Nanovic Student Testimonials 2008-09

2008-09 student grant reports

A. James McAdams, Director

Edited by Anthony Monta, Assistant Director

Elizabeth L’Arrivee, Assistant Editor

2008-09 student grant reports

Contents

Preface 6Our Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Undergraduate Research 7The Motives and Reception of Frank Wedekind’s Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Monica GrzesiakWinner, R. Stephen Barrett and Ruth Barrett Family Grant for Best Undergraduate Proposal

Reinterpreting Gothic Architecture in Paris, Chartres, and Rouen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Scott Varian

Figures of Portuguese Expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Marcus Gatto

Literary Madrid and Barcelona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Alyssa Novak

‘La monarchie humaine’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Allison Lang

The roman noir: A Revolution in Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Catherine Davis

Literacy in Revolutionary France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Rachel Santay

Finding Mr. Gill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Erin Dolan

Fascist Propaganda in Spain and Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Laura Srebro

Women’s Memoirs from the Siege of Leningrad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Mary Ann Barge

Filming On Location in England: Almost Evening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Joseph Gleason

Germany in Yugoslavia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Thomas Dudro

Recipient, Katie Murphy-McMahon Grant for Russian and East-Central European StudiesPreventive Cold War Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Daniel KrcmaricThe Construction of Rural Irish Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Claire Brown

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Disability Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Caitlyn Booth

Theatres and Urbanism in the UK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Aimee Sunny

Basque Cinema and Cultural Representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Javi Zubizarreta

Immigration and Education in Catalonia, Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30James Murphy

Politics of the Tramway in Angers, France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Andrew Polich

Restructuring the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Pamela Johnson

Education and Reconciliation in Bosnia-Herzegovina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Barbara Vi Thien Ho

Recipient, Katie Murphy-McMahon Grant for Russian and East-Central European Studies

Undergraduate Internships & Service 36DePuy, Inc., Cork, Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Melissa BraganzaArchitecture in Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Nicole Bernal-CisnerosPolitics in British Parliament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Elizabeth BiermanThe Herrly Internship in Paris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

James OgorzalekStyles Architects I, Paris, France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Dierdre ConnellStyles Architects II, Paris, France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Ernesto GloriaImproving Concrete in Aachen, Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Kevin GodshallOncology in Siena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Nadeem HaquePier Carlo Bontempi Architects, Parma, Italy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Alejandra GutzeitPresidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Kathleen O’ConnorHealthcare and the Roma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Rosabelle ConoverArchitecture in Budapest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Michelle Martinez-MontavonTeaching English in Lviv, Ukraine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Michael FedynskyRecipient, The Dr. Charles C. Price Memorial Fund for East-Central European Studies

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Graduate Research 54Teaching Latin in Eighth-Century Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Hailey Jane LaVoyPuglia Between the Byzantines and Normans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Nicole Constantina PaxtonMonarchy and Memory in the French Wars of Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

John W. McCormackThe ‘German Awakening’ in Transatlantic Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Andrew HansenThe Colonial Origins of Development and Democracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Kunle OwalabiDietrich Bonhoeffer and G. F. Hegel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Michael MawsonCatholic Sisters Under Nazism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Martina CucchiaraRecipient, The Dominica and Frank Annese Fellowship in Graduate Studies, 2007/08

The Lateran Accords as a Dialectical Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Michael Driessen

Recipient, The Paul Tobin Fellowship for European Studies, 2007/08Foundations of Quantum Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Elise CrullMaritain and Kojeve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

James FetterLegitimacy and International Institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Lucrecia Garcia IommiEastern Europe and Esperanto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Anna VelitchkovaNew Dialect Poetry in Italy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Damiano Benvegnu

Student Testimonials 73

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List of Figures

1 Frank Wedekind, German playwright, 1864-1918. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 The cathedral in Rouen, by night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Portuguese galleon, replica. Island of Malacca, Malay Peninsula. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Lope de Vega, Spanish playwright, 1562-1635. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Louis XVI of France, 1775. Oil on canvas. Joseph Siffred Duplessis, 1725-1802. . . . . . . . . . 136 Jean-Jacques Hauer (1751-1829), Les adieux de Louis XVI a sa famille, le 20 janvier, 1793. Oil on

canvas, 1794. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Musee Carnavalet, Paris. Gardens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Eric Gill, 1882-1940. Sculptor, typeface designer, stonecutter, printmaker. . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Francisco Franco’s troops entering a loyalist area in Spain, ca. 1936. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1810 The Siege of Leningrad, 1941-1944. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1911 Joseph Gleason shooting on location in Gloucestershire, England. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2012 German Bundeswehr troops in Bosnia, 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2213 Soviet ICBM silo, Plokstine, Lithuania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2314 Connemara is composed of five Catholic parishes in western Ireland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2415 Leith is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. . . . . . . . 2616 London theatre district. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2717 Basque country. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2818 Catalonia, Spain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3019 The tramway in Angers, France. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3220 Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3321 Students in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

22 Cork (Corcaigh, ‘swamp’) is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland. . . . . . . . . . 3623 The New Sackler Library in London, England. Robert Adam Architects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3724 House of Commons, London. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3925 The Ecole Militaire, Paris, France. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4026 Seventeenth-century architecture in Paris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4127 A cafe in Paris, one of close to ten thousand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4228 Invented by the Romans, concrete revolutionized architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4429 The University of Siena, founded in 1240, is one of the oldest in Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4530 The Duomo, Parma, Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4631 Offices of the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, Rome, Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4832 Roma traveling in the Hungarian countryside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

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33 Neighborhood in Buda, Hungary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5134 Skyline in L’viv. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

35 Bede (672/673-735), a Northumbrian monk, had the largest library in England, traveled ex-tensively, and was among the first and most influential historians of Christian Europe. . . . . 54

36 Castel del Monte, ca. 1240. Puglia, Italy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5637 Louis XIII (1610-1643), King of France and Navarre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5738 Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg (1802-1869), a German neo-Lutheran theologian. . . . . . . . . . 5939 French colonial administrators in the Congo, 1905. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6040 Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran pastor, theologian, and martyr, 1906-1945. . . . . . . . . . . . . 6241 The Poor School Sisters of Notre Dame in Munich were founded in 1833 in Neunburg vorm

Wald, Bavaria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6342 Mussolini at the Lateran Palace for the signing of the accord with the Vatican, February 20,

1929. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6443 Erwin Schrodinger, Austrian theoretical physicist, 1887-1961. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6644 Aleksandr Vladimirovich Kozhevnikov (Kojeve) (1902-1968), a Russian philosopher known

for his work on the philosophy of history and later influence on French and European policy. 6745 The International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague, Netherlands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6846 A ‘constructed international auxiliary language,’ Esperanto was invented in 1887 by Ludwik

Zamenhof (1859-1917), a Polish opthalmologist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7047 Gian Mario Villalta, poet, 1959-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

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Preface

Our Mission

The Nanovic Institute for European Studies is com-mitted to enriching the intellectual culture of NotreDame by creating an integrated, interdisciplinary homefor students and faculty to explore the evolving ideas,cultures, beliefs, and institutions that shape Europe today.

This booklet demonstrates the wide range of re-search and internship activities undertaken in Eu-rope by undergraduate and graduate students dur-ing the breaks in the academic year and during thesummer. Included are reports from undergradu-ates who earned special recognition as recipients ofThe R. Stephen and Ruth Barrett Grant for Best Pro-posal, The Katie Murphy McMahon Grant for Russianand East-Central European Studies, and the Charles C.Price Memorial Grant for East-Central European Stud-ies.Our institute takes pride in giving students the op-portunity to elevate their academic work and con-nect with the history and culture of Europe in anintense, productive way. Their educational experi-ence becomes much more sophisticated as they learnhow original research is actually done. Each studentwrites a detailed proposal and includes a budget tojustify why he or she wishes to travel to Europe toundertake research or an internship. Some work on-on-one with faculty members on their term papers,senior theses, and articles for publication.After they think through intellectual issues and com-plete their independent projects, our recipients takeparticular delight in sharing their experiences withclassmates. We frequently hear from students’ fac-ulty advisors that these travel experiences contributegreatly to the excellence of senior theses or disserta-

tion development. Given their sincere quest to en-gage in travel and research, and their desire to en-rich their educational experience at Notre Dame, weare pleased to send these students abroad as ambas-sadors for Notre Dame and their country.

For More Information

The opportunities represented in this collection weresupported by the friends and benefactors of TheNanovic Institute for European Studies.If you would like to learn more about our programs,please visit our website at http://nanovic.nd.edu orcall us at 574-631-5253.

A. James McAdams

Director, Nanovic Institute for European StudiesWilliam M. Scholl Professor of International Affairs

6

Undergraduate Research

The Motives and Reception ofFrank Wedekind’s Theater

Monica GrzesiakSenior Honors Thesis in German

Recipient of the R. Stephen and Ruth Barrett FamilyGrant for Best Undergraduate Proposal

This summer I was able to do research on thework of German playwright Frank Wedekind inarchives in Munich, Germany and in Aarau, Switzer-land, searching for newspaper articles dating back tothe beginning of the twentieth century and sortingthrough Wedekind’s writings in journals collectedthroughout his life. I have returned with binders fullof copies and notes, and I will spend my senior yearworking through these documents to formulate anhonors senior thesis.My work this summer enabled me to experience thescholar’s life. I established contact with archives inGermany and Switzerland and learned the protocolfor dealing with original documents. I was fortu-nate enough to have very positive encounters witharchive staff, who provided me with all the materialsI requested. The experience required patience and anability to work independently, and I found that dili-gent attention often led to fascinating discoveries inthe texts I encountered.Being in Munich gave me not only access to orig-inal documents relating to Wedekind’s work, butalso a chance to experience the playwright’s cityand explore the effect he had on it. I visited theplaces in Munich where he lived while he was a stu-

Figure 1: Frank Wedekind, German playwright,1864-1918.

dent, working writer, and an established playwrightfor the last ten years of his life. I also visited thetheater where he worked as a dramaturge, and hisgravesite.I was surprised to find that with the exception ofone intersection named Wedekindplatz and one epi-taph near his last dwelling, Wedekind did not seemto have left a significant impact on Munich, at leastnot in comparison to the role he had had in scandal-izing the public at the beginning of the twentieth cen-tury. His main impact remains on the theater stage,however, where his works continue to be reinvented

7

REINTERPRETING GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN PARIS, CHARTRES, AND ROUEN

and performed.I was able to attend a performance of Spring Awak-ening, his best-known work, in Vienna. This perfor-mance was a well-executed and emotional portrayalof the key themes in Wedekind’s play. The show wassuccessful in representing the lives of the young, ar-guing for the independence, freedom, and passionthat characterize the yearnings of youth. The perfor-mance was an unusually accurate representation ofthese themes.I am exploring the possibility of converting my the-sis into a comparative literature project that wouldcompare Frank Wedekind’s influence to other writ-ers of the beginning of the twentieth century whowere also moved by the current of Nietzsche andFreud. I am supplementing my thesis with a classon German Modernism as well as a graduate classon the concept of world literature.My work has only begun, and I look forward to theexperience of seeing this project through from startto completion, including reading through significantamounts of material in order to create a thesis that isoriginal and well-focused on the question of moral-ity in the works of Frank Wedekind.I would like to thank the Nanovic Institute for mak-ing this summer of research possible for me. Thisfirst attempt at independent research has been veryvaluable in experiencing the life of the scholar, andI have returned more confident than before that mynext step will be to enter graduate school for litera-ture.

Reinterpreting Gothic Architecturein Paris, Chartres, and Rouen

Scott VarianMajor in Architecture, Minor in European Studies

This past summer, the Nanovic Institute gave methe opportunity to travel to France to visit its greatGothic cathedrals and to utilize its superlative na-tional libraries and academic resources. During the

trip, I was able to complete all of my intended goalsas well as take advantage of several opportunitiesthat arose throughout its course.My topic of research concerned the foundations andinterpretation of Gothic architecture. I explored theextent to which the style was actually ‘classical’ andthe extent to which it was innovative for its time.Furthermore, I wanted to explore the theologicaland sociological factors that contributed to its incep-tion.I arrived in Paris on May 10th of this past summer.I completed this research in conjunction with twoFrench classes I took through the auspices of NotreDame. So during my one-month stay, I was able tovisit Notre Dame de Paris and its treasury numeroustimes. As intended, I was also able to take excur-sions to Chartres, Saint Denis (north of Paris), and toRouen. In the case of Chartres and Notre Dame deParis, I had the time to make detailed sketches of thebuildings and their structural elements.

Figure 2: The cathedral in Rouen, by night.

The excursion to Rouen was particularly beneficial,as it was the prime example of a medieval, provin-cial French city. Its city center was well preservedand more importantly was rife with medieval Gothicstructures. I was able to visit, in the short time I wasthere, the Cathedral itself and the churches of SaintOuen and Saint Maclou. Rouen was a case studyas to the role and importance of the physical churchstructures in the medieval city. The churches really

The Nanovic Institute for European Studies: Student Grants 2008/09 8

FIGURES OF PORTUGUESE EXPANSION

animated the medieval city and served as testamentsto the importance of faith.On the more academic side, I was able to visit the Bib-liotheque Nationale, the Bibliotheque Francois Mitterand,as well as numerous bookstores in the city. I left Pariswith notes on my topic as well as three books that Ihad considered useful to buy (two in English and onein French).There were also two great opportunities I was giventhat I had not planned at the beginning of the tripand would have otherwise not experienced if it werenot for the generosity of the Nanovic. First, I wasable to travel to Bordeaux, in Southern France, as afriend’s friend in the Paris program offered to houseme for two nights. In Bordeaux, I was able to visitthe Cathedral of Saint Andre and Le Tour de PeyBerland, a large bell tower removed from the mainChurch structure. The cathedral was particularly in-teresting as it was begun in the Romanesque styleand finished in the Gothic. In this way, it was a tran-sitional building and one that was very pertinent tomy research.The second opportunity was to travel again to South-ern France to stay for several days with Benedictinemonks in their Romanesque monastery, Saint Mariede la Garde. This was incredibly beneficial in twoways. In a more practical sense, we were able totalk about the architecture of their monastery as wellas the architecture of their brother foundation, LeBarroux, and other prominent monasteries in Francelike Solesmes and Fontevraud. One of the monkswas also able to show me the plans for Saint Mariede la Garde and its proposed renovation. Muchmore importantly, I was able to experience the typeof lifestyle that had produced the Gothic in France.In many ways, the Benedictine Rule they had fol-lowed was indicative of a certain mysticism that mir-rored itself in the transcendence and radiance of theGothic style. This experience had put a face on myproject and I was very happy to seize it as an oppor-tunity.Overall, I had a very successful trip to France. It isone thing to read about the great Gothic structures; itis another to experience them. What made my trip toFrance this past summer so invaluable is not solely

that I researched and not solely that I saw the greatcathedrals, but that I was granted the ability to con-duct the two enterprises in parallel.Since my trip, I have composed my research intoan essay that uses the Basilica of Saint Denis as thespringing point for my inquiry into the foundationsof the Gothic style. I would like to again thank theNanovic Institute for its generosity and the oppor-tunity it had made available to me this past sum-mer.

Os Lancados: Tragic Figures of Por-tuguese Expansion

Marcus GattoSenior essay research for the Minor in European Studies

The Nanovic Institute’s Senior Research and Travelgrant allowed me to travel to Lisbon, Portugal,where I conducted research for my thesis entitled,“Os Lancados: The Tragic Figures of Portuguese Ex-pansion.”The term lancado is, in fact, an all-encompassing termfor those Portuguese settlers and explorers who trav-eled and established themselves in the frontiers andborderlands of Portuguese rule in a semi-legal or ille-gal manner during the period of Portuguese ColonialExpansion (1500’s) and onward. Os Lancados wereprimarily convicts and exiles, whom the crown en-listed as explorers and settlers on expansionist seavoyages. In many cases these figures defected andbecame involved in black market enterprises and theslave trade.To this point in Portuguese imperial studies, the fig-ure of the lancado has been largely overlooked in thesense that, because of their repeated deployment andemployment for various enterprises, the lancados andtheir individual stories constitute a phenomenon.This phenomenon has, over the years, come to con-stitute a sensation in the collective colonial memory,especially so in that of the African continent. Forexample, francophone writer Maryse Conde evokesthem in a recent publication as illustrative of the


FIGURES OF PORTUGUESE EXPANSION

Figure 3: Portuguese galleon, replica. Island ofMalacca, Malay Peninsula.

miscegenation that characterized much of colonialAfrica (note: translation from original French is myown):

The mixed couple is a quite ancient andhonorable system. Ca’ da Mosto andValentin Fernandes attest to this. It startedin 1510 with a group of Portuguese fromLisbon, there within criminals fleeing thecrown, settled at the mouth of the Sene-gal River and, adopting African customs,took black spouses. Even if they were dis-graced in the eyes of their compatriots, theywere adored by the Africans and they bap-tized themselves, lancados em terra, thosewho had been those who had been tossedashore, or tango maos, the tattooed mer-chants (Histoire de la Femme Cannibale, 76).

I qualify this phenomenon as “tragic” in my thesisbecause these men sent out on these colonizing mis-sions were often outlaws, condemned to death, and,indeed, expected to die.

During my time in Portugal, I was able to visitthe Biblioteca National de Lisboa (Lisbon National Li-brary), Torre do Tombo (Tower of Tombo NationalArchive) as well as many other small institutes, fac-ulties and libraries including the Instituto do Ultra-Mar (Overseas Institute). I found materials both inoriginal form and from scholars who were interestedin these figures and was able to speak with profes-sors from the social studies institute of the Universi-dade de Lisboa (University of Lisbon).In my studies, I was finally able to explore these fig-ures in the depth that a thesis merits and to gain aperspective and vision that I had not been fully ableto conceive with the limited materials available to mein the United States. In a more holistic aspect, noth-ing could have ever compared with the experienceof being in Portugal for, in many ways, Portugal isa nation in between identities: one of its old colonialpast and the other of its modern status as a mem-ber of the European Union. Everywhere around mewere the vestiges of a rich colonial history alongsidea strong desire for progress.Because of the results of my research while in Lisbon,I have added a new dimension to my thesis in whichI explore how the phenomenon of the lancados canbe considered part of a larger, primordial black mar-ket system of individuals who live within the stateor its borderlands but simultaneously work outsideits laws for individual fortune.I truly feel that this grant from the Nanovic has al-lowed me to reach a new level in my scholarship atwhich I have begun to collaborate with my profes-sors, in particularly professor Isabel Ferreira Gould,outside of the classroom and more importantly out-side of the inroads of scholarship paved by other re-searchers. With her help as an advisor, I have beenable to explore entirely new subject matters and ar-eas of research that one would be hard-pressed tofind in any existing textbooks.In my current work as a student, I have learned notsimply to pass over material but to stop and immersemyself in it and to explore what I find therein. Part ofthis process in relation to my thesis involved my re-search trip to Lisbon, and the invaluable resources Icame upon while there. Again, I would like to thank


LITERARY MADRID AND BARCELONA

the Nanovic Institute whole-heartedly for its sup-port, encouraging me to chase after history and liter-ature by my own design and in opportunities whichsimply aren’t provided in any classroom, only in Eu-rope herself.

