Faculty Colloquium: Pamela Moro

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Please join us on Friday, September 28th, at 3 p.m. in the Carnegie Building for our third Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Pamela Moro, Professor of Anthropology

Title: Glorious Jollification: Violins, Violin-Playing, and Masculine Social Life in 19th Century California and Nevada

Abstract:

Violins were important objects in the vernacular musical life of the mid- and late-19th century American west. Violin playing was integral to sociality and the work environment of the gold- and silver-rush mining camps of Northern California and Nevada, contexts shaped by masculinity and race. This study pays particular attention to the memoirs and archival papers of miner, journalist, and amateur violinist Alfred Doten. Doten’s writings reveal vernacular violin playing in relation to masculinity and violins as sentiment-laden material culture.

Before presenting my research paper, I will briefly introduce my forthcoming book (Violins: Local Meanings, Globalized Sounds) and talk about my professional career as an anthropologist with a specialization in ethnomusicology. Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Note there will also be a special TGIF reception following the lecture that will be open to faculty from all three schools. We will have three TGIF events each semester with Colloquium speakers from across the University. These opportunities for cross-University gathering and conversation are sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President. Please join us and watch for a message next week with other TGIF dates.

Bill Kelm and Daniel Rouslin
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators

Faculty Colloquium: Michael Marks

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Please join us Friday, September 21st, at 3 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge for our second Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Michael Marks, Professor of Politics

Title: Small States and Middle Powers: Metaphors of Size and Position in International Relations

Abstract:

Metaphors of power are at the core of the study of international relations. Power represents the idea that humans have the ability to translate agreement into action through the
harnessing of material means. Power is not the essence of the material world nor material resources themselves. It is a metaphor for the intangible qualities of persuasion that give material resources their force. This presentation examines the metaphorical notions of size and position as two ways in which power is conceptualized in international relations. For theoretical purposes, the debate between the metaphorical position of states relative to each other and their size revolves around the role power is thought to play in shaping outcomes. Approaches that conceive of states metaphorically as “big” or “small” are less prone to hypothesize changes in size as major sources of instability in international relations than approaches which conceive of states altering their position “on top,” “in the middle,” or “at the bottom” of a hierarchically ordered arrangement of states.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Kelm and Daniel Rouslin
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators

Make an Appointment with the Archives

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Curious to know what treasures are stored in Willamette University’s Archives and Special Collections? Need a research topic for a class? Want to explore what student life at Willamette was like 150 years ago?
WU memorabilia
Archives and Special Collections, on the 2nd floor of the Hatfield Library, collects material related to the history and administration of Willamette University, political papers of alums and Oregon’s 5th congressional district, the papers of artists from the Pacific Northwest, and papers related to local individuals and organizations with ties to Willamette.

Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 9 am to noon and from 1 pm to 4 pm. Please e-mail archives@willamette.edu to make an appointment.

Faculty Colloquium: Dan Rouslin

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Please join us Friday, September 7th, at 3 p.m. in Fine Arts West 133 for our first Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Dan Rouslin, Professor of Music

Title: Coming Full Circle

Abstract:

Professor of Music, Dan Rouslin, known to his students affectionately as “DR,” discusses how his life in music was formed and the special role the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E Minor played in its development as he prepares to perform it with orchestra on September 9 at the start of his final year at Willamette.Dan Rouslin

One of DR’s early milestones was the winning of the concerto competition as a high school senior at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. As a winner, he performed the Mendelssohn with the National High School Symphony Orchestra, which consisted of some of the most highly skilled young musicians from all over the United States. However winners were only allowed to perform single movements, and DR has, until now, never performed the entire three-movement work.

The 1843 Concerto in E Minor, Opus 64 for Violin and Orchestra by German composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, is one of the central works in the classical violin repertoire, and an important work in the development of Romantic music in Europe during the 1830’s and 40’s. Mendelssohn broke with the classical models of Mozart, Haydn, and early Beethoven by eliminating much of the sense of clearly delineated sections, while retaining other elements of classical form. Even the notion of separate movements, which correspond to chapters in a novel, or acts in a play, starts to blur as the composer links movements I and II with a transition rather than separating them with a traditional pause.

DR will discuss this work in some detail, and also relate it to his own decision to become a musician. He hopes that many of you will be able to attend his live performance of the work two days after the colloquium in Hudson Hall at 3 p.m.

Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Kelm and Daniel Rouslin
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators

12×16 Gallery Records

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In 2005 seven artists came together to open an art gallery in Portland, Oregon named 12×16 after its first location on 1216 SE Division Street. Its inaugural show consisted of a smattering of collage, photography, mixed media, and paintings from its seven artists: Cary Doucette, Eunice Parsons, Luke Dolkas, Maureen Herndon, Israel Hughes, Lee Ann Slawson, and Edward Story. 12×16 Gallery would go on for twelve more years, hosting a number of shows each month and eventually expanding to a larger space in the historic southeast Portland district of Sellwood. It featured the works of its gallery members as well as artwork from guest artists from across the Pacific Northwest area. Known for its modest and reasonable prices, the collective gallery would become a launching pad for young collectors and space for local artists to help one another. After these successful contributions, the 12×16 Gallery’s last show was in December 2017, closing that same year.

The 12×16 Gallery records cover the years 1997 through 2018 and feature promotional postcards and brochures, Myron Filene’s documentary photographs of the gallery, and an archived version of the website. The collection contains the 12×16 Gallery’s administrative files such as insurance and lease information, business registration forms, meeting notes, price lists, and artist statements from exhibitions. Also included are folders on specific artists, such as Cary Doucette, Serena Barton, Israel Hughes, Ray Keller, Beate Scheller, and others. The rest of the collection consists of a scrapbook with newspaper clippings and 12×16 Gallery promotional postcards and brochures, employee log books from December 2005 to December 2017, and the gallery visitors’ books from December 2005 to December 2017.

The 12×16 Gallery records were processed by Ivy Major-McDowall ’18. A special thank you to Sybil Westenhouse for investing in experiential learning through the Sybil Westenhouse Archives Excellence Fund.

For more information on the 12×16 Gallery and its records, please see the finding aid.

Jack Eyerly papers

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Jack Eyerly was a resident of Portland for almost all of his life, and was continuously involved in the art of the Northwest from an early age. Starting in the 1950s and continuing until his death, Eyerly was the foremost artists advocate, facilitator, and friend of the arts in the Northwest. He maintained consistent correspondence with hundreds of artists from the Northwest but also with others from across the country. Though he was an artist himself, Eyerly was a prolific connector of artists, often offering extensive lists of artists, galleries, museums, and non-profit programs to his various correspondents. Among his many achievements, Eyerly was a board member of the Northwest Film Study Center during its early years at the Portland Art Museum. He was a consultant for the Portland Art Museum, a long time supporter of Wacky Willy’s, and collaborated with many individuals and groups in both an artistic and consultation role.

Eyerly’s support of the arts went far beyond being a facilitator of more traditional styles of creating art. Beginning in the early 1970s he was a member of many different video art groups, giving his time to support the development of films and photographs as a respected modern art mode. However, this is not to say that he neglected painters, printers, sculptors, poets, and musicians. His work to connect the artists of the Northwest led to many interactions between different mediums, bringing together the more traditional modes with experimental modes, such as puppet theatre or dancing for the disabled.

This collection encompasses seven decades of notes, correspondence, artists papers, gallery showcards, posters, artworks, and other assorted pieces of historical material exchanged between Eyerly and artists from across the Northwest and beyond. With more than 200 artists represented in the collection, there is a clear sense that Eyerly crafted this archive over his lifetime with the goal of establishing a definitive catalogue of Northwest artists.

The Jack Eyerly papers were processed by McKelvey Mandigo-Stoba ’17. Processing of this collection was funded in part by generous donations from Jack Eyerly’s friends and supporters. A special thank you to Sybil Westenhouse for investing in experiential learning through the Sybil Westenhouse Archives Excellence Fund.

Part of the Jack Eyerly papers remains to be processed and more will be added to the finding aid as processing is completed. For more information on the collection please see the finding aid.

Jack Eyerly standing with a painting.

World War II Propaganda

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With the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Great Britain was desperate to convince Americans to join the fight against Nazi Germany. However, many Americans were fiercely resistant to entering the war, forcing Britain to concentrate its resources into propaganda efforts, such as the British Information Services, located in Rockefeller Center, New York City. The purpose of the British Information Services was to strengthen relations with the US, working to aggressively influence Americans through active promotion and distribution of British views and documents on the war.

