Robert Zemeckis\u27s Contact as a Late-Twentieth Century Paradiso

The film Contact employs a plot and literary motifs that are in many ways parallel to those in Dante\u27s Paradiso. Although the film\u27s philosophical and theological content has received mixed reviews, the film has deep significance because it not only seeks to convey a religious experience but also offers a kind of existential consolation similar to that offered by Dante. This is true even though the film is grounded in a vision of the numinous that is congruent not with the Dante\u27s cosmos but with late twentieth-century science and cosmology. Contact, then, is a Dantean film that can be embraced both intellectually and spiritually by large numbers of its audience, and its success demonstrates that basic elements of Dante\u27s Paradiso still have the power to move audiences in contemporary America

Distinctly Cleveland: How the Arts are Helping to Revitalize Rust Belt Cities

This book addresses many of the common reasons why the so-called “Rust Belt” cities suffered decline and the many solutions proposed and efforts already undertaken that seek to reverse the decline and spur rejuvenation. The contributors discuss the reasons for the decline including globalization, energy policy–related issues, and even the impact of air conditioning on location decisions. They also detail many of the entrepreneurial efforts undertaken in cities like Cleveland that are helping to reinvigorate once-depressed areas, offer suggestions related to investments in workforce training and current energy policy, critique the use of economic development subsidies, discuss the success of clusters at reviving old industrial cities, and provide cultural insights on business practices in China