The Impacts of Lope de Vegain Madrid and Antonio Gaudi inBarcelona

Alyssa NovakSenior essay research for the Minor in European Studies

The Nanovic Undergraduate Travel and ResearchGrant afforded me the opportunity to carry out on-site research for my senior thesis project, “Legaciesof the Golden Age and Modernist Art Movementin Contemporary Spain: A Study on the Impactsof Lope de Vega in Madrid and Antonio Gaudı inBarcelona.” With the funding from this grant I wasable to travel to Madrid, Spain, and Barcelona, Spain,to study each of these figures.I spent most of my time in Madrid combing throughthe Barrio de las letras, the writers’ quarter, whereLope de Vega lived along with many of his contem-poraries. I visited the house where Lope de Vegaspent the last thirty-five years of his life—the Casa-Museo Lope de Vega. The house has been restored inthe period style and is only open to visitors by ap-pointment. This neighborhood is also home to thefamous Teatro Espanol, a historic theater where gen-erations of the Madrid public have come to see Lopede Vega’s works performed. At the time I visitedthe theater the Coleccion del Museo Nacional del Teatropresented an exhibition about fashion and the classicplays of the Spanish theater. Most of the costumes ondisplay were from Lope de Vega works.While in Madrid I also visited the Museo de la Ciudad(Museum of the City) to learn more about Madridduring the Golden Age in which Lope de Vega lived.To my surprise, there was also a special exhibitioncalled Madrid literario, ‘Literary Madrid’. The exhibitexplored the dynamic relationship between the city

Figure 4: Lope de Vega, Spanish playwright, 1562-1635.

and its writers, past and present. Special attentionwas paid to Lope de Vega, and overall the exhibitwas a valuable resource for my project. Another re-source I utilized during my time in Madrid was theBiblioteca nacional de Espana, Spain’s national library.The Biblioteca nacional has a special collection on thetheater of the Golden Age with an extensive amountof useful material. I also attended a special lecture atthe library’s museum about Lope de Vega’s work, elArte nuevo de hacer comedias, which was the library’sfeatured literary work of the month.I was in Madrid at a fortunate time: two area theaterspresented performances of Lope de Vega’s plays. Ihad the opportunity to see a performance of one ofthe plays, La estrella de Sevilla, which was reinter-preted for a modern audience. This performancewas great evidence that Lope de Vega’s legacy is stillpresent within Spanish culture today.The rest of my research time was spent in Barcelona,Spain, studying the famous architect Antonio Gaudı.While in Barcelona, I fulfilled my intention to visitas many Gaudı sites as possible, several of which are


‘LA MONARCHIE HUMAINE’

UNESCO World Heritage sites. One of these siteswas the Casa Mila, popularly known as la Pedrera(or in English, the Quarry). It earned this nicknamefrom its peculiar facade, which looks like it has beencarved out of rock. The Espai Gaudı, which is actu-ally the building’s attic, doubles as a UNESCO mu-seum exhibition. This exhibition provided a compre-hensive overview of Gaudı’s works through models,plans, objects, designs, photographs, and videos, allof which were beneficial to my research.I also visited Gaudı’s Casa Batllo, another of the UN-ESCO World Heritage sites. This house is proba-bly one of the most famous of Gaudı’s works be-cause of its unique rooftop that looks like a dragon’sscaly back. Another world-famous Gaudı site I vis-ited was the Park Guell. The former home of Gaudı,now transformed into a museum, is also located onthe park grounds. The Sagrada familia church, proba-bly the most iconic of Gaudı’s works, was an impor-tant stop on my research trip. This church has beenunder construction for over 200 years, and architectsare still unsure when it will be finished. The effort toconstruct this church according to Gaudı’s vision is aliving testament to his legacy in Barcelona. Amongsome of Gaudı’s lesser-known works that I visitedwere Casa Calvet, and lightposts designed by Gaudıin the Placa Real. I also visited the Palau Guell, butunfortunately most of its interior was under restora-tion.Just as I ran into some unexpected opportunitiesin Madrid, in Barcelona I stumbled upon a spe-cial exhibit called Parla Gaudı, hosted by the Dioce-san Museum of Barcelona. The exhibit coupledblueprints, models, and historical photographs ofGaudı’s works with his own reflections on his pas-sion for art. I was able to bring home with me abook containing not only the items presented in theexhibit, but also filled with critical essays on Gaudıwhich I am sure will be invaluable to my project. Iwould not have found this resource if I had not trav-eled to Barcelona.I knew while planning my itinerary for Madridand Barcelona that unexpected research opportuni-ties would most likely arise as I established myselfwithin the areas I was studying. This could not have

been truer about my on-site research. Overall, it wasthe unforeseen opportunities I discovered in Madridand Barcelona that really made my research endeav-ors worthwhile. Even on the flight back to the UnitedStates I was confronted with an article in the in-flightmagazine about Antonio Gaudı and the Sagrada Fa-milia, so my research really has followed me home!The Nanovic Institute’s Undergraduate Travel andResearch Grant gave me the opportunity to create amore insightful, profound, and unique senior thesisproject, and for that I am extremely grateful.

La monarchie humaine : La vie in-time de Louis XVI

Allison LangSenior term paper in French Language and Literature

The French Revolution of 1789 was full of politicalturmoil and strife emerging from the growing in-dependence and power of the bourgeoisie. Manyof the political players of the ancien regime, such asMarie Antoinette and Louis XVI, have their person-alities molded by historians; however, there is oftenanother side to the history books. Le Cimetiere de laMadeleine, by J.J. Regnault-Warin, presents Louis XVIas a loving father and devoted husband, despite theaccusations of his lack of interest in his country andhis political passivity. Why was Louis XVI portrayedin such a manner? Regnault-Warin wrote this novela few years after the death of the king and his wifeand must have been influenced by the culture at thetime.Preliminary research led me to Jean-Baptiste Greuze,a genre painter of the eighteenth century who fo-cused on the portrayal of the family and the father asthe head of the family. The relationship was unde-niable: portrayals of Louis XVI in his final momentswith his family seemed to have been based on cer-tain Greuze paintings. Unfortunately, resources onGreuze, his paintings, and the relatively unknownRegnault-Warin were scarce in the United States, andI decided I needed to go to France to fully define the


THE ROMAN NOIR: A REVOLUTION IN FICTION

Figure 5: Louis XVI of France, 1775. Oil on canvas.Joseph Siffred Duplessis, 1725-1802.

relationship between the artist and writer.I decided to apply for a Senior Travel and Researchgrant from the Nanovic Institute of European Studiesin order to fund my research trip. The week in Pariswas essential to my research and allowed me the op-portunity to analyze the genre paintings of Greuze inperson, further explore the personal life of Louis XVIat the extensive Bibliotheque nationale de France, andpractice my foreign language skills orally, as well asin reading and writing. My research first took meto Versailles, in order to understand the lifestyle ofLouis XVI. I found many portraits of the king andhis family, often seen smiling happily together. Themotives behind these commissioned paintings havefaded with time, but the importance of the family toLouis XVI was obvious.From there I moved to the Louvre to examine theworks of Greuze, which are visually stunning whenseen in person. The paintings are large and de-

tailed; it was absolutely necessary to see them pre-sented in such a manner. I spent hours in front ofthe paintings, analyzing the members of the family,their actions, and the setting. Though reproduced inbooks and online, the original paintings were neces-sary to gain the full meaning of them. Artistic sub-tleties cannot be seen anywhere but in the originalworks.At the Musee Carnavalet, I found an entire floor dedi-cated to the French Revolution of 1789 and an entireroom of just the execution of Louis XVI and MarieAntoinette. Again, there were many paintings ofthe king and his family. In particular, one paint-ing showed the family arranged around Louis XVI intheir last visit with him. I was stunned; this paintingwas the exact scene out of Le Cimetiere de la Madeleine.Regnault-Warin seemed to influence other artists justas he was influenced by them, despite his relativeanonymity.The resources available at the Bibliotheque nationale deFrance were more varied and specialized than any-thing at Notre Dame or online. The organization ofthe BNF allowed me to quickly pull various worksanalyzing the life and events of Louis XVI and howthey shaped him as a person. History textbookscan only say so much about a figure in history andthese additional resources were absolutely essentialto learning more about Louis XVI.Without the Nanovic, I would never have gottenthe insight and comprehensive research on LouisXVI, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, and J.J. Regnault-Warin.Learning outside the classroom is essential to bothacademics and research and I thank them for givingme the opportunity to pursue my senior term paperresearch.

The roman noir: A Revolution inFiction

Catherine DavisSenior term paper in French Language and Literature

I received my Senior Travel and Research Grant to


THE ROMAN NOIR: A REVOLUTION IN FICTION

travel to Paris during the fall break of my senior year,in order to do research for a term paper that I waswriting for my French class at Notre Dame: “A Rev-olution in Fiction.” The trip was incredibly helpfulto me: not only did it offer me several new ideas andapproaches on my topic, “Louis XVI and the GothicFamily,” but it allowed me to search for materialsthat would support or influence my thesis while be-ing immersed in the bustling and exciting whirlwindof culture, history, and language that is Paris.First, I went to the Bibliotheque Nationale de Francein order to search for books on the French Revo-lution, the royal family of Louis XVI, the Englishgothic novel, and the French roman noir. I foundseveral helpful books to which I referred while writ-ing my paper, such as Louis XVI & Marie-Antoinette:un couple en politique by Joel Felix, which is aboutthe king and queen as a political couple during theirreign.

Figure 6: Jean-Jacques Hauer (1751-1829), Les adieuxde Louis XVI a sa famille, le 20 janvier, 1793. Oil oncanvas, 1794.

I also went to the Louvre to see more paintings of

the royal family, and other important art pieces fromthe era, such as some paintings by Elisabeth-LouiseVigee-Le Brun and Jean-Baptiste Greuze. Then Iwalked along the Tuileries Gardens to the Place de laConcorde, both places mentioned often in the texts wehave been reading in class. Being in the actual placesdescribed so often in those contemporary texts wasincredible, and it really made the stories come alive.I also went to the Madeleine church, which is partof the setting of the four-volume text on which Iwrote my paper, Le Cimetiere de la Madeleine. It wasmuch bigger and more awe-inspiring than I thoughtit would be. I even attended Sunday Mass at thechurch to really immerse myself and get the full ex-perience.The Musee Carnavalet was another place that I vis-ited in order to look through its extensive rooms withdisplays on the French Revolution. I saw paintingsand a model of the Madeleine. It was all fascinating tolook at, and I did find a room solely devoted to paint-ings of the royal family, such as Marie-Antoinette enveuve, au temple by Alexandre Kucharski, Louis XVIIsepare de sa mere by Jean-Jacques Hauer, et Les Adieuxde Louis XVI a sa famille by Jean-Jacques Hauer. Ispent a lot of time studying the paintings and theirdescriptions, taking pictures, and taking notes onhow the depictions of the royal family demonstrateda personal view of the artist or the society at thattime.I also traveled to Versailles for one of the days, be-cause we have spent a significant amount of time inclass discussing the importance of Versailles espe-cially before and during the Revolution. I walkedthrough the grounds to get a feeling of what itmust have been like historically, and made my waythrough the palace to see new, more modern art jux-taposed with the furniture, artwork, and accessoriesof the eighteenth century. It was a wonderful way toget a feeling for the time, and it was very striking tophysically be in the place that was such a politicallycentral spot during that time of turmoil.Being in Paris itself was a very important experiencefor me. I did not study abroad in France during mysophomore year like most of my other classmates,and my speaking and writing skills are therefore not


LITERACY IN REVOLUTIONARY FRANCE

as well developed as they could be. However, be-ing in Paris for ten days—taking the metro, shop-ping in the markets, and going to cafe’s—raised myconfidence level immensely. I spoke French nearlythe entire time I was there, even with the two class-mates who accompanied me. By the end of the week,I found myself understanding much more of the con-versations I heard around me, and I was also muchless afraid to speak out myself. It was thrilling tospeak in French to a native French speaker and tohear them respond to me in French, accepting thefact that we could communicate. This experiencemade it easier and more enjoyable for me to writemy paper, and I felt much closer to being fluent uponreturn.

Working Class Literacy in Revolu-tionary France

Rachel SantaySenior term paper in French Language and Literature

With the Nanovic Senior Travel and Research Grant,I was able to travel to Paris, France, during fall breakto conduct research for my term paper, “The Shift-ing Balance of Reading and Literacy in the Work-ing Class in Revolutionary France: ‘Le Falot du peo-ple’ as Exemplary Text,” for my senior-level seminarcourse, “A Revolution in Fiction.”The research that I completed at the Bibliotheque Na-tionale de France was invaluable to my paper. The li-brary contained many books on the history of read-ing and reading practices during the French Revo-lution that are simply not available at Notre Dame.While they were not rare books nor part of a spe-cial collection, the great number of books availableopened up my topic considerably, and allowed meto engage in it more deeply, so giving me the oppor-tunity to write a much more precise and thoroughterm paper. In a strictly academic sense, then, myproposal for Senior Travel and Research Grant wasmet with success: my paper, as it is now, could nothave been written without the research I was able to

conduct in Paris.

Figure 7: Musee Carnavalet, Paris. Gardens.

My research proposal also included a visit to theMusee Carnavalet in Paris, a museum that deals withthe history of Paris itself, to see how reading prac-tices during the Revolution were depicted in visualimages. While I was unable to include this researchin my paper, my visit to the museum was impor-tant in shaping my perception of the Revolution as awhole. What particularly struck me here was a largepainting of the Declaration des Droits de l’Homme et duCitoyen—the Declaration of the Rights of Man. As I dis-covered in my research in Paris, this official procla-mation of human rights by the revolutionary govern-ment was key in effecting a change in the readingpractices of the “classes populaires,” and it is the veryembodiment of the utopian ideals that would even-tually lead to a sense of political legitimacy amongthese classes. A series of illustrations from the rev-olutionary era portrayed women joining to form areading club for revolutionary literature, confirmingexactly what the Declaration imagined: a nation ofinformed citizens, each considered free and equal toothers, exercising their rights as outlined in the doc-ument. My visit to the museum served to cement,in a way, the importance of what I researched at thelibrary and the importance of its foundational docu-ment.Finally, being able to spend a full week in Paris,thanks to the Senior Travel and Research Grant, gave


FINDING MR. GILL

me an opportunity to see and experience the city ina way I was never able to before. I attended Mass atNotre Dame cathedral and at l’Eglise de la Madeleine,browsed the Louvre, visited la Sainte-Chapelle, andeven walked through the grounds of Versailles as a(albeit temporary) resident of Paris instead of as atourist.Even after having spent a year in Angers, I havenever visited Paris for more than a weekend. Havingthe time to take the Metro to the Louvre, wander outinto the Jardins des Tuileries and to the Place de la Con-corde, and climb the steps of l’Eglise de la Madeleineto finish the evening confirmed above all my desireto spend time in Europe after graduation, whetherit be as a Fulbright teaching assistant or French gov-ernment teaching assistant.I am now confident that I will be able to flourish fora year, or more, away from home and without thesafety net of a study abroad program. My languageskills have also improved after my week’s stay inParis. I feel that I have regained some of the oral flu-ency that I lost upon my return to the US after myyear in Angers, and that I have refreshed my abilityto understand rapidly spoken French. The Nanovicgrant has not only allowed me to write the best pa-per possible for my senior-level seminar, and gainexperience in conducting original research, but hasgiven me a new sense of confidence in my plans forthe future, and helped me regain confidence in mylanguage ability that is no doubt necessary for a pos-sible future in Europe.

Finding Mr. Gill

Erin DolanClass of ‘10, collaborative research with Notre Damefaculty

From May 18 to June 1, I was in England for anarchival research trip with Professor John Shermanentitled, “Finding Mr. Gill.” The purpose of the tripwas to help develop content for The Gill Archive atNotre Dame.

We researched Eric Gill (1882-1940), an engraver,sculptor, typographer, and writer who lived andworked in Ditchling, England. Gill started the Guildof Saints Joseph and Dominic, a community thatbased its ideals on medieval guilds, with a specialfocus on living simple Catholic lives. The Guild waslocated at the top of Ditchling Common, a fifteen-minute walk from the village downtown. The com-mune was arranged with a physical focus on Catholi-cism; a small chapel was at the center and the work-shops encircled it. The Guild members included aprinter, painter, stone carver, carpenter, silversmith,and weaver. Our trip to Ditchling was a way to im-merse ourselves in Gill’s world, to better understandhis perspective, influences, and background. Overthe two weeks, we explored Gill’s Ditchling in manyunique ways.

Figure 8: Eric Gill, 1882-1940. Sculptor, typeface de-signer, stonecutter, printmaker.

We were given a unique tour of Gill’s home and saw


FASCIST PROPAGANDA IN SPAIN AND GERMANY

Brian Marley’s (the current owner) personal Gill col-lection which included things he found in the houseand in his back yard. In particular, Brian showed usa written consecration that each member of the Gillfamily signed and that Eric hung next to the entrancethat dedicates the house to “the most Sacred Heart ofOur Lord Jesus Christ.” Brian also showed us lettercarvings he found buried in his backyard that Gilland his apprentices used for practice. We met JennyKilBride, daughter of Guild weaver Valentine Kil-Bride, and the only female member of the Guild. Wesat down with Jenny and discussed life in the Guildas a child. She shared family photos of Saint Do-minic’s Day, and even showed us a prize she wonthat was hand made by Joseph Cribb, one of EricGill’s apprentices. Most importantly though, shetalked about the simplicity of life in the Guild andhow much that simplicity was valued amongst andfocused on by the Guild members. They respectedtheir crafts, each other, and God. We also inter-viewed Ewan Clayton, Jenny’s nephew, renownedcalligrapher, and one of the last members of theGuild. We discussed the Guild’s importance overallas a rare example of a successful communal societyand how that was achieved.The majority of our time was spent at the DitchlingMuseum where we had full access to the museum’sDitchling Collection as well as their newly acquiredEvan Gill Collection. We not only got to see Gill’sworks in the museum, but also were able to explorepieces that few people know exist, let alone get to seeand handle themselves.As a business major, what personally interestedme while in Ditchling was the Guild as a place ofcommerce. I investigated how the Guild was ableto survive as a business, how people knew aboutthe Guild, and how the Guild members advertisedthemselves. I found that for the most part, what pro-moted the Guild as a business was word of mouththrough Catholic churches. Once a church was intouch with one of the craftspeople, they were re-ferred to another craftsperson to take care of theirother needs.Attending the Pen to Printer Conference roundedout the experience by showing us the modern practi-

cal applications of trade skills, such as stone carvingand letter making. We listened to presentations ontypography, watercolor, calligraphy, and stone carv-ing and we interacted with people who carry out theGuild’s legacy making a living by their trade today.We saw how the tradition has carried on as well ashow it has changed since Gill’s era. We even triedour hand at carving slate.The conference tied the whole experience together,integrating the past and present legacy of Gill andhis Guild of craftspeople.Ditchling turned out to be much more than a placewhere Gill lived and worked. It became an end-less web of people and connections that extend asfar as the United States and Notre Dame. Withthe generosity and kindness of the people of Ditch-ling and the proprietors of the Ditchling Museum,we were able to completely delve into Gill’s worldand successfully learn about his perspective and in-fluences. This experience could not have occurredwithout the generous funding of the Nanovic Insti-tute for European Studies. I thank you for the oppor-tunity and the endless memories that came from thistrip.

Fascist Propaganda in Spain andGermany, 1933-1945

Laura SrebroPreparing a senior Honors Thesis in History

The Undergraduate Initiatives Grant from theNanovic Institute made it possible for me to take ad-vantage of a premier research collection at the Uni-versity of California, San Diego. The UCSD library ishome to the Southworth Collection of primary doc-uments from the Spanish Civil War.Over the course of three days I was able to locateover one hundred documents that will serve as thebackbone for my History Honors Thesis. The South-worth Collection is composed of thousands of doc-uments that are preserved in the special collectionslibrary and on microfilm in the archives. I primar-


WOMEN’S MEMOIRS FROM THE SIEGE OF LENINGRAD

Figure 9: Francisco Franco’s troops entering a loyal-ist area in Spain, ca. 1936.

ily worked with the documents on microfilm and di-vided my time between searching through the reelsfor relevant documents and scanning them so I couldsave them for later use.One of the primary elements of the History Honorsprogram is a written honors thesis that is rooted inoriginal primary research. My thesis focuses on thefascist propaganda of the Spanish Civil war and NaziGermany. While Nazi propaganda is widely avail-able through on line archives and books at NotreDame, documents from the Spanish Civil War aredifficult to find. For this reason, the documents thatI collected at UCSD, primarily pamphlets with im-ages, are essential to the successful completion of my

thesis. My thesis highlights three different topics ofpropaganda: the fascist ideology, Hitler and Francoas leaders, and religion. I was able to find documentsin the Southworth Collection that support each ofthese topics.I am currently working through the documents, themajority of which are in Spanish, and incorporatingthem into my thesis. There is still much work to bedone before my thesis is completed, but I can tellalready that these documents will be invaluable tothe project. Furthermore, the experience of doing re-search at another university, navigating an archive,and using microfilm are all very important aspects ofthe learning and research process for historians and Iam grateful to the Nanovic Institute for making thisopportunity possible.