The Cummins World War II Allied Forces Propaganda collection includes many British Information Services pamphlets, flyers, and magazines from 1940 to 1944, as well as a few publications from other publishing agencies. The purpose of most of the propaganda material is to prove Britain’s competency and strength. Some propaganda magazines highlight the accomplishments and capabilities of the Royal Air Force, Army and Navy, while others marvel at Britain’s increased war production. Some of the propaganda depicts the ordinary accomplishments of the British people as a way to promulgate the stability and vitality of the country, but most promote camaraderie against a common enemy. A few pamphlets emphasize the differences between Britain and Germany (and even Japan) to associate Britain with the ideals of democracy and freedom, fighting against the menace of Nazism and fascism. Some touch on the unified strength of the British Commonwealth (or Common Pool) as a way to prove that even colonized, or previously colonized, nations have allied with Britain and have provided resources and men to fight in the war effort. All of these messages were an attempt to convince Americans that the United States had a clear stake in Britain’s war effort and that total support was essential to defeat Germany.

The Cummins World War II Allied Forces Propaganda collection was processed by Ivy Major-McDowall ’18. A special thank you to Sybil Westenhouse for investing in experiential learning through the Sybil Westenhouse Archives Excellence Fund.

To learn more about the Cummins World War II Allied Forces Propaganda collection, please see the finding aid.

    

Faculty Colloquium: Jenny Orr

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Please join us Friday, April 27th, at 4:15 p.m. in the Hatfield Room for our twelfth and last Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Jenny Orr, Professor of Computer Science Jenny Orr Photograph

Title: “Explorations in Machine Learning”

Abstract: Machine learning (ML) drives much of today’s smart technology, from Siri to smart cars. The recent resurgence and success of ML are primarily due to three factors: the explosion of data, dramatic increases in processing speeds, and the emergence of powerful, new learning algorithms, particularly deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN) for image analysis.

I will present a brief overview of ML and DCNN and illustrate how they are used in several image-based applications including handwritten digit recognition and atmospheric cloud coverage. Cloud coverage estimation is important because it is one of the largest sources of uncertainty in today’s climate models. Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Ellen Eisenberg and Bill Kelm
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators

Finals Week Extended Study Hours

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During finals week, the Hatfield Library is open extra hours to help students studying for finals exams. A reference librarian is available for research help until 5 p.m. and we will begin putting out cookies and coffee during Finals around 10 p.m. They’ll be available until they run out if you need a brain food break! Don’t forget the printer in the 24-hour Fish Bowl.
cookies and coffee image

  • Thurs, May 3: 7 a.m. – 3 a.m.
  • Fri, May 4: 7 a.m. – 3 a.m.
  • Sat, May 5: 7 a.m. – 3 a.m.
  • Sun, May 6: 7 a.m. – 3 a.m.
  • Mon, May 7: 7 a.m. – 3 a.m.
  • Tues, May 8: 7 a.m. – 3 a.m.
  • Wed, May 9: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Thur, May 10: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Fri, May 11:  8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Sat, May 12:  Noon – 4 p.m.
  • Sun, May 13:  10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Faculty Colloquium: Yan Liang

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Please join us Friday, April 20th, at 3 p.m. in the Hatfield Room for our eleventh Faculty Colloquium of this semester.

Presenter: Yan Liang, Associate Professor of Economics Photo of Yan Liang

Title: “Minsky in Beijing: Shadow Banking, Credit Expansion and Debt Accumulation in China”

Abstract: China has undergone two salient developments in its financial landscape since the 2007 Global Financial Crisis. First, there has been a repaid and massive growth of “shadow banks” that played an increasingly weighty role in credit creation. And second, debt level, especially in the corporate sector, has risen significantly to reach an alarming level. The two changes have led some commentators to claim that China is soon to experience a “Minsky Moment”, where a sudden unwinding of debt would trigger destructive debt deflation. This paper analyzes China’s debt issue – the causes, patterns and possible consequences. Based on the analysis, the paper provides a critical assessment of the current policy measures in dealing with rebalancing and deleveraging and proposes some alternative policy actions. Students are welcome and coffee and treats will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.

Ellen Eisenberg and Bill Kelm
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators