonviolently. The moral arc of the universe does bend towards justice – if we harness ourselves and help it to bend. So I urge you to look straight in the eye of the biggest problems our society faces and then decide which piece of that we can each tackle. If we all do our part, we can preserve this beautiful planet for generations of humanity to come.”
Devon Novotnak '11 records the geographic location of a mural in West Belfast.
Two Peace and Conflict Studies students, Samia Abbass ’11 and Devon Novotnak ’11, have traveled abroad with the college’s Northern Ireland semester over the past academic year. While they were there, they participated in a research project co-investigated by Prof. Lee Smithey (Swarthmore College) and Prof. Gregory Maney (Hofstra University). With the assistance of Jayne McConkey, a resident of Belfast, Samia and Devon took photographs of over 250 murals, plaques, and memorials in West Belfast, an urban area deeply impacted by the Troubles. The mural mapping project uses geographic information systems (GIS) data to study change over time in the content and placement of murals and other public displays of ethnopolitical identity. You can read more about the project in a recent article in The Bulletin.
From left, Taller de Paz co-founders Alex Frye '11, Deivid Rojas '11, Andrés Freire '11, and (front row center) Camila Leiva '09, with program facilitators from Conciencia Social/La Universidad Javeriana.
Deivid Rojas ’11, Camila Leiva ’09, Alex Frye ’11, and Andres Freire ’11 recently received a Davis Project for Peace grant to develop the fledgling Taller de Paz (TDP) educational program in Bogotá, Colombia. They established the organization, whose name in English means “workshop for peace,” to empower displaced and disadvantaged Colombian youth to become devoted activists in their community through practical, artistic, and social education. The educational program is structured around four workshops (talleres) for photography/film, art, English/storytelling, and social justice. … read the full story in Swarthmore News.
Congratulations to our graduation Peace and Conflict studies students! We wish you all the best, and we look forward to staying in touch with you in the coming years. You remain an important part of our program, and I am sure future students will benefit from your experiences.
Three conscientious objectors from three different generations and wars (World War II, Vietnam and Iraq) will share their unique and inspiring stories of conscience-led action. Why did they refuse to go to war? In the face of enormous pressure to do otherwise, what led them to do what they did? In every war, there have been Conscientious Objectors. For religious or ethical reasons, they take very seriously the injunction “Thou shalt not kill.” Why do some people examine their convictions and then refuse to become soldiers, despite broad popular support for military engagement? Come hear the powerful stories of the panel and understand what led each of them to reject a belief in violent combat, whether before, during, or following a war.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jane Addams (Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1931), historian and Swat alum. Barbara Sicherman ’55 will talk about her recently published book, Well Read Lives: How Books Inspired a Generation of American Women. The generation of women who grew up in America’s first Gilded Age left an extraordinary record of public achievement-as physicians and scientists, educators and social scientists. Inspired by their reading (not only what they ready, but how and with whom), often lost-and found- themselves in treasured books and worked out a life purpose around them.
Date: Monday, April 19, 2010
Place: McCabe Popular Reading Room
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Reception and book signing to follow the talk
Accompanying exhibit of books which inspired Jane Addams
Contact: Wendy E. Chmielewski wchmiel1@swarthmore.edu
“The mission of the Swarthmore College Peace Collection is to gather, preserve, and make accessible material that documents non-governmental efforts for nonviolent social change, disarmament, and conflict resolution between peoples and nations.”
Flim Viewing & Talk ((w/snacks!)) by Judith Trustone
@ 6:30p in Kohlberg 116
Award winning author, activist and filmmaker, Judith Trustone is the founder and director of Sagewriters, which, in addition to advocating for human rights, has published a dozen books of literary and social merit about America’s justice system. Sagewriters grew out of her creative writing classes in prisons. Her documentaries have been shown on public television and at universities nationally. Judith is leading Community Kindness Circles every month in Swarthmore, PA town hall in addition to in shelters, organizations and corporations. For those in prison or in other locations, she created the Virtual Kindness Circle where every Saturday at 4:00 pm eastern, where participants sit in quiet and visualize their interconnectedness with each other. Her film and talk will center on art, music, profiles, interviews with families and advocates as well as music by those who once were in prison and have now become successful. The talk will be followed by a short (snack) break, after which there will be a Community Kindness Circle to enable participants to ‘soothe their souls’.