Women’s Memoirs from the Siegeof Leningrad

Mary Ann BargeClass of ’09, Double Major in Russian and Classics

The Siege of Leningrad was one of the most horrify-ing experiences of World War II in Russia. The Siegewas experienced mostly by women and children inLeningrad, since most of the men had by that pointbeen sent to the front to fight.These women were charged not only with the taskof survival, but also were responsible for compos-ing the city’s workforce and essentially taking overevery aspect of life in the city that had traditionallybeen assigned to men. In consequence of this, a ma-jority of the first-hand accounts we have, in both di-aries and memoirs, are from a female perspective.They recall a time of life in which women adoptedthe traditional roles of men in society, while main-taining their cultural place as women. Because ofthis, and despite this, in the recent literature of thewar, especially the post-Soviet publication of mem-oirs from the time, there is an overwhelming trendto portray the Siege of Leningrad as an exclusivelyfemale experience, which at times has unfortunately


WOMEN’S MEMOIRS FROM THE SIEGE OF LENINGRAD

reduced the memory of the experience to culturally-assumed stereotypes about gender.With the support of the Nanovic Institute, I was ableto travel to St. Petersburg over Christmas break andfurther explore the phenomenon of this very gen-dered portrayal of the Siege. I had intended andhoped, as a part of this project, to read the com-plete memoirs of Valentina Gorokhova, which arehoused in the Museum of the Defense of the Siegeof Leningrad. However, despite my success in con-tacting the museum and securing permission to viewthe memoirs prior to departure, upon my arrival inSt. Petersburg I was denied access to them. Instead,I was able to spend my time extensively studyingthe actual museum itself, as well as the museum andmemorial for the Siege near Victory Park, on the farend of town. I found this to be an enlightening andfascinating experience, because this both confirmedsome of the ideas I had had about the representationof the Siege, and challenged others.Most significantly, I was led to reconsider my ideasabout Soviet representation of the event. I had, inmy work, been so involved with the literary aspectsof it, that I had almost neglected to think about wherethe literary aspect, as a whole, and in particular, thememoirs I had been studying, took place in the over-all ideas presented about the Siege. And what I dis-covered was very interesting. Not only was civilianlife very under-represented as a whole in both mu-seums, but in particular, female life was very down-played. The emphasis was clearly on the war thatwas being fought outside the city, with a secondaryfocus on the defense within the city. Though thisdefense was largely carried out by women and chil-dren, there was little in either museum to indicatethat. The war aspects were embellished with paint-ings of life on the front lines and other masculine ob-jects and images, such as uniforms themselves, etc.;however, nothing expressed that the women werethe ones inside the city, carrying out defense and du-ties there. It was such a blatant disregard that I wasrather shocked by this. Furthermore, almost everyaspect of the Siege was included, with the exceptionof the life at home, which is, of course, the aspect thatall survivors had in common, and is the focus of most

Siege memoirs.

Figure 10: The Siege of Leningrad, 1941-1944.

These factors made me realize that there is more un-derlying my original thesis topic than I had realized.I began to think that the feminine experience as awhole has been underplayed in the representation ofthe Siege; furthermore, because of the desire to makeeverything about the Siege evoke ideas of patriotismand heroism, there seems to be a repression of thevery prominent suffering that was endured by thewomen in the city.Because of this realization, I began to research howSoviet censorship had played a role in minimiz-ing women’s participation and perception. Indeed,though the Soviet era was meant to be a time of“equality,” and this was realized in areas like theworkplace, it happened at the cost of repressing theidea of the female. And the further I looked andthe more I researched, it became clear that this wasnot only a Soviet-era trend, but was a general taboowithin Russian culture. In fact, memoir seems tobe one of the only media through which the femalevoice has been able to be heard throughout Russianhistory.Thanks to the grant I received from the Nanovic In-stitute, my senior thesis has come to take on moremeaning, and I have learned about an issue that hasgone widely unconfronted throughout Russian his-tory. I am now examining the taboo of women inRussian and Soviet culture, particularly through thecontext of Siege memoirs. I am very interested to


FILMING ON LOCATION IN ENGLAND: ALMOST EVENING

see how these were suppressed initially by the So-viet government, and then how this trend continuedculturally, even past the thaw of heaviest censorshipstandards. This addresses larger issues, such as whywomen have been relegated to this secondary posi-tion, and why Russian culture is seemingly uncom-fortable with women. I hope to see how this culturaltrend has changed over time, and if it has, in fact, im-proved at all since the end of the Soviet era. I wouldlike to thank the Nanovic Institute and its sponsorsfor giving me the opportunity to expand my knowl-edge and research in such a rewarding way, whichI believe will have further impact on my future aca-demic career.

Filming On Location in England:Almost Evening

Joseph GleasonSenior project in Film, Television, and TheatreMr. Gleason’s is the first film by a Notre Dame studentshot entirely on location in a foreign country.

Before I begin, I want to thank you for the enor-mous gift you’ve given me through the Undergrad-uate Travel and Research grant. It has been one ofthe most exhilarating, most challenging, and mostblessed experiences of my life. Thank you.My short film, Almost Evening, which evolved fromthe original working title, The Return of the ProdigalSon, tells the story of a young British soldier, Danny,returning home on leave in late June, 1944, to dis-cover that his sister, Rose, has decided to becomea nun. The film follows the aftermath of this reve-lation, exploring both Danny’s and Rose’s mindsetstowards God, religious vocation, personal freedom,and the nature of love and friendship. It is a storyabout siblinghood on the tail end of youth grapplingwith the necessary but often painful transition intoadulthood. Hence, the title reflects this transition:the interval between late afternoon and evening, theend of one beautiful part of the day and the begin-ning of another.

Figure 11: Joseph Gleason shooting on location inGloucestershire, England.

The pre-production planning was arguably the mostdifficult task I have ever undertaken. Trying to se-cure multiple location releases, automobile insur-ance for actors, and liability waivers—and all ofthis overseas—proved to be much more complicatedthan I could have imagined. For starters, havingwritten a script which was set entirely out-of-doors, Irealized how very vulnerable the shooting schedulewas to the infamous temperamental weather of Eng-land’s spring. Furthermore, almost half of the film isset in a period convertible automobile, which meantthat the weather quickly became one of my greatestanxieties. It also meant that I needed to find a periodconvertible which we could not only shoot on film,but drive as well. I sent over fifty emails to differentcar club members across the whole of Great Britain,but it wasn’t until three days before we left for Eng-land that I finally secured a car for the shoot, as wellas an alternate closed car in the event of rain. Godwas enormously kind to us, however, and no dropof rain fell during our shooting days. (It poured themorning after we finished.)Rather than take the risk of auditioning universityactors on location in England, I chose to pay for myoriginally intended actors to come to England out ofmy own pocket. In order to keep costs as low as pos-sible, I served as director and actor alongside fellowactors Claire Holovaty and Jonathan Gapp, and I was


GERMANY IN YUGOSLAVIA

assisted with the camera work by my good friendand former co-worker Kevin Daly, along with ourhost, John Elliott.The film opens at a railway station, and throughmy research, I settled on Winchcombe Railway Sta-tion. I contacted the station’s financial and commer-cial director who granted me a location release andinformed me that, by a happy coincidence, the sta-tion would be closed to tourists on the very day thatwe planned to shoot. (The reason for the temporaryclosing was that the Hogwarts Express train from theHarry Potter films was being brought in as a touristattraction. I was able to include a shot of the train inmy filming.) This coincidence hugely benefited ourfirst shooting day, freeing us from the inconvenienceof bustling tourists, extra noise, and modern cars inthe parking lot.I originally planned to shoot part of the film at Wa-verly Abbey in Wales, but upon further research, Idiscovered Hailes Abbey, which was not only muchcloser to Cheltenham, but significantly less expen-sive for securing a location release. Thus, the sceneat the abbey ruins was filmed at Hailes Abbey in-stead.A brief vignette of the film shoot: During a scene inthe car, the characters in the film discuss some chil-dren who are now living in their house to avoid theLondon bombings. The owner of the car was on siteon that particular day of shooting, and he was visiblymoved by this section of the script. He explained tous that he himself had been shuttled out of Londonas a young boy by his parents and how his own par-ents were killed in the war. He had never returnedto London since.I learned more through this experience than I amable to express in words. This was by far the longestand most complex script I have yet undertaken towrite, and both my acting and directorial skills wereput to the test. As a director working outdoors on avery limited timetable, it was essential that I use ourtime extremely responsibly, but also work at a pacewhich enabled the actors and crew members to feelboth relaxed and focused. It was a crucially educa-tional experience for me to learn what it is like to beon all sides of the camera; I think that my skills in

all areas of filmmaking were stretched and strength-ened.Perhaps the greatest blessing of all was the beautyof the British countryside. What an honor it was tocome to England as a film artist: it gave me not onlythe license but the responsibility to see the beauty ofthe land and attempt to capture it. I was on morethan one occasion moved to tears by the sheer sim-plicity of the beauty of the land: fields full of wildflowers, ancient stone archways, entire hills coveredin brilliant shades of ochre. I wanted to capture itall.Upon my return, I have spent the remainder ofthe summer editing the film, and I will be com-pleting it this semester under the direction of BillDonaruma.Thank you, thank you, thank you for this opportu-nity. It was my first experience abroad, and I finallyunderstand why people describe it as life-changing.It was.

German Military Involvement inthe Yugoslavian Crisis

Thomas DudroSenior thesis research in History and German, Recipientof a Katie Murphy-McMahon Grant for Russian andEast-Central European Studies

My summer experience in Berlin researching formy senior thesis was remarkable and memorable.Thanks to the generosity of the Nanovic Institute, Iwas able to conduct foundation-laying research onmy topic of the German military involvement in theYugoslavian Crisis, particularly the deployment ofBundeswehr troops to Bosnia. Not only was I ableto spend a large amount of time in libraries andarchives gathering otherwise inaccessible informa-tion, knowledge, and sources, but I was also ableto experience one of the great capitals and culturalcenters of Europe. Additionally I employed and im-proved my language skills. This trip was an incred-ible opportunity and the ability to conduct this re-


GERMANY IN YUGOSLAVIA

search will undoubtedly improve the quality of mythesis project.I arrived in Berlin on July 8, having left my homein San Francisco on July 7. I stayed at a pension inMitte, about a half-mile from many historical land-marks and points of historical and cultural interest,such as the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, theStaatsoper (State Opera), Checkpoint Charlie, partsof the Berlin Wall, the German History Museum,and the Berlin Lutheran Cathedral. This was alsothe government quarter, and so there were manyembassies, various bureaucratic departments, andthe representative consulate buildings of the variousGerman Lander (states). I was also close to the li-braries and archives were I did much of my research,which was very convenient. It was a perfect locationfor someone interested in European history and pol-itics, and I relished the fact.

Figure 12: German Bundeswehr troops in Bosnia,2002.

I began my research in the libraries of the Osteu-ropa and Zeitgeschichte Institutes at Frei UniversitatBerlin. Here I found some good secondary sourcesthat put me on track to continue my research inother directions, such as newspaper articles, whichI would pursue later. I also found some interest-ing primary sources, such as analyses and accountswritten by government officials who had been ac-tive in determining Germany’s role in the Balkans.I also contacted and met with Dr. Helga Haften-

dorn, a leading scholar on modern German politicalscience and history, who gave me some further di-rection. I spent several days at FU, and then tookwhat I had learned to my next phase of research atthe Deutche Gesellschaft fur Auswartige Politik (Ger-man Organization for Foreign Policy), a think-tankinstitute that specializes in German foreign policy inthe 20th and 21st centuries. Their library holds over70,000 volumes, periodicals, journals, and variousother sources including both older and recent pub-lications on present and past German foreign pol-icy issues. Here I found a large amount of sourcesand material dealing with my topic, far more than Ihad anticipated after the preliminary research I haddone here at Notre Dame. At first it was a bit over-whelming, but I soon began to find very good pri-mary and secondary sources from government pub-lications, Bundestag records, academic journals, anda plethora of translated (into German and English)pieces from Serbian, Bosnian, and Croatian sources.Additionally, I was able to create a list of specificnewspaper articles, dates of major speeches and de-bates, and the specific parliamentary records dealingwith the Bosnian conflict.The final week and a half of my trip I spent mostly inthe newspaper archive of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin(Berlin State Library). Here I found the articles I hadpreviously identified as important sources, primar-ily from the Suddeutsche Zeitung and Frankfurter All-gemeine Zeitungas (the two most important Germannewspapers), as well as many more that covered thecourse of the Yugoslavian conflict and the increasingdebates and decisions regarding Germany’s role inthe region. I was also able to find some secondarysources in the library as well, dealing particularlywith the perception of the war by German journal-ists and what they saw in the Balkans, in addition totheir reception by the various groups in that region,outlining the historical background from a more in-dividual perspective.My time in Berlin, although primarily dedicated tomy research endeavors, also allowed me to experi-ence the incredible city of Berlin. I visited the majorlandmarks and locations within the city, includingthe German History Museum, Reichstag, Tempel-


PREVENTIVE COLD WAR LOGIC

hof Airport, various different neighborhoods, andPotsdam. I also partook in some of the nightlifein Berlin and met many students from around theworld, which was a really great experience. Overall,the trip was truly amazing, and an unbelievable op-portunity both to expand my research for my thesisand my appreciation for the German capital. I cannotthank the Nanovic Institute enough for this chance tovisit Berlin and pursue my academic project.

Preventive Cold War Logic in theBritish National Archives

Daniel KrcmaricSenior thesis research in Political Science

I received a Senior Travel and Research Grant fromthe Nanovic Institute to conduct research for my po-litical science senior thesis examining nuclear pro-liferation and preventive war logic during the earlyphases of the Cold War. The United States emergedfrom World War II with a monopoly on nuclearweapons, but American policymakers were con-cerned with the Soviet Union’s aggressive post-warforeign policy. There was widespread fear that So-viet aggression would escalate to an intolerable levelafter they developed nuclear weapons (this eventu-ally occurred in 1949).American and European policymakers and intellec-tuals, including the United States Air Force Gener-als, Bertrand Russell, John von Neumann, and Win-ston Churchill expressed an ardent desire to take ad-vantage of the United States’ brief nuclear superi-ority and launch a preventive war against the So-viet Union. However, the United States never ini-tiated a war. The conventional wisdom suggeststhat basic morals and international norms prohibitedthe United States from acting. In my thesis, I pro-vide an alternative explanation of the American de-cision not to initiate a preventive war. Namely, theUnited States, despite an early nuclear lead, neverpossessed a clear advantage in the overall balance ofpower.

Figure 13: Soviet ICBM silo, Plokstine, Lithuania.

With the help of the Nanovic Institute, my researchled me to the British National Archives located out-side of London, England. Prior to my travel, I identi-fied a number of British and NATO documents thatclosely pertain to my thesis. During my time atthe Archives, I had the unique opportunity to ex-amine these original documents. They include: re-ports on and statements of Soviet foreign policy, po-litical repercussions relating to the use of the hydro-gen bomb, warhead delivery systems in NATO, andthe United Kingdom’s policy on the use of nuclearweapons. Examining these documents undoubtedlywill contribute to the success of my senior thesis, andthey will certainly be cited and prominently featuredin the footnotes of my final product.The trip to the National Archives was significant foranother reason. I applied to start doctoral programsin international relations in the fall of 2009, with thegoal of eventually becoming a university professor.


THE CONSTRUCTION OF RURAL IRISH IDENTITY

Archival research is an essential component of re-search at the graduate and professorial level, andthis trip gave me a sampling of what I will expe-rience at that level. I learned proper etiquette forarchival research and how to properly handle origi-nal documents that are often very old and frail. Alsointeresting, I was surprised when the documents Iexamined were generally not neatly typed reports,but instead mostly consisted of handwritten notesbetween upper-level statesmen in the British andAmerican governments. Thank you for making thisgreat experience possible!

The Construction of Rural IrishIdentity: Connemara PonyShows

Claire BrownSenior thesis research in Anthropology

Connemara pony shows are a unique cultural expe-rience in which local politics coalesce with centuriesof breeding to reflect the past and present complexsocial relationships of western Ireland. The NanovicUndergraduate Travel and Research Grant gave methe opportunity to spend a portion of this summer inwestern Ireland researching the significance that theConnemara breed and the show culture plays in thelarger sphere of regional Irish heritage.I entered into this research with a focus upon theConnemara breed’s impact upon Ireland’s agricul-tural sphere and rural lifeways of the western regionin an effort to understand the breed’s role in the con-struction of regional Irish identity. My experience inwestern Ireland provided me with an invaluable op-portunity in which I became integrated into the Con-nemara pony community, thus experiencing this in-tricate social phenomenon first-hand.An integral component of the research for thisproject was my involvement at the Errislannan Rid-ing Academy. I essentially worked as a volunteerhired hand from June 28 to July 17, 2009, at the ridingschool, which provided endless opportunities for ca-

sual interviews regarding pony shows and the Con-nemara breed in general. This experience allowedme to have discussions with individuals at everylevel of the show process: trainers, breeders, partici-pants, and judges. From these informal interviews, Igained an insider’s point of view into the social sig-nificance that these shows possess.

Figure 14: Connemara is composed of five Catholicparishes in western Ireland.

The Connemara pony shows are a surprisingly di-visive subject within this community that is en-trenched in local politics. Several individuals in-dicated that the show results are not entirely fair,with the winning pony often chosen based upon per-sonal connections with the judges rather than a win-ning conformation. Others showed faith in the judg-ing process and contended that the most importantjudge is oneself. Community relations are a subter-ranean force that underlies every aspect of the Con-nemara breed, as social bonds are created and bro-ken through the breeding connections that drive theshows. My acceptance into this show world throughmy participant observation at Errislannan allowedme to become party to these local politics, of which Iwould be completely unaware without the personalexperience of living in this community.I embarked upon the second component of my re-search plan, a study of the Connemara breed as a his-torical foundation of agricultural and regional her-itage, through visits to two leading horse museums


DISABILITY STUDIES IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

in Ireland. The Station House Museum and themuseum at the Irish National Stud Farm stand asstunning examples of the impact that equines havehad upon Irish history and heritage. Both museumsfeature extensive exhibits detailing the fundamen-tal role played by the Connemara pony in both theagricultural and social sphere. These museums ex-panded my knowledge of the breed’s importance inthe agricultural world to the pony’s larger influencein social relations.Undoubtedly the most anticipated component of myresearch design was the promise of my attendanceof three Connemara pony shows: Maam Cross PonyShow, Roundstone Pony Show, and BallyconneelyPony Show. It was only through my personal expe-rience at these shows that I was able to understandthe fundamental importance that the show and theConnemara breed has to Irish culture: the show isabout the people, not the ponies. While this mayseem a bit odd to surmise about a pony show, mycontinued attendance to these shows provided mewith a strong belief in this claim. If the real judgetruly is oneself, as I was often told, then the essen-tial purpose of conducting a show is to allow all ofthe “judges” to discuss, argue, and interact with oneanother. The show is fundamentally a social eventthat brings people together through shared experi-ences and dialogue. I was frequently shocked bythe knowledge possessed by seemingly everyone inthe Clifden community of past show winners andbreeding, regardless of whether those speaking hadany personal connection to Connemara ponies. Thepony shows act as the glue that binds the commu-nity of this region together through a shared senseof pride and interest in the breed that is claimed byConnemara alone.My involvement in this community as made possi-ble by my research experience introduced me to avery important aspect of the show culture that I hadnot previously considered: the Connemara breedhas brought international attention to this rural west-ern region of Ireland, and the town of Clifden inparticular. The Connemara pony is rapidly becom-ing an international breed, with large breeding so-cieties existing in hundreds of countries including

the United States. In a country that has lost much ofits agricultural heritage to industrialization and bigbusiness practices, the Connemara pony has openednew doors as a symbol of Irish heritage that is be-coming the means to which the western region canpossess international significance. The Clifden Ponyshow has become an international event that drawstourists, show participants, and ponies from aroundthe world.I plan to incorporate a study of the significance ofthis new international aspect that the Connemarabreed brings to the western region of Ireland in myfurther research. Through this research grant theNanovic Institute has provided me with an amaz-ing experience that was truly the most rewardingacademic endeavor of my life. I plan to continuethis research during my course of study at Univer-sity College Dublin this spring, and hope to attendmore pony shows in an expansion of my project inthe summer of 2010. The Nanovic research grant hasserved as the catalyst for a project that will culmi-nate in my senior anthropology honors thesis, andwill consequently act as a driving force in my appli-cation for further education in a graduate anthropol-ogy degree.

