Journalist Steve LeVine Discusses Georgia-Russia Relations

On Wednesday, October 22, journalist Steve LeVine visited the University of Chicago to discuss the recent violence in Georgia as a part of the International House’s World Behind the Headlines Series. During his talk, LeVine outlined both current and possible future U.S. foreign policy in the Caucasus.

LeVine, a foreign affairs correspondent for Business Week, discussed the Georgian-Russian conflict in South Ossetia in early August. Though Russia openly invaded Georgia’s borders, the Western world failed to act to deter Russian aggression. LeVine said that from Russia’s perspective, the move made sense. “Putin is seeking Russia’s strategic interests; it’s the U.S. [that] doesn’t understand [its] own interests in the region.”

Read the rest here.

(xi, xii)

the associations of traincars and railstops
     are so strong that Even in this English-speaking Homeland, the corn-and-soy fieldsites of
my youth, darkened as we fall into night--
     streetlights and mainstreets, floodlights on
     harvest equipment, the men out oh-so-late
     these days, fighting to beat the natural rhythms of
     light-and-darkness, autumn chill
The Associations, though, of passengercars and
     kidprint-smudged windows, reflections of
     ourselves, are so strong.
Are So Strong, that the faded foreign tongues
     reemerge as stronger-than-whispers
     back of my mind; the distinct crisp chill of
     open door air brings me to a place Not Here,
     though not anywhere but.
Knowledge knocks me out of this reverie as the backlights
     are too omnipresent, and I again know that
     i am where i am.
A path of sunflowers, now, outside the window
     and at once we are in Rural Hungary-- Inács?--
     and together, we breathe in. able, for the
     first time, to Be.

dear mom

Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Challenges Chicago Students to Promote Democracy, Human Rights

Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi spoke at the University of Chicago on Wednesday, October 15, about promoting human rights via democracy throughout the world. She inspired the audience with her determination and challenged them to join the cause. The event was a part of the Harris School’s Aon Global Leadership program and the International House Global Voices series.

Speaking through a translator, Ebadi pointed to democracy as “the one and only human rights law” in the world. She pointed to certain countries in violation of that law, including China and Cuba for their restriction of opinion and the United States for its violation of civil rights under the guise of national security.

Read more here.