Popular Culture: Above the Law

Symposium on Law, Morality, and Popular Culture in the Public Sphere at the Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington, April 6, 2001

Point Blank: Shooting Vietnamese Women

An examination of the representations of Vietnamese women in Vietnam War novels and films

Mindful violence? Responses to the Rambo series' shifting aesthetic of aggression

Rambo (2008) marked the return of Sylvester Stallone's iconic action hero. What is most striking about the fourth film (as the response from reviewers testifies), is its graphic violence. My intention here is to critically engage with Rambo (2008) as rewriting the series' established aesthetic of violence. My overarching aim is to highlight how the popular press has sought to read the 2008 version of Rambo according to the discursive narratives surrounding Stallone's 1980s action films. The negative response to Rambo, I argue, stems from relying on critical patterns that do not fit the film itself

Insects as Indicators of Habitat Quality, Ecological Integrity and Restoration Success in Illinois Prairies, Savannas and Woodlands

The typical methods that ecologists use for assessing habitat quality involves calculating quality based on primarily floristic data. This is true of evaluation of habitats in Illinois – although new methods have become available for assessing habitats based on other taxa. These alternative methods are often not in widespread use, especially in Illinois, and consist of using invertebrate indicator taxa to assess the ecological integrity of prairies, savannas, and woodlands (aquatic invertebrate survey tend to be more commonly used). There is a large diversity of invertebrates for which we have information on the life history, seasonality, and diet that live in these unique habitats. Critically, these organisms are often sensitive to environmental change and habitat fragmentation. Insects in particular can thus be valuable indicators of habitat quality and ecosystem integrity. For this study, we chose to look at four groups of insects as indicators, based on their life history, ease of identification, and knowledge of the co-authors. These groups are well represented in grassland biomes and include: (1) grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acridoidea); (2) butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera); (3) cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea); and (4) tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). By looking at both the abundance and species diversity at a given site for each of these groups, we hoped to develop tools that would allow land managers to utilize these taxa as indicators of high quality prairie. This is not an entirely novel pursuit, grasshoppers and butterflies have consistently been shown to represent other invertebrate and plant taxa effectively in grasslands worldwide. Through this study we have developed a butterfly quality index tool for assessing sites. The taxa examined by our group also often rely on habitat quality that cannot be assessed by floristic data alone, for this we have gathered data on habitat heterogeneity.Illinois Department of Natural Resources, State Wildlife Grant Project Number T-92-R-1unpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Visual consumption, collective memory and the representation of war

Conceiving of the visual as a significant force in the production and dissemination of collective memory, we argue that a new genre of World War Two films has recently emerged that form part of a new discursive “regime of memory” about the war and those that fought and lived through it, constituting a commemoration as much about reflecting on the present as it is about remembering the past. First, we argue that these films seek to reaffirm a (particular conception of a) US national identity and military patriotism in the post–Cold War era by importing World War Two as the key meta‐narrative of America’s relationship to war in order to “correct” and help “erase” Vietnam’s more negative discursive rendering. Second, we argue that these films attempt to rewrite the history of World War Two by elevating and illuminating the role of the US at the expense of the Allies, further serving to reaffirm America’s position of political and military dominance in the current age, and third, that these films form part of a celebration of the generation that fought World War Two, which may accord them a position of nostalgic and sentimental greatness, as their collective spirit and notions of duty and service shine against the foil of what might frequently be seen as our own present moral ambivalence

Popular Culture: Above the Law

Symposium on Law, Morality, and Popular Culture in the Public Sphere at the Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington, April 6, 2001

The Global University

Join two experts on the internationalization of higher education for a candid discussion about how local communities and regions benefit from the global efforts of their public universities. Topics will include knowledge hubs and economic development, strategic university-community partnerships, and institutional cooperation, among others. Co-sponsored by the UW-Madison Division of International Studies, WISCAPE, and the Worldwide Universities Network, the Global Public University Series promotes discussion about the trends, challenges, and opportunities that impact public universities throughout the world and how these institutions can learn from and work with each other

2021 Convocation Video

Dear Campus Community, The time is finally here. Time to reopen our campus. Time to renew our connections. Time to welcome you to a new year with PSU’s 2021 Faculty and Staff Convocation Video. We invite you to watch this pre-recorded event at your convenience by clicking on the video link below. The video features inspiring speeches, a performance by the Portland State Chamber Choir, and a celebration of our 2021 Faculty and Staff Excellence Award recipients. Congratulations to our Campus Award Winners and Promoted Faculty 2021 Faculty and Staff Excellence Awards 2021 Research Awards Promotion and Tenure Actions for 2021/2022 This is a pivotal year of transformation and innovation at PSU, led by our core values of advancing racial equity, ensuring student success and engaging with our community. Watch the video to hear the annual State of the University speech and how we are putting PSU on a stronger, more resilient path. Those on campus this Wednesday, September 22 can pick up 75th Anniversary-themed welcome back gifts in the Urban Center Plaza from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. University Communications will distribute tote bags with 75th Anniversary posters, stickers, and other PSU giveaways. Those not on campus can opt for alternate pick-up options. We hope each and every one of you will join the conversation this year as we make strategic and careful investments in areas that build upon who we are and position us for a successful future. Thank you for the energy, compassion, and commitment you bring to our students every day. We look forward to seeing you on campus soon. Sincerely, Stephen Percy, PSU PresidentSusan Jeffords, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affair