Disability Studies in Edinburgh,Scotland

Caitlin BoothSenior thesis research in Sociology

Upon my arrival to Edinburgh, I was nervous aboutsmall things (buses and getting lost), but I mostly ex-cited for meeting who would be my community forthe next week. I was staying with the L’Arche com-munity in Leith. L’Arche is an International Feder-ation made up of ecumenical communities aroundthe world where people with and without learningdisabilities share life, many living together in familystyle homes.The Edinburgh community comprises three homes(Skein, Creelha, and an apartment), an office staff,


DISABILITY STUDIES IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Figure 15: Leith is the port of Edinburgh, Scotland,on the south shore of the Firth of Forth.

and outside members. The UK has a unique positionin the L’Arche Federation, as they are some of theoldest and most evolving communities. L’Arche Ed-inburgh was of specific interest for me because of theOverseas Development Fund, which supports thecommunities of Uganda and Zimbabwe. My timein Edinburgh was filled with interviews and partici-pant observations in order to investigate the care inL’Arche homes and how they live in community. Iinvestigated the regulations in Scotland that L’Archefollows and how this impacts their mission and thenfocused on L’Arche Edinburgh’s role in the develop-ment of L’Arche communities in East Africa.The L’Arche Edinburgh community first openedtheir doors to me at the Skein house, a two-storyhome with three core members, three live-in assis-tants, and a live-out house leader. We shared storiesand talked about what L’Arche was doing in the nextfew weeks. L’Arche Edinburgh is an active commu-nity, core members horseback riding, assistants trav-eling, and all together sharing in very full and busylives. I was able to spend two nights with the Skeinhouse, visiting, praying, sharing in activities, and in-terviewing all of the live-in assistants. After a coupledays, I moved my things to Creelha house, a largerhome that is home to four core members, three live-in assistants, one live-out assistant and a live-outhouse leader. At Creelha I spent four nights, shar-ing meals, watching a movie, and getting to knowcommunity members.

To complement my time doing participant observa-tion I also conducted seven semi-structured inter-views and one group interview (with three assis-tants). During these interviews I was searching forreflections on community, on the type of personalcare given at L’Arche, and other topics based onthe person’s individual position in the community.While these interviews were very informative, timewas limited.One of my original goals was to begin to determinethe different cultural and governmental structureswithin the UK that affect the perception and the op-eration of L’Arche communities, as compared to theUSA L’Arche communities. This goal was accom-plished in many ways, as just being in the homesand surrounding communities gave me a sense ofthe societal perceptions. But for more scientificallygrounded evidence, I looked into the Scottish CareCommission and the regulations that L’Arche abidesby in Scotland, to better understand how adults withdisabilities are perceived in society.L’Arche has two homes in Edinburgh which qual-ify as “care homes.” The Regulation of Care (Scot-land) Act 2001, known as ‘the Act’ set up the Scot-tish Care Commission; the care commission is a reg-ulatory branch of the Scottish government, whichregisters and inspects all the services regulated un-der the Act, ensuring care service providers meet theNational Care Standards and work to improve thequality of care. Scotland’s system of registration andregulation of care homes includes announced andunannounced inspections. The most recent reportavailable for L’Arche homes was an unannouncedinspection in November 2007 of the Creelha house.It reports positively on the view of the core mem-bers (service users), the regulations (fire, safety, etc.)met in the home, and the knowledge of the assistantsabout policies and procedures. The Skein house re-ceived ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’ quality grades inall areas of inspection from their August 2008 an-nounced inspection.Exploring disability in the UK was enlightening andeye opening for many aspects for my senior thesis.It gave me a chance to see how much progress hasbeen made in policy and how policy manifests it-


THEATRES AND URBANISM IN THE UK

self on daily basis. The UK’s policies are very for-ward, seeking to support all people, but what doesthis mean for the majority of adults with disabilities?Will the new regulations empower their choices andimprove their quality of life? I will use my personalexperience to complement primary resources and ex-plore dynamic changes in the relationship betweenUK society and adults with disabilities, as comparedto the standards, communities, and perceptions inthe US. After exploring this relationship I will be ableto see how these approaches are translated to theEast Africa communities.

Urban Theatre Design in Bath andLondon

Aimee SunnySenior Thesis Project, School of Architecture

This past summer, I was fortunate enough to spendtime traveling around the United Kingdom study-ing urbanism and architecture. My specific goal wasto study theatres, theatre complexes, and the urbanspaces adjoining these theatres. London particularlyis world-renowned for its theatres and theatrical per-formances. I was sure that I would be able to findmany precedents through research in a city that isso well known for its theatrical arts. However, asmy trip progressed, I was amazed at the number ofamazing examples that I found elsewhere in Eng-land, particularly in Bath and Oxford.In order to gain useful information, I produced manyanalytical drawings and sketches of theatre condi-tions, and specifically of the urban areas around the-atres. In preparation for my thesis project, I sought tounderstand the composition of urban space, the usesthat might be appropriate in a given context, the styleof buildings that have been, and are currently beingbuilt, and also the reasoning behind the way spacesare put together. Even on a very general level, Amer-ican city planning and urbanism has taken a greatdeal of its character from English cities. Although,just as much as we’ve taken their examples, we’ve

also completely forgotten the importance of those ex-amples, and how they should be applied in new de-velopments. The ideas of “sustainable design” and“new urbanism” are words that are thrown aroundfairly often in the news and media. Most peopleforget, however, that these words aren’t really new.They are practices that have been established longbefore the term “new urbanism” was coined.Although the United States has forgotten the impor-tance of the city as an actual entity, rather than a net-work of roads, the places that I was fortunate to visitin England still remember what it means to be a des-tination, rather than a thruway. This is one very im-portant lesson that I learned from my research; thatin order for an area to be successful, it must be anattractive destination. Simply locating a theatre ona street doesn’t necessarily make people flock to it.However, creating an event, or a space, where peo-ple feel comfortable to gather, walk, and inhabit pro-vides a livelier atmosphere in the theatre and alsodraws much larger crowds. Although the design,size, shape, and of course performances of a theatredo dictate the clientele present, the architecture of itssurroundings plays a far larger role in attracting peo-ple to the area. One key idea seems to be that if youcan get people to the space near the theatre, the of-ferings of the theatre can pull them inside.

Figure 16: London theatre district.

Thus in this project, it is extremely clear that theseideas cannot function independently, but rather,must work together in order to achieve greatness. In


BASQUE CINEMA AND CULTURAL REPRESENTATION

addition to good architecture and urbanism, I wasextremely impressed and encouraged by the amountof preservation and restoration work that was occur-ring in England. In the midst of a huge energy crisis,preserving the buildings that we already have is farmore economical than demolition and new construc-tion. Particularly as this study relates to South Bend,Indiana, it is very important to note the difference inphilosophy as to whether or not to preserve a build-ing. The areas in English cities that have been re-stored seem to be the liveliest and attract the largestnumber of visitors, as compared to stark new build-ings without any urban context and relation to thesurrounding city. These are valuable lessons to ex-perience first hand, rather than to read about in atextbook. Specifically important is the idea that liv-ing in a dense urban area, in a culture that respectshistory, helps to create the ideal environment for es-tablishments such as theatres to encounter great suc-cess.I would like to thank the Nanovic Institute for theirgenerosity and support for my trip, and also for theircontinued support of students who seek out alterna-tive learning opportunities. Without this support mytrip would not have been possible.

Basque Cinema and Cultural Rep-resentation

Javi ZubizarretaPreparatory research for senior thesis in Film, Television,and Theatre

To study the cinema of the Basque people is trulyto enter into the larger quagmire that is Basquesovereignty, to carry the burden of the debate,to weigh the many opinions held, and dodgearound the serious issue of ETA’s violent attacks—allwhile the camera continues to shoot frame afterframe.However, as one approaches the light at the end ofthe tunnel (or perhaps the light upon exiting a dark-ened theater) the study of Basque Cinema can offer

new insight into the issue of Basque independence.For as the camera shoots its frames, the Basque peo-ple can further define their culture and truly theirown race through entirely peaceful terms. Further-more, from the cooperation of Basque and Spanishfilmmakers, producers, writers, and actors can onlycome greater artistic and even cultural understand-ing as Basque and Spanish audiences share in the cin-ematic apparatus of their local theaters.

Figure 17: Basque country.

How does one study Basque cinema? As the pre-vious description should hopefully make clear, thequestion over Basque cinema’s existence is one thattakes place in the present tense. Accordingly, toproperly study the cinema of the Basques one mustseek out the frontlines of Basque production andspeak with the directors, producers, writers andscholars who are actively defining the Cinema witheach new project. Such was my plan of attack uponarriving in Spain and the Basque Country. To be-gin, I traveled to Valencia to attend the Cinema JoveInternational Film Festival. Presenting a retrospec-tive of his work was Basque director Enrique Ur-bizu. Additionally, several Basque short films wereshown. I spoke with both Urbizu and the festival’sdirector to learn about the reception of Basque filmsby Spanish and international film festivals. Accord-ing to Urbizu, “Film speaks an international lan-


BASQUE CINEMA AND CULTURAL REPRESENTATION

guage—subtitles or not.” Maluenda echoes the pos-itive reception: “Basque films frequently win at ourfestival. There are many stories for the Basques totell, and we are happy to hear them.” In fact, two ofthe Basque short films presented at the festival wenton to win awards.The importance of studying the wider reception andperception of Basque Cinema cannot be stressedenough. As Urbizu says, “There are three millionBasque people in Spain. They cannot pay for myfilm by themselves.” Basque filmmakers must tapinto the larger Spanish and European markets thatpromise larger returns. The effects of the searchfor larger markets can be seen in the predomi-nance of Basque films shot in Spanish. Euskera—theBasque language—is seldom used in films gearedfor a wide release. Consequently, Euskera can nolonger be a considered a requirement for a film to be“Basque.” The cultural ramifications of films shot inEuskera aside, the ability Basque films have to shapethe international perception of the Basque peopleis extremely important in the ongoing debate overBasque independence. Screenwriter Joanes Urkixosays, “Yes there are Basque terrorists, but I am nota terrorist and neither are you. We need to let theworld know that.” To examine the international re-ception of Basque films is a truly insightful and in-spiring process, and to do so in the setting of an in-ternational film festival is especially unique and re-warding. One would hope, both as a young filmstudent and filmmaker, that it would be the first ofmany festival opportunities.I then went to the Basque country myself, splittingmy time there largely between Bilbao and Donos-tia (San Sebastian). Beginning in Bilbao, my mis-sion in this steel town was to meet with the manyBasque directors, writers and producers who callBilbao home. Here I met with screenwriter JoanesUrkixo, director Aitor Zabaleta Alberdi, director Al-gis Arlauskas, his wife and actress Marina Shiman-skaya, short film director Pedro Fuentes, and Presi-dent of the Association of Basque Producers (APV)Carlos Juarez.The majority of funding is provided through theBasque Government and Euskal Telebista, the

Basque public television station. Receiving fundingfrom such bureaucratic organizations has its bene-fits and its pitfalls. While the government’s desire tofund a Basque cinema certainly defines the cinema asone with a mission (to preserve Basque Culture), thegovernment’s ability to fund the cinema is an evengreater defining factor. Films are costly, even themost low budget of art house fare, and in times ofeconomic recession, funding films can all too easilytake a back seat. Fuentes describes the situation best:“Without money, there is no Basque Cinema.”Having seen the day-to-day affairs of Basque film-making, I traveled to Donostia (San Sebastian) togain a greater historical perspective on Basque cin-ema. Donostia has long been the cultural center ofthe Basque country. It is home to some of Europe’sgreatest restaurants (food being perhaps the great-est component of Basque culture) as well as the in-ternationally acclaimed San Sebastian Film Festival.Donostia is also home to the Euskladiko Filmategia.The facility houses several thousand films, all pre-served and archived for future generations of audi-ences and scholars alike. The director of the filmate-gia, Peio Aldazabal, views the preservation of espe-cially the homemade Basque films as a crucial argu-ment for Basque people: “Under Franco, the Basqueswere denied their culture. It was outlawed. Today,the Spanish government ignores our culture. It tellsus that we don’t have a culture. Well, look, here isour culture, it is on 16mm in color with sound. Youcannot deny it anymore.”With that powerful statement in mind, I began view-ing as many Basque films—features, documentaries,home movies, and shorts—as I could. With each filmI watched it became clear that Basque cinema is in-credibly varied with all genres represented. Afterwatching a sampling of the many films Basque cin-ema has to offer, it becomes clear that Basque cin-ema is filmmaking that asserts the existence of theBasque people and their ancient culture while push-ing that culture into the modern world. It proves thatwith or without an independent nation, the Basquepeople can exist peacefully as an independent peo-ple with an independent culture and an independentcinema.


IMMIGRATION AND EDUCATION IN CATALONIA, SPAIN

Immigration and Education in Cat-alonia, Spain

James MurphySenior thesis research in Political Science

My past summer was full of highlights: conductingfirst-hand political research in a foreign language,viewing the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, andvisiting the remarkable monastery of Montserrat.These three opportunities along with more personalgrowth and development than I could have imag-ined would not have been possible without the aidafforded me by the Nanovic Institute for EuropeanStudies.Before my study abroad experience began in Toledo,Spain during the spring semester of 2009, I knewI wanted to extend my time in Spain. After fourmonths in the Notre Dame program, I set off toBarcelona for the summer of 2009. I applied forand received an Undergraduate Travel and ResearchGrant which provided me the funding to live inBarcelona for three months and to conduct primaryresearch for a senior thesis.My Spanish studies began many years ago but notuntil I arrived at Notre Dame did I begin to seriouslyconsider the significance of studying a second lan-guage. The program in Toledo developed my read-ing, writing, and speaking skills but it was not un-til my summer in Barcelona when they dramaticallyimproved. Living alone in a new city is, for me, thedefinition of outside of my comfort zone. I landed inBarcelona on April 28th knowing a total of three peo-ple - my landlord and the two professors with whomI was to research. My first days in Barcelona wereeye-opening. Unlike the Notre Dame program, itwas not guaranteed that I was going to speak Englishto anyone on any given day. A few days after arriv-ing I met with my advisor, Dr. Robert Fishman, andwe began to narrow my thesis topic as well as discussby what methods I would conduct research.After having matched my interests with my sur-roundings in my application to Nanovic, I decided toinvestigate the incorporation of immigrant students

into the public school system in Catalonia.

Figure 18: Catalonia, Spain.

This region of Spain provided an interesting lensto research because the north-eastern area of Spainnot only contains a nationalist movement but alsospeaks a different language that is mandated inthe schools. Dr. Fishman and I decided that therichest resource for my investigation in Cataloniawere the people. Throughout the summer I con-ducted seventeen personal interviews (which I taperecorded for records) and gained and strong graspon the situation and the direction I wanted my se-nior thesis to take. I interviewed eleven primaryschool teachers for their insight and personal expe-rience on the situation. I encountered teachers whotaught classes whose immigrant student populationexceeded 75%.The reactions from the teachers were wide-ranging.Several educators appeared open and eager to in-struct immigrant students and felt that every stu-dent is entitled to the same fair education regardlessof origin. On the other hand, other teachers weremore hesitant in their support of immigrants in Cat-alonia’s school system. Their primary concern wasthe loss of Catalonia’s unique culture and heritagethat is distinct from other countries and even dis-


POLITICS OF THE TRAMWAY IN ANGERS, FRANCE

tinct from Spain in general. Reactions were mixed,which I view as beneficial in my research. Thus, Iam able to compare and contrast points of view fromdifferent teachers in different areas in Catalonia. Ialso interviewed six representatives from immigrantorganizations. My intention was to view how differ-ent, or similar, they examined the situation regard-ing the education of immigrant students in the Cat-alonia school system.The information I gathered in Spain is invaluableto the foundation and progress of my senior thesis.My experience in Barcelona was unique in numer-ous ways, yet one I found to be unlike most others.In Barcelona I genuinely felt integrated into the soci-ety, the culture and the lifestyle. They may seem likesimple aspects of life but for me they were funda-mental. I had Spanish friends, I went grocery shop-ping alongside Spaniards, I ate dinner every nightat 10:30pm and, yes, a couple nights on the week-ends I stayed out until 9:00 am. Spanish life is verydifferent than the American life I live! Without theNanovic grant, I would not have been able to appre-ciate the cultural differences to the degree that I amnow able to.After three and a half months in Barcelona I experi-enced more than I could have imagined. I grew pro-fessionally, academically, personally, and socially,and still continue to grow today. As I commence thewriting of my senior thesis I appreciate the fact thatthe uniqueness of my topic and my research wereavailable for me to investigate due to the grant. Partof me will always remain in Barcelona as I devel-oped a strong love for the city. One day I will re-turn.

Politics of the Tramway in Angers,France

Andrew PolichMajor, Political Science

I arrived in Angers, France on Tuesday, December29th. I stayed with my mom’s French host fam-

ily, the Le Lirzins. They were kind enough to offerme breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. At eachmeal, we would discuss issues such as religion, fam-ily, culture, and even projects in Angers such as theTramway. All of these discussions showed me thestrong differences in American identity and Frenchidentity that I had not noticed during my first stayin Angers in 2006-2007. I was also more attentive be-cause since that stay, I had switched from Biologymajor to Political Science and French. These differ-ences, which I will describe below, were crucial tomy research.As for the research, I originally had wanted to studythe reaction of the Angevins to the Tramway. How-ever, I realized that reaction was not such a novelconcept because people were for or against it for po-litical and personal reasons. However, the reactionof Angevins, especially the Le Lirzin’s showed mefour factors that made up Angers’ identity: environ-ment, local democracy, a high level of governmentinvolvement, and a desire to coordinate betweenAngers’ historic side and modernization.I conducted several forms of research in order to bol-ster this theory on a relation between the Tramwayproject and Angers’ identity. First, I went to the Mu-nicipal Library and read all 2008 articles concern-ing the four identity factors in two newspapers, theCourrier de l’Ouest and Ouest-France. The number ofarticles I found showed me that the factors I had cho-sen were priorities at least in the newspapers.Second, I went around town studying the actual in-stallation of the Tramway. I took photos of con-struction sites, advertisements for the tramway, newbuildings being erected along the future first line,new parking garages, new delivery systems, andeven a bus that the city had provided to accommo-date individuals whose transport was affected byconstruction. These observations showed me howinvolved the city is to ensure the smoothest installa-tion. I also took pictures of other city projects like thenew theatre and new “green” neighborhoods close tothe train station.Third, I conducted interviews with people workingin close relation to the Tramway project. I inter-viewed Mickael Fairand, the representative for press


RESTRUCTURING THE PINACOTECA NAZIONALE DI BOLOGNA

Figure 19: The tramway in Angers, France.

relation on the Tramway, a worker for one of the ac-commodating delivery systems set up by the city,and even journalists at the Angers branch of Ouest-France. All of these individuals had a good sense ofdifferent perspectives on the general public reaction.Finally, I collected all of the information availablethrough pamphlets or online. I found most of thisinformation along with an exposition at the “Maisondu Tramway” (literally the House of the Tramway).What struck me was the colorful and modernizedpresentation of the project.In sum, my research revealed to me a certain sideof Angers’ identity. In a larger sense, the iden-tity is common in many other French and Europeancities that are installing Tramways. Furthermore, theUnited States can learn from this different identityespecially in terms of the energy debate and localdemocracy.

Beyond the research, I made sure to meet with someold friends and acquaintances from my time at theCentre International des Etudes Francaises (CIDEF). Ibumped into several of my French language pro-fessors in the hallway, had lunch with a few ofmy French friends for lunch at the Restaurant Uni-versitaire, met with the director of the Notre Dameprogram, Odette Menyard, spent some time withthe current Notre Dame study abroad students, andeven had a conversation with the director of CIDEF,Marc Melin. These exchanges helped me to remem-ber what it was like two years ago and gave me in-spiration for my research.

