Commencement 2007 - Villanova University

DISFORIAEditors of Essays on Chilean Democracy Receive AwardBY ANTHONY MAALOUF ’08 G.S.Acompilation of scholarly essays on thelegacy of Chile’s own “9/11” event in1973 has led to an award for its co-editors.They are Dr. Silvia Nagy-Zekmi, professor ofclassical and modern languages and literaturesat Villanova University, and Dr. FernandoLeiva, assistant professor of Latin American,Caribbean and U.S. Latino Studies at theUniversity at Albany (SUNY). They sharedthe 2007 Arthur P. Whitaker Prize for thebest book in Latin American Studies publishedin 2005-06. The award is given everytwo years by the Middle Atlantic Council ofLatin American Studies.The book they co-edited, Democracy inChile: The Legacy of September 11, 1973(2005, Sussex Academic Press), is a collectionof interdisciplinary essays andconference papers about the long-lastingimpact of the military coup that led to themilitary dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.His rise to power brought an end to thedemocratically elected Marxist governmentof Salvador Allende.Both scholars have spoken about theirresearch at Villanova events celebratingHispanic Heritage Month. They havefound that expectations for democracy inChile were at odds with the neo-liberaleconomic model brought about by thePinochet government.Dr. Nagy-Zekmi, who chaired the departmentfor three years, spent 2006-07 on sabbaticalin Hungary, supported by a FulbrightSenior grant. She earned her Ph.D. fromELTE university in Budapest. Her researchon postcolonial and other cultural theoriesincludes studying gender issues in NorthAfrica and contemporary literature in LatinAmerica and North Africa.Dr. Silvia Nagy-Zekmi researches postcolonialand other cultural theories. She is a professorof classical and modern languages andliteratures at Villanova.COURTESY DR. SILVIA NAGY-ZEKMIJOHN WELSHWomen’s Studies Marks Achievements and Sets GoalsBY ANTHONY MAALOUF ’08 G.S.An informal panel of faculty, staff,students and administrators cametogether for a discussion on “The Role ofWomen (and Women’s Studies) at VillanovaUniversity.” They met on March 22in Falvey Memorial Library.Dr. Sheryl P. Bowen, associate professorof communication and director of theWomen’s Studies Program, and Dr. BarbaraE. Wall, associate professor of philosophyDr. Barbara E. Wall (second from left), associate professor ofphilosophy and special assistant to the president for MissionEffectiveness, reviews the evolution of the Women’s Studies Programduring the past two decades.and special assistant to the president forMission Effectiveness, reviewed the program’shistory. Dr. Wall was credited withbeginning the program in 1988. “However,classes in women’s studies started in 1976,”she said, and over the years, the programhas evolved. Today, students enrolled invarious majors can opt for either a concentrationor a minor in Women’s Studies.Dr. Bowen noted, “We have 25 studentsnow, enrolled in oneor the other, but thenumber varies.”The discussion thenturned to the questionof instituting a degreeprogram in which studentscould declareWomen’s Studies as amajor. “It’s been anidea that we’ve workedon,” said Bowen. “Butit was shot down, awhile back.”Nevertheless, someadministrators attendingthe discussionsuggested moving forward with the idea.“Let’s resurrect this,” said Dr. Helen K.Lafferty, University vice president. Shenoted that ideas should be followed byaction. “We don’t want to be back here20 years from now with the same objective,”she said.Among the other topics were whetherthe program should be named “Women’sStudies” or “Gender Studies.” This is ascholarly debate that goes beyond programsor departments. At Villanova, thisinterdisciplinary program’s courses includediscussion of masculinity and of gendermore generally.Those present also talked about how topresent the program to freshmen, eitherthrough Orientation seminars or by havingstudents visit classrooms.Being a student of Women’s Studies hasits struggles, according to several of thestudents present. Some said have experiencedunfavorable reactions when theyintroduced themselves as a student ofWomen’s Studies or to a greater extent, asa feminist.Dr. Lafferty encouraged ambassadors ofthe program to talk about how an educationin Women’s Studies changed theirlife. “After all, this is what education is allabout,” she said.For more information, visit www.villanova.edu/womensstudies.58 Villanova Magazine