IPFW’s College of Arts and Sciences Launches First Mondays, New Discussion and Lecture Series

Key Info

• IPFW First Mondays series debuts Monday, October 3, noon, Science Building, Room 186
• Suin Roberts presents, “Migrants in the Media: The Making of Undesired Foreigners and Model Minorities”
• Free and open to the public

Professor Suin Roberts Print-quality image

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—The College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) unveils a new discussion and lecture series, “First Mondays,” October 3 at noon in Science Building, Room 186. Carl Drummond, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) said “First Mondays is a student-focused series of lectures and discussions by COAS faculty who will talk about interesting aspects of their research in a relaxed atmosphere. The series will allow IPFW students to delve into and learn about research areas often not covered in the classroom.”

The first lecture will be presented by Suin Roberts, assistant professor in the Department of International Language and Culture Studies. Her topic is “Migrants in the Media: The Making of Undesired Foreigners and Model Minorities.” Roberts says she will be talking about how “…immigrants/foreigners are represented in the media based on the socio-political realities at the time. For instance, if a country needs immigrants because of a labor demand in certain sections of the job market, those immigrants entering the country will be perceived as ‘positive ‘ and ‘desired.’ However, their image could quickly turn ‘negative’ and they could be perceived as ‘undesired,’ if, for instance, the country goes through a recession and jobs become scarce.”

Other lectures in the series include:

• Nov. 7, 2011: What is Linguistics and Why Should Anyone Care/” with Shannon Bischoff, assistant professor of English and Linguistics
• Dec. 5, 2011: “The Discovery of New Molecules at Plasma Temperatures,” with Steven Stevenson, assistant professor of chemistry
• Feb. 6, 2012: ‘Facing Death Like a Professional: Navigating the Health Care System at the End-of-Life,” with Abraham Schwab, assistant professor of philosophy
• March 19, 2012: “1972–2012: Forty Years in Feminist History,” presented by Janet Badia, associate professor and director of women’s studies
• April 2, 2012: “Globalization, Rapid Social and Cultural Change, and Adolescent Health and Well-being in Samoa and other Pacific Island Nations,” with Hal Odden, assistant professor of anthropology

The 2011 lectures will all be held in Science Building, Room 186. The location of the 2012 lectures will be announced at a later date. Each lecture in the First Mondays series is free and open to the public.

For more information on the series, visit the website or contact Drummond at 260-481-6160 or drummond@ipfw.edu; for information on the first lecture, contact Roberts at 260-481-66541 or shins@ipfw.edu.

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