Restructuring the PinacotecaNazionale di Bologna

Pamela JohnsonSenior essay research for the Minor in European Studies

My research focuses specifically on the Guido Reniroom of the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna (NationalGallery of Bologna), and the ideological and practi-cal problems in its organization. I had requested thisgrant to get a first-hand look at the space and to un-derstand the visitor’s experience. I also looked for-ward to using the Museum’s library and speakingwith Museum staff to best understand their motivesfor giving the gallery its current organization.Upon my return to the Pinacoteca, I was welcomedwith open arms by the staff of the Technical Office,where I had interned during the spring and sum-mer before my senior year. They were more thanhappy to let me use all of the resources of the mu-seum, including taking photographs of the galleries.My first day in the Museum was spent almost en-tirely photographing the Guido Reni room, its an-techamber, and finding other examples of problemsin other rooms that would be relevant to my paper. Iwas very fortunate to have the gallery completely tomyself as the Museum is closed to visitors on Mon-day. I began working with the staff of the Art Im-age Library at Notre Dame before leaving for Italy


RESTRUCTURING THE PINACOTECA NAZIONALE DI BOLOGNA

Figure 20: Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna.

and was instructed in the best way to take photos ofthe gallery. Without other visitors in the room, I wasable to take photos from all angles and will be able toreconstruct the space from these photos for the read-ers of my essay.While taking these photos I found that the lightingof the gallery was a major problem. There is a largeskylight in the room, but on the gray rainy day Iwas taking photos, there was little light added fromthat source. The lighting elements within the gallerydid not completely light each painting, leaving darkspots in some locations and severe glares in others.Since the room is so crowded with paintings andviewing areas are small, there is not much space forthe visitor to move about trying to see the paintingwithout a glare. I noticed that for some of the largerpaintings it was literally impossible to avoid an ob-structed view unless the work was viewed from adifferent room. Although I had visited this space be-fore, it was only through the close observation of thespace that I noticed the magnitude of this problemfor visitors.Returning to the Pinacoteca Nazionale and seeing thespace in person quickly reminded me of all the prob-lems faced by this overcrowded museum. The mu-seum continues to adhere to the chronological orga-nization created two centuries ago because its spacedoesn’t allow for a major overhaul. Construction hasoccurred on the lowest level of the Pinacoteca for

temporary exhibits, which forced the removal of aconnecting hallway between two wings of the gal-leries, and thereby destroying the continuity of theMuseum. Now visitors proceed through the Me-dieval works to the Renaissance, but must retracetheir steps and arrive in the Guido Reni room be-fore they must walk “backwards in time” to see theworks from the 1500s. They must then walk backthrough the Guido Reni room and proceed throughthe galleries from the 1700s to the Main Hall, wherethe over-sized works of the 16th through 18th cen-tury are kept.The Pinacoteca’s historic setting as a monastery andchurch explains the poor design—it was not plannedas a gallery at its inception—and now makes for aconfusing visitor experience. I was able to watch asvisitors entered the Guido Reni room looking con-fused, as if they had taken the incorrect path throughthe museum, and saw them hesitantly take the stairsup to the works of the 1500s. They could tell a sys-tem was in place, but arriving in this particular roomof the Museum did not fit the scheme and requiredan explanation they were never given. I can recallmy own confusion the first time I visited this Mu-seum in the Fall of 2008 when I myself went imme-diately to the Guido Reni room, accidentally bypass-ing more than half the collection! Observing visitorswhile in the gallery showed me how their confusionmay contribute to spending less time in the gallery,or not appreciating the works in the same way be-cause of their surprise.The most important advantage of my research tripwas an interview I was granted with the Director ofthe Pinacoteca Nazionale, Dr. Gianpiero Cammerota.Since I had last visited the Museum he had removedcertain pieces and changed the organization of theGuido Reni room, so my questions about the organi-zation of the space were extremely pertinent. He ex-plained to me why certain pieces were removed fromthe space, and why the newer pieces were more im-portant to be displayed. Another topic we discussedin detail was the visitor’s experience, and how theMuseum was trying to improve it through didacticmaterials. I learned of the Museum’s plans in thatarea and other specific information that I could have


EDUCATION AND RECONCILIATION IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

only received from the man in charge of the Mu-seum. I had not expected to be able to speak withhim, since he is a very busy man and does not al-ways work in the Bologna office, but through myformer boss I was able to get an appointment. Hegranted me full access to the library of the Pinacoteca,and I was able to complete my work there usingspecific resources. This library was fully equippedwith information about each painting and its prove-nance in Bologna, which can be difficult to find fromabroad.This research trip was extremely successful and leftme very prepared to complete my analysis of theGuido Reni Room in a complete way. Nothingcan quite compare to being in the physical museumspace, and understanding its problems first hand. Inoticed things I hadn’t seen before, and discussedthe problems of the gallery with the individuals whowork there daily. My MES Capstone Essay will bemuch richer for having had this experience.

Education and Reconciliation inBosnia-Herzegovina

Barbara Vi Thien HoClass of ‘10, Double Major in History and InternationalPeace Studies, Recipient of a Katie Murphy-McMahonGrant for Russian and East-Central European Studies

The Nanovic Research Grant allowed me to ex-plore my interest in the role of history telling,memory and education in post-conflict Bosnia-Herzegovina.Before going abroad, I worked hard to prepare formy research, establishing contacts and securing thebasic necessities such as accommodation, looking fora translator and contacting locals about how to con-duct research in an ethical and respectful manner.The high quality expected by the research proposal,while challenging, really helped me understand thethinking and planning necessary to a successful re-search project. As a result, I arrived in Bosnia-Herzegovina feeling prepared to hit the ground run-

ning.During my four weeks, I conducted interviews withover sixty individuals including high school anduniversity students, professors and organizations.I traveled to Novi Travnik, Banja Luka and Sara-jevo to ensure a more well-rounded interview pool.The diverse primary sources and interviews I con-ducted helped me to understand how varied theopinions and attitudes were - even in small countrylike Bosnia-Herzegovina. Before conducting my in-terviews and observations abroad, I already under-stood from my reading and research the negative im-pact of segregated education. Because of my abilityto go abroad to talk first-hand to locals, however, Irealized just how challenging it would be now to tryto reform the education system and can only imaginethe protest that would come as a result.

Figure 21: Students in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Despite the ending of physical war, the war inthe hearts and minds of the citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina continues raging on, sinking into thelives of the younger generation. As one intervieweedescribes it, the environment in the country “seemslike real peace but it�s not; Europe [is] forcing us to-gether.” One professor of philosophy in Banja Lukaechoes this idea of a forced resolution and tolerance.Tolerance, however, cannot be imposed; it is some-thing “you have to feel inside.” The internationalbody and local political leaders cannot achieve truepeace and reconciliation without it being a locally


EDUCATION AND RECONCILIATION IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

driven force. Clearly, reconciliation is barely begin-ning in the country.At the time, the Dayton Peace Accords seemed likethe only possible solution to ending the war. Eventhough the international community established thepower sharing government and the two entities tobe a temporary solution, the accords have madedivisions so deeply embedded in society that itmay be too late to push for integration now. TheSerb-dominated Republika Srpska holds autonomy.Thriving economically, there is no incentive for theRepublika Srpska to give up its independence andcentralize. With the exception of big cities, mosttowns are ‘ethnically clean’. Aside from traveling forbusiness or school, there is no need or desire for in-dividuals to explore outside the boundaries of theirtowns. In consequence, Serbs, Croats and Bosniakscould live all their lives without meeting each other.Zubic expressed his disheartenment about the socialsituation, reflecting that “it�s a crime for the kids”never to be able to meet each other. Fifteen years af-ter their parents� war, a new generation of Bosnianshas grown up separate and fed with talk only of war,hatred and the bitter past.In Bosnia-Herzegovina, while education could haveserved as a powerful tool for reconciliation andpeace building, it has reinforced nationalism in anew, young generation and contributed to the ab-sence of national pride and identity. In Bosnia-Herzegovina�s case, by splitting the country intoentities, the Dayton Accords unintentionally pro-moted segregation in cities and in the education sys-tem. As Lietaer expressed, amidst the countlesstasks after the war in 1995, political leaders easily putoff education. Rather than establish a firm groundin which sustainable peace and reconciliation couldtake root, international and national leaders focusedon what would immediately end the warfare and ap-pease all sides. By hastily pushing for a formal, leg-islative peace agreement, however, the internationalcommunity failed to uncover the roots of the conflictand bring forth true peace and reconciliation. As aresult, political leaders have used education as a toolto sustain nationalistic tensions. In the delicate timefollowing a country’s transition from a war zone to

a post-conflict area, education is nothing short of ab-solutely critical.I know that this experience is just the beginning. Thisgrant has opened a number of doors for me and reaf-firmed my conviction to work for post-conflict recon-ciliation and peace. It has allowed me to realize justhow wide-reaching and interconnected history canbe, touching upon my interest in peace studies andgender studies as well. I know that my experiencein Bosnia-Herzegovina this past summer is only thebeginning of both my research and growth towardbecoming a stronger scholar and historian.The experience the Nanovic Institute for EuropeanStudies has given me is immeasurable. By providingme with the funding and support to conduct my re-search, the institute allowed me the opportunity topursue my interests all the while growing as a re-searcher, historian, scholar and student of interna-tional development.


Undergraduate Internships & Service

DePuy, Inc., Cork, Ireland

Melissa BraganzaClass of ’10, College of Science

Stepping off the plane into Ireland for the first timefilled me with excitement at the prospect of im-mersing myself in Irish culture, seeing breathtakingsights, and learning about global businesses.My internship projects helped to strengthen mycommunication, interpersonal, and computer skillsand knowledge. Working in the Finance depart-ment of DePuy, Inc., I embraced the opportunity tobecome familiar with royalty agreements betweenDePuy Ireland and their business partners. Organiz-ing important information from these contracts ontospreadsheets and creating a website to make elec-tronic copies of these agreements available helpedto facilitate communication between different sec-tors of DePuy around the world. I also organizedResearch and Development information, and thisproject taught me more about the engineering sideof the manufacturing process.Touring around Cork and the nearby towns gaveme an appreciation for the uniqueness and charmof Irish towns. The Irish towns I saw were a beau-tiful combination of enchanting architecture, rollinghills, and sparkling blue rivers. The architecture isnot only stunning but gives one a glimpse into therich history of the city. Throughout Cork, I observedmany monuments paying tribute to soldiers fromIrish wars for independence. Also, churches wereprevalent in all the cities I visited, hence the prefix“kill” in many street and town names. Each churchhad ornate sun glass depicting scenes of saints, mir-

acles, and Jesus’ life. But by staying in Ireland long-term, I learned about much more than just aboutits history and monuments; I learned about its lan-guage, culture, and people.

Figure 22: Cork (Corcaigh, ‘swamp’) is the secondlargest city in the Republic of Ireland.

Everything from television to just walking aroundthe city exposed me to Irish language. WatchingIrish television and listening to Gaelic and then thetranslation to English was enlightening. Even simplethings like reading “bruscar” on the public trash binsgave me an appreciation for Gaelic even though mostpeople around me spoke English. Walking throughUniversity Cork College and looking at many of thebuilding inscriptions in Gaelic and then translated inEnglish showed me how Irish language has enduredthrough today.Several times during my visit in Ireland I was posedthe question, “So, how is college? Is it just like themovies with fraternities and sororities?” Then ofcourse I had to explain Notre Dame’s unique resi-

36

ARCHITECTURE IN HAMPSHIRE UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

dence hall life that obviates the need for sororitiesand fraternities. It was interesting to learn how mostIrish college students lived in accommodations off-campus, and the whole concept of living in dormsand dorm spirit seemed foreign to most Irish peo-ple with whom I conversed. These simple, little con-versations I had with co-workers or people I wouldrandomly meet gave me a glimpse into Irish cul-ture and Irish people’s perceptions of American cul-ture.My stay in Ireland widened my perspective on Irishculture, language, and society. My visit to Irelandnot only taught me Irish customs, but I conversedwith people of other European heritages and learnedmore about their culture. Cork is a large, multicul-tural city, and I enjoyed meeting people from all dif-ferent parts of Europe, from Poland to Spain to Hol-land. Working at DePuy gave me a better under-standing of global business practices and the impor-tance of global communications. Thank you for pro-viding the funds for this once-in-a-lifetime opportu-nity.

Robert Adam Architects, Hamp-shire, England

Nicole Bernal-CisnerosClass of ’10, School of Architecture

I never thought that working as a summer intern ina foreign country—let alone in Europe—was possi-ble!Not only looking for the position, but also findingwhere to live and how to afford it, seemed too diffi-cult. When I applied to work as an intern with RobertAdam Architects, I thought it was a long shot. Be-hold, five months later I was in the middle of thebeautiful countryside of Hampshire, England. Ev-erything had fallen into place, and I realized reallyanything is possible.Winchester is a quintessentially English town com-plete with thatched-roof cottages, Georgian red-brick homes, and a downtown with Tudor-style ar-

chitecture. My favorite spot and frequent locationduring lunch was in a tree-lined grassy field in frontof Winchester’s beautiful 11th century Gothic Cathe-dral, where one can find Jane Austen’s tomb. I im-mediately appreciated the quaintness of the town, itsexistence being overshadowed by London and un-known to many tourists today. The town is an ideallocation to practice traditional architecture and townplanning, and as a student, everyday I became moreinspired by my surroundings to learn.

Figure 23: The New Sackler Library in London, Eng-land. Robert Adam Architects.

While working at the architectural firm, I was im-mersed in good design principles that were basedupon traditional building practices. My first projectwas to help design an extension for an historical es-tate in Dorset. This experience taught me a lot aboutcaring for existing historical structures on or nearbya proposed site. I was able to help document theestate and realize ways of preserving it, before ac-tually designing the addition. I was also involvedin drafting many preliminary designs for convertingbarns into private residences throughout England.This project was most interesting because it showed


POLITICS IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

me that an old barn can be readapted for a new use.Most barns can have significant architectural char-acter, and I found that the conversion into a hometo be a sustainable solution to maintain them. Withthis new experience, I obtained a new and inspiringperspective on the craft of the architect: both as a de-signer of new construction and also as a preserva-tionist.Not only was I able to pursue a passion of mine intraditional architecture and to apply it to the profes-sional realm, but I was able to experience a new cul-ture, in a country I had never been to. The firm ar-ranged for me to stay with a young English internwho had studied architecture in Southampton, Eng-land. She and I became fast friends, and togetherwe traveled to different cities including Oxford, Lon-don, and Bath. With her as my companion, I experi-enced much of England as a local would. I experi-enced some of the unique English traditions such ashaving a cream tea and watching a cricket match. Ialso learned a lot of English phrases, including howto properly use the term “Cheers!”Spending a summer away from my family was notas hard as I thought it would be; my summer ex-perience was well worth it. I cannot express howfortunate I felt to be working as an intern with oneof England’s leading Classical architecture firms fortwo months this summer 2009. The connections thatI acquired, the experience I gained, the places I trav-eled, and the people that I met made for a uniqueopportunity that I am glad to have done. None ofthis could have been possible without the funds pro-vided to me by the Nanovic Institute for EuropeanStudies. I am extremely thankful to them for theirsupport. This past summer has been one of my fa-vorite experiences, and I will continue to be an ad-vocate in encouraging other students to research andtravel through Europe as well.

Politics in British Parliament

Elizabeth BiermanClass of ’10, College of Business

Although both the United Kingdom and UnitedStates are modern democracies, differences betweenthe institutions are many. The role of their respec-tive legislatures (Parliament and Congress) is an il-lustrative example. Where the US requires a separa-tion of powers and checks and balances on the threebranches of government, the UK is very much a uni-tary state exercising parliamentary sovereignty. Par-liament is supreme: the executive branch’s ministersmust be selected from Members of Parliament (MPs)and Parliament’s legislation is final and therefore notsubject to a Supreme Court’s review. Because Parlia-ment, specifically the House of Commons, exercisesso much power, control of the Commons is essen-tial to policymaking and is the parties’ main objec-tive. Consequently, partisanship is prominent in ev-ery facet of the UK political system as parties vie fora Commons majority and the right to form Govern-ment.Within Parliamentary parties, there exists a high butdecreasing degree of loyalty. In order for any MPcandidate to even stand for election—let alone winthe seat—the candidate must be selected by the partyto represent it on the ballot. So from the start, UKpoliticians owe more to their party than US politi-cians. Once elected, loyal MPs are rewarded witheverything from a position as a Cabinet ministeror Parliamentary Private Secretary to a deluxe loca-tion in the office buildings across from WestminsterPalace. At the same time, rebellion from the party ispunished through dreadful select committee assign-ments and possibly removal from the party.During my internship with Labour MP ShonaMcIsaac, I designed several leaflets and campaignmaterials for her next election. I was continuallyamazed that the pro-Labour message was a higherpriority than the pro-Shona message. Shona McIsaacwas “your Labour MP” not just “your MP,” and I hadto focus on Labour’s, not Shona’s, accomplishments.Shona McIsaac has been in office since 1997, and sheis clearly hoping her Labour loyalty will be rewardedthrough promotion.Parliament’s whip system is much stronger thanCongress’ because it has these powers over MPs andbecause of the tradition of partisanship. Rebel votes


THE HERRLY INTERNSHIP IN PARIS UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

are, generally, rare. In the last few months, however,Labour MPs have more confidently rebelled. ShonaMcIsaac, recently rebelled against Labour Govern-ment and voted to give the Gurkahs, Nepalese vet-erans who fought for the UK, the right to settle inthe UK. Labour’s increased rebellions have been at-tributed, not to deviation from the party, but to di-minished support for Gordon Brown. If there is achange in leadership, intra-party loyalty may againincrease.

Figure 24: House of Commons, London.

In my internship, I worked extensively on voter mo-bilization within the constituency, and for severaldays I canvassed on behalf of the Labour candidatefor the local council. Even at the local level in the UK,partisanship was extremely important, and manyvoters I spoke to agreed their decision essentially re-duced to party identification. Candidates in my ownhometown’s election generally run as independents.Local policy, they believe, should not conform to na-tional party ideals but is best designed according tolocal needs.The importance of the party in British politics com-pared to American politics was a critical observationmade during my research. Yet in addition to myobservation and involvement in a foreign govern-ment, the internship also afforded valuable publicrelations experience. I was constantly correspondingwith constituents, writing press releases for Shona’swebsite, and campaigning. Honed communicationskills coupled with an understanding of British pol-

icymaking will significantly improve my contribu-tion to both classroom discussions and my career af-ter graduation from Notre Dame.

The Herrly Internship in Paris

James OgorzalekClass of ’11, History and Political Science

This summer I had the opportunity to participate inthe Herrly Internship Grant thanks to the generosityof the Nanovic Institute. The grant gave me the op-portunity to live in a suburb of Paris, work alongsidemany leaders in French business and military, andto sharpen my French language skills. The variednature of the work ensured that I would be consis-tently stimulated with the actual functions of the in-ternship. Similarly, the natural beauty and historicalsignificance of the location prompted me to explorethe world more than I would have had I participatedin almost any other internship.Saint Cloud, situated immediately to the West ofParis, is a gorgeous and affluent town that allowseasy access to Paris while remaining just far enoughaway to have moments of peace and quiet. Whilethere, I had the opportunity to act in various func-tions that allowed me to expand my French languageskills as well as to expand my knowledge of Frenchculture. I had the opportunity to complete such tasksas organizing lectures and serving as a translatorwhile still finding a little bit of time to explore Parisand the surrounding regions.In Paris, I lived in the residence of Mr. Peter Herrlyalong with his wife and two children. Mr. Herrly, aNotre Dame alum and retired Army Colonel, holdsa variety of positions and has numerous responsibil-ities that allowed me to explore Paris in a variety ofways. Living with his family in Saint Cloud also al-lowed me to experience Paris while still having thesupport of an American family. The children, whowere both raised in France, served as invaluable helpin my French cultural education, continually help-ing me understand the differences between the two


THE HERRLY INTERNSHIP IN PARIS UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

countries. This stable and comforting base allowedme to participate fully in the internship without thedistractions that are caused by merely being droppedinto a different culture to work.

Figure 25: The Ecole Militaire, Paris, France.

My first task while in Paris was to organize a lecturegiven by Lieutenant General Theodore Stroup (Ret).LTG Stroup currently acts as the Vice President ofthe Association for the United States Army (AUSA),a non-profit educational organization that works tosupport the Army and its members (active, inactive,retired, civilian, and family members). Before retir-ing, LTG Stroup served in a variety of high-profilepositions within the Army, becoming an expert inthe process by which the Army’s budget is created.As such, he was invited to speak at the Ecole Mili-taire in Paris to a small group of French officers whowould benefit from an expert analysis of this process.Because of Mr. Herrly’s work with AUSA, I wasafforded the opportunity to work with the Frenchmilitary to arrange this lecture. I communicated byemail, by telephone, and in person with many ad-ministrative members of the French military to suc-

cessfully organize this event.Along a similar line, I worked on the larger andmore complex lecture given by Lieutenant GeneralThomas Metz of the US Army. LTG Metz is currentlythe head of The Joint Improvised Explosive DeviceDefeat organization (JIEDDO). He stopped in Parison his way back to the United States from visitingIraq and Afghanistan for JIEDDO. While in Paris, hegave a lecture to French military and business elitesregarding the current efforts to fight IEDs and whatthe French military and business world could do toaid the effort. Through my time working on this lec-ture, I was able to explore deeply the world of Frenchbusiness. I had the opportunity to coordinate the lec-ture with one of the largest defense manufacturers inEurope, literally working alongside former Frenchgenerals and businessmen. In doing so, I gainedvaluable insight into the way in which French com-panies operate as well as first-hand experience deal-ing with French business protocols.The final major task I was given during this intern-ship was that of on-site translator for a “Battle StaffRide” of Normandy. While two American histori-ans provided about forty high-ranking American of-ficers with a guided tour of Normandy, I served asthe link between this English-speaking group andthe French people who welcomed us throughout theweek. Not only was I given the once in a lifetimeopportunity to experience the history of the Battle ofNormandy from two experts, but, through my workas translator, I was able to experience the French cul-ture beyond Paris. This was a valuable experience asmost of my traditional education in French languageand culture has come from teachers and professorswho were trained in Paris. This week in Normandyopened my eyes to the part of France that is not aseasily explored in classes, due to the monolithic po-sition of Paris in France’s cultural heritage.The Herrly Internship Grant offered me the wonder-ful opportunity to experience Paris and France first-hand. Not only was I given the opportunity to liveand explore the city and country, but I was also giventhe challenge of working alongside French business-men to create two lectures as well as to further ex-pand my French language skills by working as a


STYLES ARCHITECTS I, PARIS, FRANCE UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

translator in Normandy. As I will spend the 2009/10academic year in Paris through the Office of Interna-tional Studies, this internship also helped to give mea wonderful introduction to the place that I will callhome. I had seven weeks to become acquainted withFrench life and culture, and the Peter Herrly Intern-ship Grant allowed me to do so on a personal leveland on a professional level.

S t y l e s A r c h i t e c t s I , P a r i s ,France

Deirdre ConnellClass of ’10, School of Architecture

Nearly every day this summer, I left my office andwent around the corner to picnic in the backyard ofa queen. Her name was Maria di Medici, and shewas the wife of Henry the IV of France. As honoredas I felt to be there, the invitation was not exclusive.In fact, each day, the whole of Paris is welcomed tothese grounds, now known as the Luxembourg Gar-dens. The park lives in my memory as a vivid ex-ample of the comfortable beauty I found in the vast,history-steeped city. In these gardens, as well as inthe streets, museums, boulangeries, and tiny apart-ment courtyards, I discovered Paris.With the eyes of an architecture student, I sought todecipher what it was that made Paris the remark-able city that it is. Over the two months I spentthere, I came to believe that the essence of the citylay in its combination of architecture, age, and peo-ple. These three aspects formed a profoundly hu-mane place and a living artifact.My internship was with an architecture firm calledStyles Architects in the 14th arrondissement. Alongwith two of my classmates I joined the office of Mau-rice Culot, Paul du Mesnil, and William Pesson, ar-chitects with an impressive amount of knowledgeand easily as much personality. Our first projectentailed the renovation of a 17th century home onthe southern edge of Paris. We performed a sitevisit to the now dilapidated building, which abut-

ted a Roman aqueduct. As I took pictures and mea-surements, I saw glimpses of the home’s history. Inthe original massive wood beams, the World War IInewspapers pasted to the walls, and the abandoned1980’s kitchen appliances, I was told pieces of thebuilding’s life story.Less romantic, but equally important tasks also oc-cupied me throughout the internship. I improvedmy Autocad dexterity, built models of underwayprojects, and gained insights into the economics ofthe business. I studied colombage, the half-timberingtechnique prevalent in the region and implementedit in a design. My supervisors were approachableand passionate about their work. My favorite timeswith them were heading in and out of the office,when they would point out buildings, quizzing uson what decade they were built and discussing thegenius (or incompetence) behind the designs.

Figure 26: Seventeenth-century architecture in Paris.

As much as I gained from the internship, I couldnot avoid being taught just as much by the city it-self. In my daily life there, I truly came to un-derstand architecture’s public role. In a place likeParis, a building provides more than the function forwhich it was built. It may be an autonomous unitwhen entered, but along with its neighboring struc-tures, it is part of a greater system. The spaces be-tween buildings become rooms and corridors, thefacades the decorated walls. The most importantbuildings—the Notre Dames, Sacre Coeurs, OperaGarniers—stand out from the masses like sculpturesin the landscape. The better this is done, the more


STYLES ARCHITECTS II, PARIS, FRANCE UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

beloved is the city.Paris was used and enjoyed unlike anything I hadpreviously experienced. Tables spilled from cornercafes, dances were held along the Seine (organizedand impromptu), and a cascade of people could al-ways be found on Montmartre’s hill, listening to mu-sic over the expansive view of the city. The parksmay have been for me the city’s greatest attribute.Walled and verdant, they were the havens of thecity. Completely public and un-commercial, theywere used incessantly; for reading, jogging, gath-erings of friends, chess games, pony rides. Theyproved that just as a city requires density and shelter,it also needs pockets of green and open sky.From all of this, I realized that no architecture issolely private. In Paris, the Louvre is yours. The longlines of white Haussmann buildings, in part, belongto you. They are the elements that form your city,and when so much living is done outside your flat,the city is your home.Every Thursday after work I would go to the Museed’Orsay, the art museum converted from a grand oldtrain station. I was happy to walk the forty min-utes to and from, and I know why: it was the com-bination of architecture, people, and time that con-tributed to my journey and to my destination. Allalong the way, architecture provided art before Ieven reached the museum. The French people cre-ated these buildings and lived among them. I en-joyed watching the Parisians as I walked, askingthem directions, and stopping in their shops for apain au chocolat. The Paris I wandered was the prod-uct of ordinary and extraordinary people living inti-mately with their surroundings. Time enriched therelationship creating layers and memories, and ulti-mately the Parisian identity. This centuries old wayof life continues, and for one summer, I was a part ofit.I want to sincerely thank the Nanovic Institute formaking this experience possible. My trip allowedme to look critically at the subject I study, and in theend, reinforced my Notre Dame education. I am verygrateful.

Styles A rchi tec ts I I , Par i s ,France

Ernesto GloriaClass of ‘10, School of Architecture

My internship was at an architecture firm thathas chosen to continue the tradition of architecturefound outside its own doors. When we were stuckon a project, we would simply walk outside for in-spiration.Styles Architects practice the art of creating space byusing time-tested materials and designing accordingto the region. I felt at home: my traditional and clas-sical architecture education at Notre Dame would bevalued and used extensively. Over a span of eightweeks, I worked on a large scale model of a seven-teenth century faisanderie, a large building that wasto be turned into a modern home. I continued onthe design of the roof structure, a kitchen, and stair-way. I was then assigned to create an architecturalvocabulary for a large housing development. I usedAutoCAD for the majority of the work, but I was alsoable to watercolor some of the firm’s proposals. Twoof the paintings were of social housing and the twoothers were perspectives for a future development inRomania. (The latter was assigned to me when theyfound out about my recent trip to Transylvania, a tripfunded by the Nanovic Institute.)

Figure 27: A cafe in Paris, one of close to ten thou-sand.


IMPROVING CONCRETE IN AACHEN, GERMANY UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

This internship would have not been complete with-out living among the Parisians. For one summer,I was part of an urban community. I participatedin the local traditions of sidewalk cafes, markets,and boulangeries. I also became keen on the tradi-tional Parisian apartment house: a five or six-storytype with courtyards and shallow, naturally well-ventilated apartments. The spaces within were quitesmall, but one could not care less when life was wait-ing outside the door.After work and during the weekends, my walks be-came a serendipiter’s delight. I did not just use theguides but put myself at the mercy of the city, goinginto neighborhoods, following my instincts, and al-most always handsomely rewarded. I noticed howthe scale changed while moving from one place toanother: from small alleyways, to metro-station, towide open plazas, and then a palace, then a park.My relationship and proximity to the buildings wasconstantly changing—whereas here in America, thewalking experience is just a big parking lot and abuilding. Being a pedestrian was exciting again! Butat its core, it was the human interaction I experiencedin the architecture of Paris that made it much morememorable.Therefore, for my fifth-year design thesis, I will com-municate my understanding of how architecture canfacilitate a sense of community. I will stress theimportance of urban quarters at the pedestrian sizeand the necessity to build ‘polycentric’ cities. I willtransform a dead shopping mall into a richly-variedurban neighborhood. Undoubtedly, my experienceof working and living in Paris will inform my de-sign.Truthfully, it is very hard to concentrate now, be-cause every time I glance at my postcards fromParis, it’s as if I am opening up over-stuffed suitcasesand watching my memories fly out uncontrollably.When I am at my desk, sketching away facades,plans, and perspectives, I think about how peoplemight experience them in real life. It seems that mybest creative ideas come from that suitcase of memo-ries. And for that I thank you, the Nanovic Institute,for providing yet another source of life-long inspira-tion.

Improving Concrete in Aachen,Germany

Kevin GodshallDouble Major in Mechanical Engineering and German

My project was part of RWTH Aachen’s Institute forJoining and Welding (ISF), a subdivision of their Me-chanical Engineering department. The purpose ofmy summer project was to investigate the relation-ship between the concrete and the textile that it wasreinforced with, specifically how the spalling effecttakes place between the roving and the concrete asa result of the Poisson Effect on the roving undertension. By creating concrete test specimens on rov-ings and subjecting them to tension with a tensiletesting machine, and then filming the spalling off ofthe concrete using a high-speed camera, it is possi-ble to make important observations about how thespalling occurs and how the individual cracks de-velop. With this knowledge, it may be possible toreduce the amount of spalling that occurs in textilereinforced concrete, and thus make it a more efficientand practical tool of construction.The purpose of textile reinforced concrete is to cre-ate a type of concrete that is capable of withstandinggreater tensile forces than those of traditional con-crete by reinforcing its structure with a form of textilemesh composed of rovings, which are in turn madefrom numerous individual filaments that are woundaround one another. The textile mesh is a layer afabric that is placed within the concrete itself beforeit has fully dried, and thus it is considered ‘impreg-nated’. Concrete itself has a very limited amount offlexibility, thus its failure strain is very low, espe-cially in comparison to malleable materials such assteel and other metals. This is the reason why crackswill develop on concrete so easily. Once a crack hasdeveloped, the concrete looses its strength dramati-cally. At this point the textile in the textile reinforcedconcrete takes over and begins to carry the load, pre-venting failure of the material. The relationship be-tween the concrete and the textile that it is impreg-nated with forms the basis of this research.


ONCOLOGY IN SIENA UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

Figure 28: Invented by the Romans, concrete revolu-tionized architecture.

Overall, I thought the entire experience here in Ger-many was very positive and beneficial for me as astudent. In addition to learning, I was also able tomeet new people and have new experiences, as wellas develop new skills. I have been very pleased withthe program itself, its objectives as well as struc-ture, organization and activities. Through the pro-gram I gained insight into how research is organizedand conducted by participating in hands-on activi-ties with co-workers and fellow students. EveryoneI worked with and participated in the program withwas very helpful and encouraged me.Besides these more general ideas, I also gainedspecific knowledge both in German and in fiber-reinforced concrete. Because of the language courseoffered I was able to maintain and even improve myGerman language skills over the summer, a periodwhen it is easy to forget such things. In addition, myinternship gave me the opportunity to improve myknowledge of technical German, specifically the vo-cabulary.Besides learning parts of the German language use-ful to my professional area, I gained a significantamount of knowledge of fiber-reinforced concrete,what it is, how it works, how it is manufactured andhow it fails. I believe this knowledge has the poten-tial to help me in the future, as such topics may comeup again during the course of my studies or even ca-reer.

Interning in Oncology in Siena,Italy

Nadeem HaqueClass of ‘10, Double Major in Science and Business

I spent six weeks in Siena, Italy, during which time Itook a language class and interned at the Oncologyand General Surgery Department at the Universityof Siena.My summer was a great experience. I was able toabsorb the culture and meet people with differentbackgrounds. At the same time, I was able to prac-tice my speaking and comprehensive skills in Italian.I took classes at the Dante Alighieri Society. I hadbeen taking Italian for three years before coming toSiena, but I definitely felt that there was a lot I couldimprove upon. Although I felt comfortable under-standing Italian in conversation, I still did not feelconfident speaking the language, and often times Iwould hesitate or be reluctant to speak. The classesdefinitely helped me improve my speaking and com-prehensive skills, and it was a good was to prepareme for my internship in the hospital, where I wouldbe exposed to the language completely.My internship was difficult but rewarding. I wasable to shadow Dr. Alfonso de Stefano and his teamof residents in the Oncology Department, and I wasalso able to shadow him in the operating room aswell. He was very helpful in pointing out importantprocedures during the surgery, and if I had any ques-tions I was able to ask. The difficulty with the intern-ship was that I spent most of my time with the resi-dents, who were not as friendly or helpful as Dr. DeStefano. At times I found that they were dismissive,and they assumed that I did not understand whatthey were saying or what they were doing becausemy Italian was not fluent. It was frustrating for mebecause I was throwing myself into a situation that Iwas not necessarily comfortable in, and they did notmake it any easier for me.With that said, however, interning at the hospitalwas a great clinical experience. I was able to takevital signs on the patients, and I did the rounds with


PIER CARLO BONTEMPI ARCHITECTS, PARMA, ITALYUNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

the residents and documented patient history. It wasa great way for me to bring together two passionsthat I have developed at Notre Dame, both medi-cal science and Italian language and culture. Whilelearning about medicine and procedures at the hos-pital, I was also able to practice my Italian, and Ithink that my time at the hospital really improvedmy language skills.

Figure 29: The University of Siena, founded in 1240,is one of the oldest in Italy.

While in Siena, I stayed with a host family. Theywere incredibly nice, and my favorite part of eachday was dinner time, when everyone would gatheraround the table and tell the stories of the day. Myhost mother would always make a point to ask howmy day was and what I did. She wanted to makesure that people were nice to me at the hospital, andreally acted like a mother figure during my stay. My

host grandmother would chat with me and cook methe best dinners, and I really practiced my speakingand understanding skills with her. She encouragedme just to speak, not hesitate, and she would cor-rect me if needed be. I also had a host brother and ahost sister who were entertaining and made me feelat home. I still stay in contact with my host family,through Facebook and through letters, and I hope tovisit them some day if I ever go back to Italy.I think that when learning a foreign language it isimportant that you fully immerse yourself in the cul-ture. As I learned while in Italy, while classroomstudies prepare you well, it is not the same as whenyou live in the country, meet the people and interactwith them. It is only upon interacting and constantlyspeaking that you can attain a higher level of speak-ing and comprehensive skills. In the end, you learn alot from other people, and you take things away fromthem that become important to you as well.

Pier Carlo Bontempi Architects,Parma, Italy

Alejandra GutzeitClass of ’10, School of Architecture

Exactly one year later, I found myself lying in thesame field, drinking the warm rays of the Italiansun, during my lunch break. One year later, thehuge indomitable rolls of golden hay dotting thefields around Bontempi’s home and studio, were thesame. One year later, the gently rolling hills of ev-ery earthen color, spring green, golden, forest, andcoffee-bean earth, were the same. One year later, Ihad returned—but I, I, was not the same.After studying abroad in Rome as part of the Univer-sity of Notre Dame School of Architecture’s RomeStudies Program, I decided to remain in Italy andspend the summer of 2008 working as an intern inthe studio of renowned architect Pier Carlo Bon-tempi in Parma.My first experience there was certainly of great im-portance; I was given the responsibility of seeing the


PIER CARLO BONTEMPI ARCHITECTS, PARMA, ITALYUNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

preliminary design of a project from beginning toend, and to apply the urban and architectural prin-ciples I had studied in Rome to my work in Parma.When I arrived, the firm was beginning a small in-tervention in the town of Varano de’ Melegari, ap-proximately 30 km southwest of Parma. The projectinvolved connecting the existing urban fabric of thecity by developing a plot of land on the river Boc-colo, near the town’s famed medieval castle. I beganby designing on the urban, master plan level, andthen continued to design on the architectural leveland was responsible for the plans and elevations ofapproximately thirteen buildings. My final contribu-tion to the project was a large pen on vellum drawingof an aerial view of the intervention as it has been de-signed, to be presented and approved for construc-tion by the municipality of Varano de’ Melegari. Af-ter finishing my internship, I left Parma feeling ex-tremely fortunate to have contributed to such a hum-ble project but not thinking that I would ever havethe chance to return to it, much less as it was nearingthe construction phase.Little did I know that, thanks to the generous con-tributions of the Nanovic Institute, I would havethe rare opportunity to return to a project I myselfhad started the summer before, and little did I knowthat I would get to contribute further to its develop-ment.This summer upon my return, I was welcomed backnot only to a studio and work environment, but toa family. I surprised myself with my Italian speak-ing skills; after having taken Intensive IntermediateItalian last semester, I was eager to begin using mynewly learned vocabulary and verb tenses to enrichmy abilities to communicate, and indeed, I fit rightin, learning and speaking a language that I feel hasfinally become my own. There is great beauty inbeing able to communicate your ideas, your emo-tions, and even a sense of humor (I was always jok-ing with those in the studio and was able to laughat all of their humor) in another culture and anotherlanguage that is not your own, and that in itself feltlike an immense accomplishment.My first day of work, I was told that in my absence,the project for Varano de’ Melegari had progressed;

it had been approved by the municipality and morespecific plans and construction documents were be-ing created so that we could ask for the permessodi costruzione, or the construction permit, to beginbuilding sometime in September or October the mostimportant buildings that surrounded and created thepiazza space I had designed for the new borgo, orneighborhood. I reviewed the more detailed plansand elevations of my preliminary design and wasasked to create a watercolor rendering, in the tradi-tional “Bontempi style,” of an oblique view of thesemost important buildings, which would serve forthe imprenditore, or the building contractor, of theproject. My rendering would be very important be-cause it would serve as the first image of the projectand had the difficult task of creating, expressing, andsetting the tone for the place; a sense of tranquility,a place where one would want to live.I set to work on creating an oblique elevational-perspective drawing on AutoCAD based on onlyplans and elevations of the buildings, which is a del-icate affair between balancing precise, mathematicalgeometries and making slight changes to a drawingto make it feel more human and real. The drawinghad to be quite precise, and I learned a great dealabout the AutoCAD program and became faster andmore efficient at it, all in Italian!

Figure 30: The Duomo, Parma, Italy.

Once the drawing was finished on AutoCAD, weprinted it onto watercolor paper and stretched it onto


PRESIDENZA DEL CONSIGLIO DEI MINISTRI UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

a wooden board to prepare it for painting, which isexactly the traditional method used here in the NotreDame School of Architecture. I spent a good amountof time carefully painting it and learning new water-color techniques, particularly the “Bontempi style,”which is very refined, somber, elegant, and delicate,and will become very useful for my own future ar-chitectural renderings. I studied the renderings ofGiuseppe Greci, who is not only a design architectalongside Bontempi, but is also a talented artist re-sponsible for all the watercolor renderings of thefirm. I was lucky enough to have him alongsideme, guiding my painting and teaching me his tech-niques, which is extremely invaluable in watercolorpainting. I also studied many Italian artists, mostespecially Bernardo Bellotto, pupil and nephew ofrenowned Venetian painter Canaletto, in order to in-clude more artistic and compositional elements andtechniques to make the painting not only an archi-tectural rendering, but also a work of art, which issomething that Bontempi pays great attention to inhis architectural work.Upon completing the watercolor rendering, I felt agreat sense of accomplishment; the work had com-municated the right sense of place and tranquilityfor the new borgo, and I had once again contributedsomething, however humble, to the firm and thatI could call my own, just as I had contributed thepen on vellum drawing the summer before. Thistime, however, the project had advanced and wasready to be constructed, and I had returned to thefirm changed, with a greater confidence in my abil-ities to work in architecture, especially in a countryand language not my own. After finishing the wa-tercolor, I also had the opportunity to work on thepreliminary design for a small house for a long-timeclient and friend of the firm, so I had the opportu-nity to once again contribute my own designs basedon the wishes of a client, and to prepare the prelimi-nary drawings on AutoCAD.I feel that my experience this summer truly allowedme to grow in my professional abilities as well as un-derstand the importance of my contribution to archi-tecture, whether it be in the United States or some-where in Europe. Bontempi’s solidity as a traditional

architect and urbanist comes from the fact that formuch of his career, he worked to create simple butbeautiful architecture in the cities and towns in andaround the province of Parma. The very project Iworked on in Varano de’ Melegari, which is an ex-tremely small town nestled in the Ceno Valley, wasvery humble in character and design, yet overall, itwill help to urbanistically unify and complete thetown as well as contribute to a contemporary archi-tecture that is simple and respectful of the area’s tra-ditional built environment.These principles are truly what make an architectsuccessful and a contributor to society, and I be-lieve that having had the opportunity to pursue thisproject in two phases, I have seen its humble yet dig-nified importance for the town, and I have grownand matured in my beliefs and opinions about archi-tecture and my place within it. It also seems that Italyfollows me wherever I go, because this semester I amworking on a project for a small town called San Gre-gorio in the province of L’Aquila, which was almostcompletely destroyed by the recent 2009 Abruzzoearthquake that shook the region in April and leftthousands of people homeless. We are working ona project to reconstruct the borgo, that is, the entiretown itself, which has a very simple and humble ar-chitectural tradition and expression.Once again, I am finding the importance of con-tributing to architecture in a way that is humble, thatbreathes tradition but lives for a modern or contem-porary world, and that contributes to a society, acommunity of people and their built environment.I had returned a changed and growing person. Italyhad become my own, and my sense of architecturehad become my own as well.

Presidenza del Consiglio dei Min-istri, Rome, Italy

Kathleen O’ConnorClass of ‘10, Double Major in Marketing and Italian,Minor in European Studies


PRESIDENZA DEL CONSIGLIO DEI MINISTRI UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

This past summer I had the remarkable opportunityto travel halfway across the world, live in a foreigncountry, and work for a foreign ministry office. It hasalways been a goal of mine to live and work abroad,and I am incredibly grateful that I was able achieve it.I was accepted as an intern at the Presidenza del Con-siglio dei Ministri, or the Italian Prime Minister�sOffice. My position was to be an intern in the In-ternational Affairs department of the public sector.Overall, I learned many things from the internship,and I would not trade the intern experience I gainedthis past summer for any other.My supervisor, Nicola Favia, was the head of Inter-national Affairs in the Public Sector. He was a greatmentor and seemed focused on each of the internslearning about the Italian government and how itworks. He had us conduct research projects to de-velop our knowledge of the European Union, as wellas require us to make presentations on the Italiangovernment.In the first two weeks of the internship, I had al-ready learned twice as much about the Italian gov-ernment as I had in the previous three years in Ital-ian classes. He welcomed all questions and con-cerns and seemed generally invested in our growththrough the internship program. The internshiptook place in the Vidoni Palace, which is in the cen-ter of Rome very close to the Pantheon and was builtby Raphael. We were able to get a tour of the palace,including many of the most ornate rooms designedduring the 16th century. We were also introducedto foreign diplomats and officials from all over theworld.The main project I worked on over the summer wasestablishing a newsletter for the Department of In-ternational Affairs. My supervisor allocated differ-ent projects to the interns based on their interests,and given my major in marketing and interest inpublic relations, he decided to put me in charge ofthe department newsletter. I first started by creat-ing a layout and design for the newsletter that wasvisually appealing as well as simple to use. Then Iwas given the responsibility of coming up with thefirst topic for the newsletter. This was where all ofour research projects from the beginning of the in-

Figure 31: Offices of the Presidenza del Consiglio deiMinistri, Rome, Italy.

ternship came into play. I chose the topic of ‘Re-ducing Administrative Burdens’ as the first topic ofthe newsletter. This seemed like an appropriate andinteresting topic given Italy�s notorious reputationfor slow governmental operations, especially for cit-izens. It was also a topic growing in popularity inthe European Union as many other countries foughtto reduce the burdens for their citizens and decreasecosts and wait time for administrative and govern-mental activities.The next step of the process was to conduct researchon reducing administrative burdens in both Italy andother countries in the EU. Once I compiled researchon the activities of other European nations and theirmeans of reducing administrative burdens, I focusedon how Italy was currently beginning to employmethods of reducing these burdens. I presented myfindings in a formal presentation, in Italian, to my


HEALTHCARE AND THE ROMA UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

boss and the other intern. Then, I began the processof finding individuals to write articles on the sub-ject and people in the department to interview forthe newsletter. Unfortunately I was unable to com-plete the first newsletter before the end of the intern-ship, and the remainder of the responsibilities fell tomy associate intern. Although I did not have the op-portunity to finish the project, I learned a lot aboutthe Italian government, how they are attempting toreduce administrative burdens, and how to put to-gether a newsletter.Some of the most important things I learned whileabroad over the summer were how to be indepen-dent, how live and participate in a culture that is for-eign to me, and how to make friends and be outgo-ing in an environment in which I may not be per-fectly comfortable. Although I had already been toRome for a semester, I had lived with a large groupof friends from Notre Dame. This time, I have neverlived for so long without a whole group of Ameri-can friends with whom I felt comfortable and coulddepend on. I was nervous at first, but I found thatI liked the independence. I proved to myself that Icould be self-sufficient and make new friends quiteeasily. I could also find my own housing and fig-ure out my finances. I made Italian friends andspent time with them on the weekends going to thebeach or surrounding towns for authentic Romanfood.The summer I spent in Rome was certainly a sum-mer I will never forget. I improved my Italian expo-nentially by using it in a formal work environment.I had to be independent, make friends with peoplewho spoke a different language, and learn how to fitin to the Italian culture. I also learned a lot about theItalian government and the European Union. I feelblessed that I had the opportunity to work in Italythis summer, and I hope to work in Italy again in thefuture.

National Ambulance Service, Bu-dapest, Hungary

Rosabelle ConoverClass of ’12, College of Science

This summer, thanks to the Nanovic Institute ofEuropean Studies, I attended a Maymester in Bu-dapest program which gave me the opportunity totravel through Eastern and Western Europe, internin active ambulances, and conduct first hand re-search on social issues facing Gypsies in Romaniaand France.I lived in Budapest for two weeks, working dailytwelve hour shifts on active ambulances and expe-riencing the life of a Hungarian paramedic. As thisis not possible to do in the United States, it was an in-valuable opportunity which exposed me to the stressof the medical world. I learned to take blood pres-sure, actually performed CPR, helped steady con-vulsing patients, and comforted their loved ones. Inaddition, the doctors explained to me the symptomsof each patient, and I learned about the structure ofthe Hungarian health care system. I learned to copewith the death and serious injury of patients, and re-alized that I love working in the medical world. Inmy other four weeks abroad, I learned a vast amountabout European culture, especially with respect totheir largest minority: the Romani people, or theGypsies.The depth of European discrimination against Romaastounded me. As a student in the United States, Iam aware of racial tensions, but have never experi-enced them. Although the isolation and moral code(or lack thereof) of Gypsy culture contributes to theirill treatment, these people are literally treated like an-imals. Conditions worsen as one travels further intoEastern Europe; in Romania and Hungary, whereRoma are the largest minority, they are denied ac-cess to housing, health care, and education.In a small village in Transylvania, a hospitable fam-ily of internationally known Roma musicians waskind enough to entertain us for the day. The vil-lage allowed this family to live inside its borders


HEALTHCARE AND THE ROMA UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

Figure 32: Roma traveling in the Hungarian coun-tryside.

because they held “accepted” jobs. However, oncewe walked outside the village borders to “GypsyRow,” the atmosphere changed dramatically. Here,the Roma of the area resided in ramshackle huts withlivestock roaming freely. The children who followedus through the village, were underdressed, dirty,and malnourished. Although Europeans I spokewith argued the point that Roma choose to live likethis, my research showed me differently.I interviewed several Gypsies in Romania; amongthem were well known musicians, an actor whofilmed a documentary on gypsy life, and the head ofRoma rights in Budapest. They stated unequivocallythat, in Transylvania, Roma are treated like animals.They have no rights and barely any access to social-ized healthcare. The literacy rate is extremely low, asschool districts place the majority of Roma childreninto schools for the mentally retarded. Hungarianmen complain that Roma do not work and thus arenot entitled to any social benefits; a major contribut-ing factor here is that while Gypsies are willing towork, employers will not hire them. In addition, thevery nature of the isolationist Roma culture furtherdelineates them from mainstream Europe, contribut-ing to misunderstanding and discrimination.While conducting interviews, I discovered that themajority of Europeans were reluctant to speak aboutthe Gypsies. This made it difficult for me to obtain

information on them while working on ambulancesin Budapest, although I did gather that the major-ity of Hungarian men viewed them as a lesser cul-ture. For example, the paramedics allowed a fellowmedical student to practice intubating a dead manbecause he was Roma. They also disliked respond-ing to calls from Romani neighborhoods, and oftencursed about the Gypsies.One afternoon, though, I was lucky enough to breakthrough the European facade, and spent three hoursspeaking with a paramedic about Roma. He statedthat 95% of crime was caused by Gypsies, and thecorrupt police force made it very difficult to ade-quately enforce laws. He also predicted an upcom-ing ethnic purge of the Roma, saying that nine outof ten Hungarian men plan to kill all the Gypsies.He believed it would start from a small village out-side of Budapest, where six Gypsies raped and mur-dered a thirteen year old girl. The head of gypsyrights in Budapest confirmed this idea. This conver-sation shocked me, because of all the paramedics Iinteracted with, I respected these two the most. Theywere the only two who visibly cared about their pa-tients, and were extremely intelligent and reason-able. However, the fact that they were miming howto kill all the Gypsies really drove the point home tome that Gypsies are not seen as people.In Transylvania, I interviewed a well traveled Ro-mani actor. Over the last twenty years, he had beenconducting personal research on treatment of theRoma. He believed that doctors sterilized fertile Ro-manian women when they gave birth in hospitals inorder to diminish the Romani population. He alsoexpressed his deep frustration that his culture hasnowhere to turn for justice. Simply because they areRomani, they are shunned by all around them, andofficials in authority refuse to even consider theircomplaints.A mother and a musician I interviewed both ac-knowledged that in Romania, if one is gypsy, sickenough to go to the hospital, and has little money,he will die. They gave several examples of caseslike this and reiterated the fact that Europeans donot acknowledge them as people. An importantcontributor to this problem is the fact that national-


ARCHITECTURE IN BUDAPEST UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

ity—Hungarian, Romanian, or Gypsy—is stated onone’s personal identification. This helps determinethe quality of healthcare one receives.I also learned of the long history of the Romani pop-ulation. Since the 1300’s, Europeans have enslavedRomani, even sending them to various coloniesaround the world during the colonial era. Similar toAfrican Americans, Roma were known as slaves un-til Prince Ioan Couza of Romania emancipated themin 1864. In addition, Hitler slaughtered half of theRomani population of Europe during the Holocaust.I found it fascinating that the Roma are one of themost persecuted and discriminated against groupsin the world’s history; yet no one knows of the vastinjustices perpetrated against them.Maymester in Budapest was an invaluable experi-ence which vastly expanded my perception of theworld. I immersed myself in the medical world,gaining valuable skills as I lived the daily life of aparamedic. In addition, through my travels in Eu-rope, I learned the ways of many different cultures.From my interactions with the Romani people, I re-alized the depths of European hatred towards themand gathered valuable information on their perse-cution and invisibility in the world. Thanks to theNanovic Institute, these six weeks of my summerbroadened my mind as I discovered aspects of Eu-ropean culture of which I had never known.

Szalonka Epitesz Studio, Budapest,Hungary

Anna Michelle Martinez-MontavonClass of ’12, School of Architecture

This summer, I participated in the Maymester in Bu-dapest program. Led by Dr. Dezso Benedek of theUniversity of Georgia-Atlanta, the program centersaround two courses the first focusing on the historyof the Roma, more commonly referred to as gypsies,and the other on nationalism and identity in Europe.The program also included Hungarian lessons andan internship opportunity in Budapest.

After arriving in Budapest and using the first fewdays to become acquainted with the city, we beganour two-week bus tour of Western Europe. We hadHungarian lessons on the bus and learned about theRoma history and culture while driving to the vari-ous cities we visited. The most important of these, atleast relating to our Roma lessons, was Ste.-Marie-de-la-Mer, a coastal town in France. Every May, Romafrom all over the world come to this town to visittheir patron saint, Sara, on her feast day.After returning to Budapest, we spent the next twoweeks taking classes at the Central European Uni-versity with Dr. Sata in the mornings and working atour internships in the afternoon. Finally, the last twoweeks of the program consisted of more bus travel,this time in Transylvania. Here we saw first-handwhat we had learned about on the bus and in class.We visited gypsy row and saw the undercurrent ofcompetition for Transylvania between the Hungari-ans and Romanians who lived there.

Figure 33: Neighborhood in Buda, Hungary.

During my two weeks in Budapest, I worked withSzalonka Epitesz Studio (Szalonka Architect Studio),a group of three architects, the director of the firmbeing Istvan Kaszas. The studio was on the outskirtsof Buda, in a quiet, wooded neighborhood. I wouldget there after lunch by taking the metro to the otherside of the Danube and then taking a bus to the endof the line, which would drop me off at the beginningof Istvan’s neighborhood.


TEACHING ENGLISH IN LVIV, UKRAINE UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

The studio itself was a wing of Istvan’s house, whichcould be reached separately by some iron stairs fromthe outside. Everyone worked hard but the atmo-sphere was relaxed and friendly, which is most likelythe kind of studio I would like to work in some day.The architects of Szalonka ut were currently design-ing a villa for their contractor. I was able to helpthem by drafting the bontasi terv (demolition plans),a set consisting of plan, elevation, and section. Thegovernment requires these plans as a record of whatcurrently exists on the site before it is torn down. Idrew the plans by hand but generally, the architectsof Szalonka ut use a computer program similar to Au-toCAD as their main drafting tool.Drafting the plans for Szalonka ut allowed me to dosomething useful for the firm as well as learn a littleabout Hungarian government regulations for archi-tecture projects. In addition to drafting these plans,I went with Istvan to visit one of their current con-struction sites as well as one of their finished projects.This allowed me to see the entire process of creatinga structure, from design to completion.What I learned on the Maymester relates to muchmore than just architecture. Perhaps the thing thatI found most shocking was the extreme discrimina-tion against the Roma. Learning about the Roma cul-ture and the way that they are viewed by others gotme thinking about how different groups interact andhow we might be able to influence those interactionsin a more positive way. The way I see the “gypsyproblem” is as a vicious cycle. The Roma were al-ways outsiders and had to turn to illegal means tofeed their families. This made the Europeans beginto shut them out, making it even more difficult forthe Roma to make ends meet and probably creat-ing a counter-reaction in which the Roma separatedthemselves even more from outsiders. So while it istrue that many gypsies steal or in other ways fit thenegative stereotypes, it is also true that most Euro-peans never give them a chance to respond differ-ently. This is not a problem with a quick and easysolution. Solving it will most likely take many yearsof education and the willingness of Europeans andRoma to work together on projects that will allowthem to learn more about each other.

English Summer School, Lviv,Ukraine

Michael FedynskyClass of ’12, Major in Political ScienceFunded by the Charles C. Price Memorial Fund forEast-Central European Studies

I grew up in Cleveland’s Ukrainian community, par-ticipating in Ukrainian scouting, dance, Saturdayschool, and speaking Ukrainian at home with myfamily. Even though I have spent much of my lifelearning about Ukraine, I really did not know whatto expect from the country my grandparents fled af-ter WWII.As I saw the Kyiv skyline from the plane—a mixof golden-domed churches and Soviet-style blockbuildings—I realized that outside of a textbook, Iknew little about what Ukraine truly is. As I got offthe plane, I felt very foreign in a country to which Ihad always been taught that I am connected. Laterthat day, wandering the streets of Kyiv, I felt veryuncomfortable, with everything from my clothing tothe peculiar 1930’s Western Ukrainian accent passeddown to me by my parents and grandparents mak-ing me stick out as a foreigner. This showed mewhat I truly was—an American in a foreign coun-try.

Figure 34: Skyline in L’viv.


TEACHING ENGLISH IN LVIV, UKRAINE UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS & SERVICE

After a week as a tourist in Kyiv, I took an overnighttrain to Lviv, the main city of Western Ukraine,where I began school at the Ukrainian Catholic Uni-versity. Lviv has a significantly more Central Euro-pean feel, without the imposing socialist realism ar-chitecture of Kyiv, mirroring the historical differencebetween the two cities. Before WWI, Lviv belongedto the Austrian Empire while Kyiv belonged to theRussian Empire.I soon began classes, but quickly realized that Iwould learn far more after school let out, by wan-dering Lviv and meeting Ukrainians and other trav-elers. After about a week, my own group of friendsmet a group of Ukrainians our age. They did notspeak much English, so we were forced to exclu-sively speak Ukrainian. Over the course of severalweeks, our conversations ranged from chatter aboutUkrainian slang and comparisons between studentlife in our respective countries to discussions aboutUkrainian politics and culture. By the end of thesix-week program, my language skills, particularlyreading, improved. I felt like I had become comfort-able in Ukraine by meeting “real” Ukrainians and be-ing constantly immersed in the culture.Before the end of the trip, I returned to Kyiv. Com-pared to the way I felt on the first day, the feeling thatI did not belong had long since faded. At the begin-ning of the trip, I had tried to buy a sausage in Kyivfrom an overly pushy meat vendor, but failed to ne-gotiate the price down. Six weeks later, as I success-fully bargained for a reduced price from the samevendor, I felt like I had learned a great deal and be-come less of a foreigner than six weeks earlier.The experience in Ukraine was incredible, both inwhat I learned about the country and about myself.It helped me come to terms with my identity as anAmerican, and also to overcome the feeling of alien-ation in a country that I thought was “mine” butfound to be very foreign.


Graduate Research

Teaching Latin in Eighth-CenturyGermany

Hailey Jane LaVoyDoctoral candidate, The Medieval Institute

With the generous funding from the Nanovic Insti-tute, I was able to travel to various locations in cen-tral Germany which held particular significance forearly medieval intellectual life, including Fulda andBad Hersfeld, and to other cities which housed sig-nificant manuscripts, such as Gotha, Kassel, Mar-burg and Karlsruhe. The goal of my project wasto observe first-hand Latin grammars brought byAnglo-Saxon missionaries to Germany in the eighthcentury. It was necessary to view these manuscriptsdirectly in order to better understand pedagogicalstyles introduced by the Anglo-Saxons.One of the most important features which I notedwas the layout of the grammatical text within themanuscript, an aspect commonly overlooked byscholars. The grammars generally had little orna-mentation and appeared to be intended as functionaltexts. Usually the text was visually divided accord-ing to parts of speech (noun, verb, adverb). Mostoften these sections were prominently highlighted;in one case more specific contents were noted (by alater hand) in the margins for more immediate ref-erence, suggesting that the text may have been con-sulted occasionally for specific usages as well as fora total overview of grammar. What was most im-pressive about reading and evaluating these gram-mars was indeed the very lack of particular physi-cal organization (such as charts or special rubrica-tion) to aid the student in memorization. Instead

Figure 35: Bede (672/673-735), a Northumbrianmonk, had the largest library in England, traveledextensively, and was among the first and most influ-ential historians of Christian Europe.

early medieval teachers and students may have re-lied on aural memorization: lists of verbs and theirconjugations are given and were likely recited aloudby the teacher, perhaps repeated by the student,and memorized in that manner. This would alsobe appropriate in light of the fact that parchmentwas extremely expensive, and a single grammaticalmanuscript may have been used by generations ofmonks. The information would have been imparted

54

PUGLIA BETWEEN THE BYZANTINES AND NORMANS GRADUATE RESEARCH

orally. This also explains the generally good condi-tion of the fragments, the majority of damage hav-ing occurred in the early modern period when themanuscripts were dismembered and used as bind-ings of royal account books.Another area of interest was the very rare use ofglosses, either in Latin or the vernacular. From thislack one might infer that the meanings of the wordswere not always a key element to the study of gram-mar. It seems more important to have learned theconjugation of a verb than its meaning; again, theaural/oral element of hearing conjugations appearsto have been the key element in the transmission ofgrammar, particularly in the classroom. These is-sues are particularly interesting to me, and I planto continue my research of the grammars in lightof my findings now that I have returned to NotreDame.A major highlight of my research trip was my in-troduction to Dr. Regina Putz of the Fulda Sem-inary, which now stands in place of the medievalmonastery. Dr. Putz heads the project to reconstructthe ninth century monastic library of Fulda. This in-cludes producing high quality photographs and dig-italization of those manuscripts which formerly be-longed to Fulda in order to provide modern schol-ars with an accurate overview of the resources avail-able to the early medieval monks of Fulda. Not onlywas the monastic library Fulda an extremely impor-tant intellectual center in the ninth century, but it isalso believed to have been the place of origin for sev-eral of the manuscript fragments which I examined.Dr. Putz was extremely generous with her time andspent two days showing me the academic facilitiesat Fulda, discussing the goals and challenges of theproject, and introducing me to other faculty mem-bers involved in the reconstruction. I also was ableto discuss with her my own research on grammaticaltexts, and she gave me great feedback regarding thedirection of my work. Dr. Putz also generously gaveme a number of scholarly books and articles regard-ing ninth century missionary activity in Fulda andthe library that formed as a result. This introduc-tion to another young scholar working in my fieldis invaluable to my future research. I plan to keep

in contact with Dr. Putz, particularly as I begin mydissertation, as her expertise will doubtless be veryhelpful.My research in Germany provided me with an ex-cellent opportunity to have direct contact with themanuscripts which I have studied in the classroomand as part of my independent research. It allowedme to do what most scholars have not done: to viewnearly all of the remaining grammatical fragmentsin a short period of time, to consider closely theirrelationships and to evaluate their visual arrange-ments. Furthermore, I was able to gather more ex-perience working with manuscripts and archivists inGermany, which will certainly be useful for my fur-ther work in this field. I would like to sincerely thankthe Nanovic Institute for giving me this wonderfulopportunity.

