Constructing Identities: Comparative Short Fiction
From the Arab World, East Asia and Western Europe.

Authors, like history teachers, often ask their audience/students to imagine the lives of people outside their own experience - to construct an identity for the "other." This year's ORIAS working group looks at comparative short fiction from Europe, the Arab world and East Asia with a focus on constructing identities. How do we construct identity? Is it flexible? In what ways is it pre-determined? How does our community define and test our identity?

Readers, coffee and lunch provided. Readings will be provided in advance.

December 4, 2004 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Ovid's Metamorphoses
with Edan Dekel, Classics Department, UCB
Class web page

Human identity is formed and reformed in Ovid's rewriting of Greek and Roman mythology through stories of transformation. ORIAS lecturer Edan Dekel will introduce this year's seminar series with an exploration of the construction of identities in this highly influential work from the ancient world.

January 15, 2005 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Film screening Jan 13 5:30 PM)

The Return of Martin Guerre
with Julianne Gilland, Robbins Collection, School of Law, UCB
Class web page

This 16th century case of identity theft in France has inspired plays, fiction, films and legal commentaries for over 500 years. In a special session co-sponsored by the Robbins Library Collection we will have a chance to see an original manuscript of legal commentary from the trial and view one of the modern film versions. Our text will be Natalie Zemon Davis' historical reconstruction, The Return of Martin Guerre.

February 5, 2005 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Arabic Short Stories
with Margaret Larkin, Department of Near Eastern Studies, UCB
Class web page

Identity is explored in fiction across the Arabic world. Prof. Larkin will use the theme of identity to introduce a selection of modern short stories including Ghassan Kanafani's "The Death of Bed Number 12" and Emile Habibi's "At Last the Almond Blossomed."

March 12, 2005 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Chinese Short Stories
with Robert Ashmore, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, UCB
Class web page

China has a long tradition of short fiction. Prof. Ashmore will look at examples of the construction of identity in the Tang dynasty's, "Story of Miss Li," and contemporary short stories from the People's Republic of China.

April 9, 2005 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Young Adult Fiction set in the Middle East and East Asia
Class web page
Teacher led workshop

ORIAS Working Groups are established to provide professional development support for K-14 teachers with shared interests in international studies. The working groups provide teachers with the opportunity to extend their content knowledge by participating in seminars with University scholars; meet with colleagues to share resources and experiences; and work independently or collaboratively on classroom materials with ORIAS staff.

Co-sponsored by the Office of Resources for International and Area Studies (ORIAS), the Bay Area Global Education Program (BAGEP) at the World Affairs Council of Northern California and the Robbins Collection at the School of Law, U. C. Berkeley.

For further information contact Michele Delattre at ORIAS: 510-643-0868 or orias@berkeley.edu