March 4-5, 2005
The International Forum for U.S. Studies hosted a two-day conference at the University of Iowa titled “‘America’ in the World: Discourses of ‘Americanization’ and ‘Anti-Americanism.'” Scholars from the U.S. and abroad presented their research on the role of “America” — as idea, as political entity, and as cultural imaginary — in the world.
The conference brought together scholars from Germany, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Japan, all of them specialists on the U.S. in a variety of fields ranging from literature to political science, to present research on the image of America in the world. Topics ranged from the production of cultural meaning across borders to the perceived and actual influence of American ideologies across the globe. Whether the object of study was film, music, cultural translation, policy-making, or international security, the conference’s experts explored the relationship between the weight of America as an actual and symbolic site and regions elsewhere.
The following is a complete schedule of the events.
Friday, March 4, 2005
9:00-9:30 Welcome by Associate Provost Bill Reisinger, The University of Iowa and Opening remarks by Jane Desmond, The University of Iowa
UNIT 1: MUSIC THAT MOVES
9:30-10:15 Michael Titlestad, University of Witwatersrand, “Improvising ‘American’ identities in South African townships: considering the case of Kippie ‘Charlie Parker’ Moeketsi”
10:15-10:30 Respondent Ken Cmiel, The University of Iowa
10:30-10:40 Short break
10:40-11:15 Kristin Solli, The University of Iowa, “Rebel Flag in Germany: Country Music, Americanization and Europeanization”
11:15-11:30 Respondent Ulli Adelt, The University of Iowa
11:30-12:00 General Discussion
12:00-1:30 Break for lunch
UNIT 2: RESPONSES TO “AMERICA”
1:30-2:30 Sabine Broeck, University of Bremen, comments and moderates on Berndt Ostendorf’s article, “Americanization and Anti-Americanism in the Age of Globalization”
Respondent: Linda Kerber, The University of Iowa
2:30-3:15 Loes Nas, University of the Western Cape, “Hero and Villain: Attitudes towards Americanisation as seen from the Republics of Georgia and South Africa”
3:15-3:30 Respondent Sandra Barkan, The University of Iowa
3:30-3:40 Break
3:40-4:30 Roundtable Discussion: the Impact of Discourses of Americanization and Anti-Americanism on Intellectual Communities
Round Table Participants: Mark Sidel (UI), Downing Thomas (UI), Keiko Ikeda (Doshisha University), Stephen Vlastos (UI) and William Reisinger (UI)
4:30-5:15 General Discussion
5:15-5:30 Closing comments
Saturday, March 5, 2005
UNIT 3: POLITICS AND POLICIES
9:30-10:15 Kate Delaney, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “Americanization and Anti-Americanism in Poland since 1945”
10:15-10:35 Respondent John C. Reitz, The University of Iowa
10:35-10:45 Break
10:45-11:30 Ed Schatz, University of Southern Illinois, “America as Symbol, America as Actor in Ex-Soviet Central Asia, 1991-2004”
11:30-11:45 Respondent Vicki Hesli, The University of Iowa
11:45-12:15 Amy Spellacy, “‘¿Qué Hay, Amigo?’: Coca-Cola and Images of U.S. Imperialism during the 1940s”
12:15-12:30 Respondent Harry Stecopoulos, The University of Iowa
12:30-1:00 General Discussion
1:00-2:00 Break for Lunch
UNIT 4: CIRCULATING TEXTS
2:00-2:45 Richard Ellis, “Lost in Translation: Americanization and Inter-Hemispheric Exchange”
2:45-3:00 Respondent Corey Creekmur, The University of Iowa
3:00-3:45 Zsofia Ban, “Lost and Found in Translation: Problems of Cultural
Translation in Hungary After 1989”
3:45-4:00 Respondent Nick Yablon, The University of Iowa
4:00-4:30 General Discussion
4:30-5:00 Closing remarks by Virginia Dominguez, The University of Iowa
“‘America’ in the World: Discourses of ‘Americanization’ and ‘Anti-Americanism'” CONFERENCE II
April 21-23, 2006
The International Forum for U.S. Studies hosted a follow-up conference to the March 4-5, 2005, conference titled “‘America’ in the World: Discourses of ‘Americanization’ and ‘Anti-Americanism.'” Scholars from around the world gathered on the University of Iowa campus to continue their discussion on the role of “America” — as idea, political entity and cultural imaginary — in the world. Topics ranged from the makeup of ideologies relying on an “America,” to the global consumption of “American” products. The conference’s experts continued to explore the relationship betweeen the weight of America as an actual and symbolic site and regions elsewhere.
