![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
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Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
A news release from Grebel says Sloboda will talk about his peace networking and activist work. "He also assisted Carol Ann Weaver in supplying names for her composition in memory of Iraqi civilian victims, 'Piece of a Rock', which will be performed in some of these events."
Yes, it adds up to a short "week" -- "but here at Grebel," says communications coordinator Jennifer Konkle, "we celebrate peace every day of the week!"
John Sloboda is professor of psychology at Keele University. His main reputation is in the psychology of music, and he is the author of more than 100 books and papers on this topic, including The Musical Mind (1985) and Music and Emotion (2001). He's spending the fall term as visiting fellow in the psychology department at McGill University in Montréal. Sloboda is a lifelong peace activist, and since the NATO bombardment of Kosovo and Serbia in 1999, has devoted most of his energies to projects which challenge the assumptions of the "new humanitarian interventionism" and the "war on terror". He was involved in a project to assess the cost to the civilian population of Serbia of NATO bombing and sanctions, and in January 2003 co-founded the Iraq Body Count site, devoted to maintaining and publishing a comprehensive record of civilians killed in the Iraq conflict. He is also editor of an anti-war news and comment web-site and mailing list, and web resources editor for Peace News.![[Sloboda]](http://www.open2.net/everwondered1/emotion/images/johnsloboda.jpg)
Activities start with a noon-hour "peace concert" today, featuring "Piece of a Rock", performed by the composer (keyboards) along with Rebecca Campbell (vocalist) and members of the UW Drum Circle. The concert starts at 12:30 in the Grebel chapel; admission is free.
At 4:30 this afternoon, again in the chapel, Sloboda (right) will speak on "Finding Ways to Make Peace", and Campbell and Weaver will perform again.
Then at 5:30, Sloboda, Campbell and Weaver will all be featured at the "community supper" for the Grebel community in the college's cafeteria. (Tickets are available -- phone 885-0220.)
Tomorrow, Sloboda will give a noontime brown-bag seminar (12:00, Grebel room 2109) speaking about his work relating to peace networking and the Iraq Body Count web site.
Then at 1 p.m. he'll give a public lecture on his work relating to peace networking, on his Iraq Body Count website, and on specific music composed in response to war. The lecture, given as part of classes in Peace and Conflict Studies 201 and Music 376, will be accompanied by another "Piece of a Rock" performance by Campbell, Weaver, and the Drum Circle. Location for this free event is Grebel room 1111.
Finally, at 8:30 p.m. there will be a peace concert including "Piece of a Rock", in the Student Life Centre. Admission is free.
Lately Sloboda has been working on projects which mesh his psychological research interests with his anti-war activism. With Brian Doherty of the school of politics and international relations at Keele, he recently started a research project "to try and understand the motivations and beliefs of those who engaged in direct anti-war protest for the first time in their lives during the lead up to the Iraq War, in order to help the peace movement understand how to turn itself from a fringe movement into a mainstream movement commanding the support of substantive sectors of the electorate".
The author is Marjorie Kohli, who's still doing some work for the information systems and technology department although she retired earlier this year, and who is a long-time genealogical researcher. Her Genealogy and Family History pages have been a fixture on UW's site since the earliest days of the web.
Kohli has a special interest in child immigration, particularly the charitable programs aimed at finding children, mostly from the United Kingdom and Ireland, a new and better life in Canada. "Estimates of the number of children who came to Canada in this way," she said several years ago, "are between 100,000 and 125,000. It is also estimated that well over 1,000,000 Canadians can trace their roots to one of these children. I have been researching this topic for several years now and hope in future to have it published."
Now that has happened, with the appearance of The Golden Bridge: Young Immigrants to Canada, 1833-1939 from Natural Heritage Books. Says the publisher: "Escaping from dismal conditions at home, these 'waifs and strays' and young men and women braved the perilous voyage to an uncertain future in an unknown land. Ultimately, they were placed throughout the Maritimes, Ontario, Quebec and westward as far as British Columbia.
"Well-known for her years of active involvement with juvenile and child migration issues, Kohli's extensive research incorporates background detail on agencies and key organizers such as Maria Rye, Annie Macpherson, Thomas Barnardo and William Quarrier, along with lesser-knowns including Ellinor Close and Charles Young.
"As many thousands of Canadians are descendants of these young immigrants, The Golden Bridge is an indispensable tool for family researchers with a 'home child' ancestor, and of interest to those unfamiliar with this fascinating aspect of Canadian history. Supported by charts, passenger lists, archival visuals and an extensive index, The Golden Bridge is a must-read for genealogists and history buffs alike."
The book sells for $34.95. Tonight's launch event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Hamblin Room of KPL on Queen Street North.
![[Schaefer with horse]](/images/2003/0919schaefer.gif)
Schaefer (left), who is marketing manager for UW Graphics, was profiled
recently in a Keystone Campaign ad in the UW Gazette.
It noted that
years before she joined Waterloo as a staff member, Schaefer was a
student in environmental studies, graduating from pre-professional
architecture in 199S. "Although her only work experience in that field
involved co-op work terms, Susan's training gave her a keen analytical
sense, which she uses continually when developing new marketing
strategies and innovations for Graphics."
The profile ads, which run in the Gazette at no charge, draw attention to a sprinkling of donors to the Keystone Campaign, which is seeking to raise $4.5 million for UW from staff, faculty and retirees as part of Campaign Waterloo. More from the Schaefer interview:
Why is Waterloo important to you? "Because I attended UW as a mature student, I valued the experience even more. I quickly realized I had a coveted spot in a dynamic program and was determined to give it my best effort. That's what Waterloo does for people; it brings out their best and instills determination."
Why do you donate? "If Waterloo believes in me and values my contribution (by employing me), shouldn't I believe in Waterloo too?"
What project have you designated your gift to? "I give to MAREP (Kenneth G. Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program). Programs such as MAREP provide a vital link between researchers and the health care community as individuals and their families struggle to cope with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. All research ventures require funding, and this project seems particularly worthy to me."
What do you like most about your job? "Since becoming Graphics' Marketing Manager (previously I was Production Manager), I have enjoyed the opportunity to be more creative. The change has also affected my personal life -- it has motivated me to pick up my artist's brush after many years, and I have recently completed some oil paintings."
What do you do in your spare time? "I enjoy my pets -- 1 have a dog and a horse. My dog is a 3-1/2 year-old white German shepherd who is presently attending agility classes. It's loads of fun and she is very motivated to succeed! I found my horse, which I've had for more than 19 years, at the Toronto Humane Society. We've had many wonderful years and exciting adventures together. Now, in semi-retirement, we aren't as active as in the past, but I still enjoy spending time with George."
Staff positions this weekJobs listed in the Positions Available list from the human resources department this week:
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The Best Buddies group ("enhancing our communities through one-to-one friendships between people with intellectual disabilities and students") will hold a bake sale in the SLC, starting at noon. . . . UW Graphics has a noontime seminar on "Digital Archiving" (Susan Schaefer at ext. 2210 has details). . . . And the teaching resource office will hold a noon workshop, mostly for graduate teaching assistants, on "Critical Thinking" (details, ext. 3132). . . .
"Engineering Success: RIM's BlackBerry Solution" is the title of a talk this afternoon by Dave Jaworsky of Research In Motion. He'll be speaking at 5 p.m. in Math and Computer room 2017, at a meeting of the student branch of IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).
What's on CKMS? Arda Ocal, whose program "AoK: The Pre-Bomber Show" can be heard at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, sends word of something to listen for tonight:
AoK is giving away, live on the show, a pair of tickets to see Sloan at Fed Hall on October 25. We are also giving away a pair of tickets to OctoberFed at Fed Hall on Saturday, as well as a $30 gift certificate to East Side Mario's. As well, we have a contest running on our website where the winner wins eight free weeks with a personal trainer. The winner receives a customized workout routine suited to the results they want to see, customized diet (conducive to residence food if they live in residence) and one-on-one training at least once a week.There's more about AoK on its web site, and CKMS can be heard at 100.3 FM, or online.
With Oktoberfest in progress, tomorrow night will be "University Night" at one of the big festhalls, the Karlsberg Haus (known at other times of the year as Kitchener Memorial Auditorium). UW's chapter of Sigma Chi fraternity is selling tickets for the evening, including bus transportation; they're for sale today in the Student Life Centre, or phone 744-5646.
The weekly "Cinema Italiano" showing will be "Lamerica", described as "a hauntingly elegant work by one of Italy's greatest filmmakers", namely Gianni Amelio. The showing starts at 6:30 tonight in St. Jerome's University room 3027; admission is free.
CAR