The Majority World and the West
The topic of how the Western world relates to the majority world – a term used to describe countries formerly referred to as “developing” or “Third World” – will be the theme of a lecture and discussion series hosted by George Fox University this fall.The “The Majority World and the West” sessions will feature speakers from all over the world and are open to the public free of charge.
Recent graduates will share about their experiences overseas. Presenters will discuss everything from what the majority world is to how U.S. tax dollars and faith-based offerings impact it. An expert on the Holocaust and genocide studies will present “Wars and Rumors of Wars: Facing Genocide.” Another session will feature a pastor from Burundi, Africa, who directs a service that promotes healing and rehabilitation for traumatized people.
The “Liberal Arts and Critical Issues” course is a required part of the general education program taken by students their senior year. Sessions meet each Monday during the fall semester through Nov. 23, from 4:40 to 5:35 p.m. and a repeat presentation from 7 to 7:55 p.m., in Room 105 of the Hoover Academic Building.
The course is designed to encourage students to integrate their specialized knowledge and general education with Christian faith, in the context of addressing a public issue of current significance, according to program co-director Caitlin Corning, professor of history.
Following is a presentation schedule and a synopsis of each session:
September 7
Who’s Who in the Majority World
Tom Head, PhD, George Fox University
Hear why and how to learn about the majority world. Professor of economics and chairperson of the international studies program, Tom Head has been actively involved with a number of NGOs, including the Quaker Institute for the Future, the American Friends Service Committee, and the Quaker United Nations Office.
September 14
You Might Say I’m a Dreamer, but I’m Not the Only One
Jason Fileta, Micah Challenge, USA
Hear about Christians, advocacy and the UN Millennium Goals. Jason Fileta is a field organizer for Micah Challenge, USA, a global Christian campaign that works to unite organizations in the effort to halve absolute global poverty by 2015. Jason travels to university campuses to help organize efforts to deepen engagement with the global poor.
September 21
There and Back Again:
Stories from Recent Grads
Hear a panel of former George Fox University students who served overseas after graduation. They will explain, from their own experience, the opportunities and challenges of living and working overseas. Their insights are useful for those who may go overseas in the future, or for those who are friends and family of those who go.
September 28
Beyond Three Cups of Tea
Hear an update about the activities of Central Asia Institute and the situtation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, particularly with regard to education in politically unstable areas.
October 5
Impacting the Lives of Women
Taghrid Khuri, consultant and trainer
Hear about efforts to change the lives of women in the majority world. Dr. Taghrid Khuri has experience in development planning and management, gender and development and institutional capacity building. In her career she has worked extensively in the Middle East and taught in Jordan and the U.S.
October 12
Winning Friends and Influencing People
Ben Spotts, IDEAS
Hear how U.S. tax dollars and faith-based offerings directed to the majority world impact people. Ben Spotts has worked in India as a communications consultant with a focus on human rights. People with IDEAS offer professional skills to meet the needs and transform the lives of forgotten people.
October 19
Trash Talk
Elizabeth Grossman, journalist and author
Hear connections between western habits and majority world health. Oregon author Elizabeth Grossman has contributed to The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and numerous other publications. Her books include High Tech Trash: Digital Devices, Hidden Toxics, and Human Health and Chasing Molecules: Poisonous Products, Human Health and the Promise of Green Technology.
October 26
For God so Loved the World ... Christians of the Majority World
David Niyonzima, THARS (Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Services)
Hear the perspective of a person from the world church. David Niyonzima is a pastor in Burundi, Africa and the director of THARS, a program which promotes healing and rehabilitation for traumatized people (ex-combatants, victims of torture and sexual violence). He is the co-author of Unlocking Horns: Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Burundi.
November 2
Wars and Rumors of Wars: Facing Genocide
James Waller, Affiliated Scholar with the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation
Hear a widely recognized scholar in the field of Holocaust and genocide studies. Jim Waller has spoken to the Department of State and the CIA. He is the author of several books on race relations and genocide, the most recent of which is Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing.
November 9
International Voices: Views of the West
George Fox International Student panel
Hear the perspectives of international students who have come from the majority world to study at George Fox University. Having interviewed American and Chinese students through the semester, they will share what they have learned, respond with recommendations, and answer audience questions.
November 23
LACI Research Exhibit
EHS and Hoover, 12:30-4 p.m.
Hear what members of the senior class recommend to their communities after researching a topic related to the majority world and the West.