— Tuesday, April 20 —
“The War in Iraq: Politics and Personal Experiences”
Talk by Raed Jarrar
@ 7:30 pm, Science Center 199
Raed Jarrar is an Iraqi political analyst and consultant to AFSC’s Iraq Program currently based in Washington, D.C. After the U.S.-led invasion, Jarrar became the country director for CIVIC Worldwide, the only door-to-door casualty survey group in post-war Iraq. He then established Emaar, (meaning “reconstruction” in Arabic), a grassroots organization that provided humanitarian and political aid to Iraqi internally displaced persons (IDPs). Emaar delivered medicine and food as well as helped initiate micro-enterprise projects for IDPs. Additionally, Emaar engaged in political advocacy on behalf of displaced populations. Raed Jarrar will be speaking about his personal experiences during the war in Iraq and his thoughts on the Iraqi elections.
— Wednesday, April 21 —
“A Conversation on Taxes, Peace Making & Conscientious Objection to War”
Talk by Robin Harper
@ 7:30 pm, Science Center 199
Robin Harper is a recently retired carpenter and home repair specialist. He performed civilian alternative service as a Conscientious Objector during the Korean War, has been active in the peace movement during his adult years, and was the head of maintenance on the staff of Pendle Hill for a decade. As a pioneer of the war-tax redirection movement during the 1960s, Robin Harper has twice prevailed in civil cases against the IRS in U.S. district court in Philadelphia and successfully re-directed the portion of his income tax that goes to pay for war to charitable organizations around the world. Why and how has he been successful in his tussle with the fearsome IRS? How can we resist the conscription of our tax money to pay for war? Join us to find out.
— Thursday, April 22 —
“The Iraqi Refugee Crisis in Syria”
Talk by Dr. Mazhar Rishi
@ 7:30 pm, Kohlberg Scheuer Room
Dr. Mazhar Rishi was born in Karachi, Pakistan and emigrated to the U.S. in 1984. After completing his medical education at the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Dr. Rishi has served the U.S. Air Force both on active duty and active reserves. Dr. Rishi has taught both civilian and military medical students and physicians at various academic institutions. In addition, he has written several research articles and has received faculty teaching awards. He is currently on the faculty of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland and also practices pathology in Delaware Valley. Dr. Mazhar Rishi is dedicated to humanitarian work, interfaith dialogue and peace activism. He will be speaking about the Iraqi Refugee Crisis in Syria.
— Friday, April 23 —
FILM SCREENING
“Marathon Beirut: For the Love of Lebannon”
@ 7:00 pm, Sci Center 199
For more information, please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1316065/
— Saturday, April 24 —
<<TENTATIVE: Star-lit Peace Walk>>
— Sunday, April 25 —
FILM SCREENING:
“Bringing Down a Dictator”
@ 7:00 pm, Sci Center 101
For more information, please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0799956/
AMAZING T-SHIRTS WILL BE SOLD DURING THE WEEK TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.
PENNIES FOR PEACE BOXES WILL BE PLACED IN SHARPLES, PARRISH & MCCABE DURING THE WEEK TO RAISE FUNDS FOR BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR UNDER-PRIVILEGED CHILDREN IN AGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN.*
For more information, check out http://www.penniesforpeace.org/
Sponsored by the departments of Philosophy, Political Science, Religion, and Sociology & Anthropology
/Religious Conflicts and Toleration in Today's Europe
/
Lorenzo Zucca, Ph.D.
School of Law
King's College, London
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
5:00 p.m.
Trotter 303
Swathmore College
Sponsored by the departments of Philosophy, Political Science,
Religion and Sociology & Anthropology
Religious Conflicts and Toleration in Today's Europe
Lorenzo Zucca, Ph.D.
School of Law
King's College, London
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
5:00 p.m.
Trotter 303
Swathmore College
Sponsored by the departments of Philosophy, Political Science,
Religion and Sociology & Anthropology
Everyone is welcome!
Everyone is welcome!
Only hours after Swarthmore College awarded an honorary degree to John Braxton (class of 70), in part for his voyage on the Phoenix sailing ship which broke the US blockade of Vietnam in 1967, Israeli commandos attacked a flotilla of peace activists seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Information is still slowly leaking out, but nine passengers are reported killed.
