Media for the peace movement in Maine and the world
This new, excellent talk is the kick-off program for the Fall 2008 Socialist and Marxist Studies Series at the University of Maine. It features University of Maine Professor of Philosophy Doug Allen on “Mahatma Gandhi and Socialism,” extending Doug’s remarks on Gandhi presented in January 2008.
Note: This podcast contains mp3 audio only. Video is available. Please inquire by sending email to info at peacecast dot us for details and cost to obtain the video on dvd.
University of Maine Professor of Philosophy Doug Allen is a world-renowned expert on Gandhi. Earlier this year he gave a talk entitled “60 Years after the Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (Jan. 30, 1948): The Relevance of Gandhi’s Philosophy for Today’s World.”
Doug’s talk is based in part on an article he wrote that appeared in an edition of the Air India in-flight magazine.
The talk runs about 1 hour, 10 minutes including a lively question and answer session. This is one of Doug’s best talks ever. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it’s a keeper.
Sinan Antoon gave two talks at the University of Maine on Thursday April 3, 2008
12:30 “The Destruction of the Modern State of Iraq” (audio only HERE)
19:00 “Debris and Diaspora: Iraqi Culture Today” (this post contains 67-minute audio-only version)
I am pleased to make these available at peacecast.us and as a BitTorrent download. DIVX-encoded video of “Debris and Diaspora: Iraqi Culture Today”, packed along with the audio from the noon talk is available in a BitTorrent version. (What’s a torrent? See HERE for information. You must install client software in order to download files shared as torrents.)
This post contains downloadable audio for the 7pm talk only. Downloadable audio for the noon talk is HERE.
The programs both were produced by peacecast.us.
These are gripping talks that paint a devastating picture of what has happened to Iraq and its people. The tragedy of Iraq hits home for Sinan. It once was a country with great potential that has been eviscerated by America and its “student,” Saddam Hussein. It is rare in America to see Iraq from an Iraqi point of view. Sinan Antoon helps us do that. Highly recommended.
SINAN ANTOON is an Iraqi-born poet, novelist, and translator. He studied English literature at Baghdad University before moving to the United States after the 1991 Gulf War. He did his graduate studies at Georgetown and Harvard where he earned a doctorate in Arabic literature.
His poems and essays (in Arabic and English) have appeared in various journals and publications around the world, including as-Safir, an-Nahar, al-Adab, and Masharef, as well as The Nation, Middle East Report, al-Ahram Weekly, Banipal and the Journal of Palestine Studies. He has published a collection of poems, (A Prism; Wet with Wars, Cairo 2003). A translation of his poems appeared in English in May 2007 by Harbor Mountain Press entitled “The Baghdad Blues.”
His debut novel I`jam: An Iraqi Rhapsody (published in Arabic in Beirut in 2003) was translated and published in English in May, 2007 by City Lights Books. It was chosen by Kirkus Reviews for its special edition on debut fiction “2007: New and Important Voices.” His poetry was anthologized in Iraqi Poetry Today. He has also contributed numerous translations of Arabic poetry into English. His co-translation of Mahmud Darwish’s poetry was nominated for the PEN Prize for translation in 2004.
Antoon returned to his native Baghdad in 2003 as a member of InCounter Productions to co-direct/produce a documentary About Baghdad about the lives of Iraqis in a post-Saddam occupied Iraq. He is a senior editor with the Arab Studies Journal, a member of Pen America, a contributing editor to Banipal and a member of the editorial committee of Middle East Report. Antoon is currently an Assistant Professor at New York University.
Sinan Antoon spoke in 140 Little Hall on the University of Maine Orono campus Thursday, April 3, 2008. The program was sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committe with support from Student Government at the University of Maine and the Dean of Students Programming Funding Board.
The brief music excerpt you hear in the background is from a performance by Iraqi musician Amer Tafiq recorded for the film, About Baghdad.
Sinan Antoon gave two talks at the University of Maine on Thursday April 3, 2008
12:30 “The Destruction of the Modern State of Iraq” (audio only, 72 minutes, THIS POST)
19:00 “Debris and Diaspora: Iraqi Culture Today” (audio & w/video in torrent version)
I am pleased to make these available at peacecast.us and as a BitTorrent download. (What’s a torrent? See HERE for information. You must install client software in order to download files shared as torrents.)
This post contains downloadable audio for the noon talk only. Downloadable audio for the 7pm talk will appear in the next post.
Produced by peacecast.us.