The following is a complete schedule of the events.
FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2006
OPENING TALK & RECEPTION
7:00-8:30pm Dr. Ian Condry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S.A., “‘Hip-Hop, Japan, and Americanization: Samurai Rappers on 9/11, the Iraq War, and Global Culture”
SATURDAY APRIL 22, 2006
9-9:30 Welcome by Associate Provost William Reisinger and “Framing the Questions: The IFUSS Project on ‘America’ in the World,” by Associate Dean and Co-Director of IFUSS Jane Desmond, The University of Iowa
SESSION 1: “AMERICANISM” AND “ANTI-AMERICANISM” IN EUROPE
10:00-10.30 Dr. Giorgio Mariani, Universita “La Sapienza” Roma, Italy, “What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Anti-Americanism?: An Italian Perspective”
10:30-11:00 Dr. Krista Vogelberg, University of Tartu, Estonia, “The Framing of Discourses of Pro- and Anti-Americanism in ‘New Europe’: A Clash of Consequentialism and De-ontology?”
11:00-11:10 Break
11:10-11:25 Respondent Dr. Zsófia Bán, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary
11:25-11:40 Respondent Dr. Downing Thomas, The University of Iowa, USA
11:40-12:25 Audience discussion
12:25-1:15 Lunch brought in for conference participants
SESSION 2: FOREIGN POLICY AS A DOMESTIC ISSUE: EGYPT, MEXICO AND THE U.S.
1:15-1:45 Dr. Guillermo E. Ibarra Escobar, Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, Mexico,”Americanism and Anti-Americanism Among the Mexican Immigrants in Los Angeles”
1:45-2:15 Dr. Manar El Shorbagy, The American University of Cairo, Egypt, “‘KEFAYA,’ The Egyptian Movement for Change: How U.S. Foreign Policy Affects Domestic Politics”
2:15-2:30 Respondent Dr. Aimee Carrillo Rowe, The University of Iowa, USA
2:30-2:45 Respondent Dr. Flagg Miller, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA
2:45-3:30 Audience discussion
3:30-3:40 Break
SESSION #3: PUERTO RICAN POLITICS & THE ISSUE OF THE U.S.
3:40-4:40 Puerto Rico Roundtable: Dr. Isar Godreau, The University of Puerto Rico; Dr. Alrene Torres, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; Brandy Case Haub, Doctoral Candidate, The University of Iowa, USA
4:40-4:50 Concluding Remarks of the Day
7:00 Dinner for Conference Participants
SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2006
SESSION 4: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR DEVELOPING NEW TRANSNATIONAL STUDIES OF THE U.S.
9:30-10:45 Graduate Student Roundtable convened by Kristin Solli and Amy Spellacy, UI Doctoral Candidates
Participants: Charles Williams, UI Doctoral Candidate; Ulrich Adelt, UI Doctoral Candidate; Patrick Oray, UI Doctoral Candidate; Danielle Rich, UI Doctoral Candidate; Gyorgy Toth, UI Doctoral Candidate; Cinda Nofziger, UI Doctoral Candidate
10:45-11:00 Break
SESSION 5: CONSUMING “AMERICANISM”
11:00-11:30 Dr. James L. Watson, Harvard University, USA, “McDonald’s as Political Target: Anti-Globalism and Anti-Americanism in the 21st Century”
11:30-12:00 Dr. Sabine Broeck, Department of American Studies, University of Bremen, Germany, “African-Americans and Germany: Blackening Notions of Americanization”
12:00-12:15 Respondent Dr. Paul Greenough, The University of Iowa, USA
12:15-12:30 Respondent Dr. Horace Porter, The University of Iowa, USA
12:30-1:00 Lunch for participants
1:30-2:30 Closing Discussion convened by IFUSS Co-Directors Dr. Jane Desmond and Dr. Virginia Dominguez, The University of Iowa, USA