These are gripping talks that paint a devastating picture of what has happened to Iraq and its people. The tragedy of Iraq hits home for Sinan. It once was a country with great potential that has been eviscerated by America and its “student,” Saddam Hussein. It is rare in America to see Iraq from an Iraqi point of view. Sinan Antoon helps us do that. Highly recommended.
SINAN ANTOON is an Iraqi-born poet, novelist, and translator. He studied English literature at Baghdad University before moving to the United States after the 1991 Gulf War. He did his graduate studies at Georgetown and Harvard where he earned a doctorate in Arabic literature.
His poems and essays (in Arabic and English) have appeared in various journals and publications around the world, including as-Safir, an-Nahar, al-Adab, and Masharef, as well as The Nation, Middle East Report, al-Ahram Weekly, Banipal and the Journal of Palestine Studies. He has published a collection of poems, (A Prism; Wet with Wars, Cairo 2003). A translation of his poems appeared in English in May 2007 by Harbor Mountain Press entitled “The Baghdad Blues.”
His debut novel I`jam: An Iraqi Rhapsody (published in Arabic in Beirut in 2003) was translated and published in English in May, 2007 by City Lights Books. It was chosen by Kirkus Reviews for its special edition on debut fiction “2007: New and Important Voices.” His poetry was anthologized in Iraqi Poetry Today. He has also contributed numerous translations of Arabic poetry into English. His co-translation of Mahmud Darwish’s poetry was nominated for the PEN Prize for translation in 2004.
Antoon returned to his native Baghdad in 2003 as a member of InCounter Productions to co-direct/produce a documentary About Baghdad about the lives of Iraqis in a post-Saddam occupied Iraq. He is a senior editor with the Arab Studies Journal, a member of Pen America, a contributing editor to Banipal and a member of the editorial committee of Middle East Report. Antoon is currently an Assistant Professor at New York University.
Professor Alex Grab, History, on Iraq March 20, 2008
5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?
Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono
Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee
This podcast is presentation 1 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.
1. “Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran”, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.
2. “My Military Experiences in Iraq”, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.
3. “The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?”, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.
4. “The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire”, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine
Brian Clement, U Maine student and Iraq veteran, March 20, 2008
5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?
Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono
Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee
This podcast is presentation 2 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.
1. “Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran”, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.
2. “My Military Experiences in Iraq”, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.
3. “The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?”, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.
4. “The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire”, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine.
Rick McDowell, AFSC, on Iraq March 20, 2008
5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?
Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono
Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee
This podcast is presentation 3 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.
1. “Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran”, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.
2. “My Military Experiences in Iraq”, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.
3. “The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?”, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.
4. “The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire”, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine
Professor Doug Allen, Philosophy, on Iraq March 20, 2008
5 Years After the Invasion And Occupation of Iraq:
What Is To Be Done?
Thursday, March 20th, 2008 7:00 PM
140 Little Hall, University of Maine, Orono
Sponsored by the Maine Peace Action Committee
This podcast is presentation 4 of 4 in the main program. The downloadable audio file (below) is identical to the audio in the video viewable above.
1. Iraq: Some Historical Background and Analysis and Some Relations with Iran, Alex Grab, Professor of History, who teaches courses on the Middle East.
2. My Military Experiences in Iraq, Brian Clement, UMaine student who served in the U.S. military in Iraq.
3. The People of Iraq Under Occupation and War: Where Do We Go From Here?, Rick McDowell, who moved to Baghdad in 2003 working for the American Friends Service Committee, returned to the U.S. in 2005, and has maintained close relations with Iraq over the years.
4. The Larger Lessons of the Iraq War: Militarism, Imperialism, and Empire, Doug Allen, Professor of Philosophy, MPAC, and Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine
I spoke with independent journalist DAHR JAMAIL last week and the interview aired Thursday March 20 on Community Radio WERU. You may download or play the 28-minute audio program using the links below.
Dahr will be in Maine March 22 & 23 for TWO appearances:
“Beyond the Green Zone”
Book reading/Iraq Lecture
Saturday March 22, 7:00PM CANCELLED
Curtis Memorial Library
23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick (MAP)
and
Sunday March 23, 4–6PM
Belfast Free Library
106 High Street, Belfast (MAP)
This approximately 30-minute program was broadcast on WERU Voices for March 18, 2008. Shenna and I discuss Real ID (Maine is leading national dissent from Homeland Security policy), and the Military Commissions for Terror War detainees. Click HERE for recent posts in the Maine Owl blog giving some background on rights and justice issues, along with links to news stories about William Haynes and Col. Morris Davis, who are discussed in the program (these are February 2008 posts).
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