Puglia Between the Byzantines andNormans

Nicole Constantina PaxtonM.A. candidate, Art History

Having spent three months this summer (20 Mayto 12 August 2009) in the southern Italian regionof Puglia, I was able to gather firsthand visual ev-idence and develop the concentration of my M.A.thesis in the department of Art, Art History, and De-sign. My thesis, Imagining Local Identity in MedievalPuglia: Wall Decoration in the Cave Churches of ‘CasaleRuptum’,’ focuses on the underground churches lo-cated in the vicinity of Mottola (Province of Taranto),including the church of San Nicola. In my researchthis summer, I furthered my investigation of thesechurches, which date from the eleventh to thirteenthcenturies. An area with a complex political, social,and ecclesiastical history, Mottola’s cultural realityduring the Middle Ages is difficult to define, pre-senting a challenge for twenty-first century schol-ars.It is the goal of my thesis to come closer to under-standing this culture by concentrating on two ele-


PUGLIA BETWEEN THE BYZANTINES AND NORMANS GRADUATE RESEARCH

Figure 36: Castel del Monte, ca. 1240. Puglia, Italy.

ments that have been largely ignored by past schol-arship: a local, rather than peripheral, identity forthe area of “Casale Ruptum” and visual evidencein the wall decorations of the churches. Medievalart throughout southern Italy has, almost withoutexception, been treated in a binary manner, catego-rized as Byzantine or Latin. This methodology, al-though not entirely without value, is limiting anddoes not allow for the possibility of a locality suchas Mottola to produce its own visual tradition. Withthe exception of a few recent art historical works, thevisual evidence of the wall decorations has also beeneither ignored or relegated to a laundry list of icono-graphical themes. Having gathered visual evidenceand spent time studying the wall decoration thissummer, not only from the churches near Mottola,but from throughout the region, I am able to chal-lenge generalizations and established conceptionsof “Byzantine” and “Norman” in medieval Pugliaand generate innovative hypotheses and conclusions

about cultural identity and the function of these ec-clesiastical spaces.Through the Nanovic Graduate Travel and ResearchGrant, I was able to spend the majority of my timein Mottola studying wall decorations of the churchesof “Casale Ruptum,” today called Casalrotto, creat-ing a photographic dossier of these frescoes. I am in-debted to the Comune di Mottola and Nicola Sasso,Assessore di Turismo, for the permission to photo-graph and study the wall decoration of the churchesunder their authority. I was given the keys to theychurches in Mottola and allowed to spend as muchtime studying the wall decorations as I needed. Itwas through this in depth study of the churches inthe territory of Mottola that I was able to expandmy thesis to include two other churches located in“Casale Ruptum,” the churches of Sant’ Angelo andSanta Margherita. I will be investigating these twosanctuaries along with the church of San Nicola in or-der to understand what the visual evidence of thesechurches can reveal when they are considered to-gether. Studying the iconographical programs ofthe churches as a cohesive whole and having beengiven the opportunity to see the wall decorationsfirst hand, I have been able to consider more closelyof the function of these churches. The absence ofany christological or mariological cycle in any ofthese churches combined with the strong eschatolog-ical themes throughout the program at San Nicolahas lead me to hypothesize that these churches maynot have a liturgical function, but serve a funer-ary purpose. The iconographical program at SantaMargherita, with a strong sense of a cult followingto the saint, suggests that Casale Ruptum was a siteof pilgrimage, perhaps as a gateway to crusades orpilgrimages to the Holy Land.Funding from the Nanovic additionally facilitatedmy travel throughout the region and allowed me toobserve a total of fifty five churches. I was able toobtain permission to study and photograph the walldecoration in each of these churches by asking therespective local authorities. Some of the churcheswere owned by the various dioceses and others bythe local town governments, while a large numberof the churches remain the property of private land


MONARCHY AND MEMORY IN THE FRENCH WARS OF RELIGION GRADUATE RESEARCH

owners. Traveling to all of these churches has abso-lutely enriched my study of medieval art in Pugliaand, through photographs, I have been able to cre-ate a permanent visual record of the wall decora-tion in each church that will be essential through-out my career as an Art Historian. Many of thesechurches are either partially or not documented pho-tographically making the photographs I have col-lected a significant contribution to the field. For thepurpose of my thesis, travel throughout the regionof Puglia has allowed me to understand the variousregional styles and iconography and has led me onlyto stress more emphatically the importance of local-ized study.Having personally visited these churches, I mustnote that this is a critical moment for the survival oftheir wall decoration. The churches, most of the timelocated in fields or ravines, are open to the elementsor, when deeper underground, are subject to hu-midity, making crucial the question of conservation.While the churches owned by the local governmentsare generally well kept, I am concerned that some ofthe churches may be overlooked or, with the grow-ing tourist industry in Puglia, be subject to “humanpollution” as well as natural weathering. It is myhope that, through my continued research and studytowards a doctorate in Art History, I will be able toimpart on the contemporary local governments andpopulations the historical and cultural importance ofthe cave churches in Puglia and their merit of conser-vation and protection.

Monarchy and Memory in theFrench Wars of Religion

John W. McCormackDoctoral candidate, History

With the support of the Nanovic Institute, I was ableto conduct preliminary dissertation research in Parisduring the months of May and June. Upon arrival,I obtained credentials from the Archives nationales(AN) and the Bibliotheque nationale (BN) for access to

their collections.

Figure 37: Louis XIII (1610-1643), King of France andNavarre.

At the AN, I photographed manuscript records ofFrench royal funerals from the late-fifteenth throughthe mid-seventeenth centuries. I began to examineconfraternity records for Paris during the early mod-ern period; however, I discovered that many of therecords are incomplete and my search for a financialrecord of ceremonies in honor of late French kingswas inconclusive. Historians have studied exten-sively such occasions in the English context, and Iwill continue to seek records of similar commem-orative events in France. On my return to France,I must continue to consult the records of differentParisian parishes and confraternities. Additionally, Iplan to contact historians who have studied the con-fraternity records of other cities to see if they knowof such events having taken place; if they are awareof some, I will travel to additional archives as neces-sary.


THE ‘GERMAN AWAKENING’ IN TRANSATLANTIC CONTEXT GRADUATE RESEARCH

My work at the BN was much more extensive, asI had already identified several sets of sources rel-evant to my dissertation. I consulted numerousprinted funeral orations and elegiac poems from1559 and 1610—the deaths of Henry II and IV respec-tively. I located several examples of another typeof printed work, what I would call consolation lit-erature, which seem addressed to a mass audiencebut of whose origin I am uncertain. These are prosetexts which are similar to funeral orations in content,but which employ less elevated language and ap-pear primarily in the vernacular (as opposed to theorations, frequently printed in Latin or in bilingualLatin-French editions). My initial survey suggeststhat they proliferated over time, that they originatewith or were financed by those nearest the crown,and that a model for the genre developed during thesixteenth-century that was repeated in later years.For example, one text that appeared at the deathof Louis XIII in 1643 is a practically word-for-wordreprinting of one from the death of his father, HenryIV, in 1610. Only the names and a sentence or two ofthe over forty-page document have been changed. Imust scrutinize these sources more carefully, and Imust find out for whom and at whose insistence theywere published.Using my own funds, I made a trip to Geneva topresent a conference paper and to interview for asubstantial research fellowship at the University ofGeneva. I had previously traveled to Geneva in2007 with the support of a short-term grant from theNanovic Institute, and I was able to renew the aca-demic relationships I formed on my first trip. Al-though I ultimately removed my name from consid-eration for the fellowship due to the impossibilityof obtaining a visa for my wife to accompany me toSwitzerland during the four- to five-year fellowship,I was a finalist for the award and the only non-nativespeaker of French among the finalists. The interviewand my conference paper on Protestant views of thedeath of Henry II were both successful.Before the conclusion of my trip, I met with Prof.Denis Crouzet of the University of Paris IV, a lead-ing expert on the sixteenth-century Wars of Religion.His two-volume study Les guerriers de Dieu (1990)

is a landmark work in the field, and my work willneed to take his conclusions into account. I sent himmy dissertation proposal, which he read, and wehad a thirty-minute conversation about other sets ofsources I might consider including in my analysis.He was supportive of my project, and he agreed toserve as a reference for my applications to the Ful-bright and Chateaubriand grant programs this fall.He has since then written letters of recommendationon my behalf to support these applications. He of-fered to introduce me to his graduate students on myreturn to Paris in January 2010, when I will be ableto audit his doctoral seminar.Finally, the research I conducted during my trip hasallowed me to put together a proposal for an articlewhich, if accepted, would appear in the French his-torical journal Histoire, Economie, et Societe in 2011.The materials I collected regarding the death ofHenry II will supplement the research I presentedin Geneva; I have submitted my revised essay un-der the title “La memoire divisee d’Henri II: Catholiques,protestants, et les sequelles d’une blessure” (“The Di-vided Memory of Henry II: Catholics, Protestants,and the Aftermath of a Wound”).On the whole, the trip was very successful. Itallowed me to make important contacts, collectenough materials for what I hope will be my firstpublished article, and to create a substantial bibliog-raphy of sources to consult on my return to Paris inJanuary 2010. I am grateful for the Nanovic Insti-tute’s generous support of my research, and I hopethe same privilege will be afforded to graduate stu-dents in the years to come.

The ‘German Awakening’ inTransatlantic Context

Andrew HansenDoctoral candidate, History

With the support of a Graduate Travel and Re-search Grant from the Nanovic Institute for Euro-pean Studies, I spent five weeks in Germany in


THE ‘GERMAN AWAKENING’ IN TRANSATLANTIC CONTEXT GRADUATE RESEARCH

May and June completing preliminary dissertationresearch. My project was entitled “The GermanAwakening in Transatlantic Context,” and I visitedseveral archives containing the papers of prominentfigures of the nineteenth-century religious Awak-ening in Germany. As intended, I located, read,and transcribed material relating to the transat-lantic connections that prominent German theolo-gians shared with individuals in Britain, America,and France.I spent the majority of my time at archives in Berlinand Halle, although I also made a short trip to anarchive in Erlangen. In Berlin, I spent much ofmy time working at the Staatsbibliothek with the pa-pers of Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg, a nineteenth-century biblical scholar and theologian at the Uni-versity of Berlin. Within Hengstenberg’s correspon-dence, I was able to locate and transcribe letters fromnumerous contacts in Britain and America. I alsospent a few days researching in the collections of theGeheimes Staatsarchiv and the Humbolt UniversityArchive. Here I explored the papers of other promi-nent figures in the Prussian Awakening, as well asdocuments from the Theological Faculty of the Uni-versity of Berlin. I found these collections to be lessrelevant to my specific interests, but something use-ful to know as I plan my future research.After two weeks in Berlin, I spent three weeks inHalle. Here I worked primarily with the papers ofFriedrich August Tholuck at the Franckesche Stiftun-gen. I was able to compile a list of Tholuck’s Ameri-can, British, and French contacts based on his exten-sive correspondence, as well as read through a largenumber of these letters. As the primary theologianof the German Awakening, Tholuck’s transatlanticconnections are particularly significant in tracing outthe movement’s relationships to other historical fig-ures and institutions. This will serve as a point ofdeparture for future dissertation research in Ameri-can and perhaps British and French archives. In ad-dition, I read relevant selections from the journalsand manuscripts of Tholuck, though I only had timefor a cursory overview of this large body of writ-ing. Based on my findings, I anticipate that this col-lection will be central to my dissertation research,

Figure 38: Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg (1802-1869),a German neo-Lutheran theologian.

and I plan to return for a more extended period oftime. In addition to giving me direction for futureresearch, I am incorporating some of the material Ifound in Tholuck’s correspondence and journals intoa paper on this topic that I will present in October atthe Northern Great Plains History Conference at St.Cloud State University in Minnesota. My eventualgoal is to submit the paper for publication.At the Halle Universitatsarchiv, I examined docu-ments from the Theology Faculty. Particularly valu-able to me were the matriculation registers, where Ilocated records of foreign students who studied the-ology at the university during the first half of thenineteenth century, and who were thus potential for-eign contacts of Tholuck. While in Halle, I also madea short weekend trip to an archive at the Univer-sity of Erlangen, where I examined the correspon-dence and journals of Ernst Ludwig von Gerlach, a


THE COLONIAL ORIGINS OF DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY GRADUATE RESEARCH

Prussian jurist and prominent member of the BerlinAwakening. As with Tholuck and Hengstenberg, Iwas able to identify his foreign correspondents. I amalso incorporating material that I found in his jour-nals into the above-mentioned paper.The trip has thus provided me with a clearer idea ofthe necessary direction of my dissertation research,as well as provided me with material for my paperthat is in-progress. My next step is to decide, fromthe foreign contacts I identified, which individualshad a particularly close and influential connectionwith the German Awakening. This list will likelyinclude the American theologians Henry BoyntonSmith and Philip Schaff, both of whom were signifi-cantly influenced by Tholuck and the Awakening. Ithen plan to visit the American archives that housethe papers of these figures. On the German side ofmy future research, I plan to return to the Franck-esche Stiftung and work more with the Tholuck pa-pers. Spending more time reading his foreign cor-respondence and unpublished manuscripts will beespecially valuable in clarifying the details of theseforeign connections, as well as shed light on theparticular national context of the German Awaken-ing.In addition to helping me better define my researchagenda and objectives, the trip provided me withexperience using a number of important Germanarchives. The contacts I made with archivists and myfamiliarity with the collections will help streamlinefuture research. Finally, the opportunity to spendextended time reading handwritten German docu-ments from the early nineteenth century also im-proved my ability to read the old German script ef-ficiently, thus building on the skills that a NanovicAdvanced Language Training Grant allowed me ac-quire last summer and preparing me for future dis-sertation research.

The Colonial Origins of Develop-ment and Democracy

Kunle OwolabiDoctoral candidate, Political Science

I spent six weeks in France and Portugal, conduct-ing research toward my doctoral dissertation in Po-litical Science. My research examines how differ-ent patterns of European colonization affected hu-man development (particularly, health and educa-tion outcomes) and political regime outcomes fol-lowing decolonization in the 1950s and 1960s. Thisproject combines statistical analyses with more in-depth comparative historical research on six coun-tries colonized by Britain, France, or Portugal un-der different modes of colonization: Occupation incontinental Africa vs. Forced Settlement (the im-port of slaves and/or indentured labourers) in theCaribbean and some off-shore African islands. Withgenerous support from the Nanovic Institute, I wasable to work in the national libraries and colonialarchives of France and Portugal. This proved to be asignificant asset to my research, as I was able to con-sult sources that are not widely available in NorthAmerica.

Figure 39: French colonial administrators in theCongo, 1905.

In France, I spent most of my time working at the Bib-liotheque Nationale de France (BNF) in Paris, althoughI also spent a few days in the Bibliotheque Publique


THE COLONIAL ORIGINS OF DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY GRADUATE RESEARCH

d’Information (BPI) in Paris, as well as at the Centredes Archives Outre-Mer (French Colonial Archives) inAix-en-Provence. The BNF was an invaluable re-source, as I was able to consult numerous volumesof Statistical Yearbooks on former French colonies inAfrica and the Caribbean. These volumes contain awealth of information on trade, public finances, pub-lic administration, justice, education, health care,missionary activity, and other aspects of living con-ditions during the colonial era. Given the exorbitantcost of photocopies ($0.45 per page) and the prohi-bition on taking digital photos, I spent many longhours copying charts and tables on to my computer.Yet, the data from the Annuaires Statistiques provide agood overview on changing conditions within indi-vidual colonies during the late colonial period (fromthe 1930s through the post-WWII decolonization pe-riod). As the BNF is closed most of the day onMondays, I also spent considerable time in the BPI,where I was able to browse the stacks, and examinesome French-language books on colonization in theCaribbean and Africa. I also collected electoral datafrom France and its overseas departments (FrenchGuiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion) andsocio-economic data from the French Overseas De-partments during the post-1946 era. I hope to usethese data to shed light on how departmentaliza-tion (the political integration of France’s forced set-tlement colonies into Metropolitan France) in 1946affected socio-economic conditions and political lifein these former French colonies.I also spent three days in the French ColonialArchives in Aix-en-Provence. This was perhaps themost enjoyable part of my research, as I was able tobrowse the inventory for government records andother primary documents from the early colonialera. This was very time-consuming work, as thearchival inventory is not yet computerized, so I hadto browse through card catalogues. Despite the te-dium, this work was extremely rewarding, as I wasable to meet a number of researchers, professors, andgraduate students, many of whom had considerableexperience working in these archives. Ironically,most of the researchers working in the archives werebased in North American universities. Although

my time in the French colonial archives was brief,I was able to identify and locate some of the doc-uments that I will need to examine next summer,when I hope to return to Aix-en-Provence, as wellas to visit the French West Africa archives in Dakar,Senegal.I spent the first two weeks of August in Lisbon,Portugal, researching at the Biblioteca Nacional (Na-tional Library) and the Arquivo Historico Ultramarino(Colonial Archives). My research at the Biblioteca Na-cional was extremely fruitful, as I was able to collecta considerable amount of data from various AnuariosStat�sticos (Statistical Yearbooks). These volumesdate back to 1938 (and there are selected volumesfrom the turn of the 20th century) and they containsimilar information to the French Annuaires Statis-tiques. As with the French colonial archives in Aix-en-Provence, the Portuguese colonial archives arenot very well organized, so I spent most of my timebrowsing the catalogue (which is not yet online).Given the relatively small size of its collection, how-ever, I was also able to examine some governmentrecords from Cape Verde from the early 20th cen-tury (specifically, from the eve of the First WorldWar). Unfortunately, I was not able to meet any ofthe researchers that I had contacted at the Institutode Ci�ncias Sociais (Institute of Social Sciences), asAugust is the pre-eminent vacation month in Por-tugal, as in most of Europe. Nevertheless, I hopeto return to Lisbon for a few weeks this fall, as Iwill be based in London (working at the British Li-brary and National Archives) during the Fall 2009Semester.In conclusion, I would like to thank the Nanovic In-stitute for their generous financial support, whichmade this research trip possible. As a result of thisfinancial assistance, I was able to consult some im-portant primary and secondary documents and tocollect some important data on public administra-tion, trade, health indicators, economic indicators,and political organization from historic (colonial-era) sources in the national libraries and colonialarchives of France and Portugal. In addition to ad-vancing the research toward my dissertation, it alsoproved to be an enjoyable and culturally enriching


DIETRICH BONHOEFFER AND G. F. HEGEL GRADUATE RESEARCH

experience—I spent most of my weekends admiringart collections in museums and historic churches, en-joying live music performances, and welcoming theopportunity to expand my research and languageskills. I am very grateful to the Nanovic Institutefor facilitating this research, and I intend to offi-cially recognize the Nanovic Institute in my disserta-tion, as well as any publications that may stem fromthe research that I conducted during the summer of2009.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Relationshipto G. F. Hegel

Michael MawsonDoctoral candidate in Theology

The grant I received from the Nanovic Institute hasallowed me to undertake research in Germany onDietrich Bonhoeffer’s relationship to Hegel. Thisresearch has proved essential for my dissertation,and would not have been possible without thisgrant.I arrived in Berlin at the beginning of November 2009and over the course of that month was primarilybased at the Staatsbibliothek on Potsdamer Platz. TheStaatsbibliothek holds the Bonhoeffer Nachla§, whichis the major archive related to Bonhoeffer research.This archive includes, among other things, Bonhoef-fer’s annotated copies of Hegel’s Lectures on the Phi-losophy of Religion. It also includes notes and back-ground material for Bonhoeffer’s work more gener-ally.I made contact with Dr. Jutta Weber—the librar-ian in charge of the Nachlaß—before arriving, andthen met with her in early November. She was ex-tremely helpful for negotiating the library systemsand gaining access to relevant materials. Havingthe opportunity to carefully work through Bonho-effer’s Hegel volumes has been both exciting andextremely worthwhile. The markings in these vol-umes indicate that Bonhoeffer read Hegel carefullyand repeatedly. They also indicate that he was read-

Figure 40: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran pastor, the-ologian, and martyr, 1906-1945.

ing Hegel while preparing for his lecture courses atthe University of Berlin in 1932-33 (and in this waythat Hegel was more formative for Bonhoeffer’s the-ology than has been recognized). In addition, theyindicate specific passages in Hegel’s volumes thatBonhoeffer found significant—marked with ‘!’s—orquestionable—marked with ‘?’s. This has allowedme to begin a detailed examination of what Bonho-effer appropriated from Hegel and what he rejectedas problematic.The opportunity to undertake this research in Berlinhas had some indirect benefits. One has been that myability to speak and read German has improved sig-nificantly (and I can already hold conversations withmuch greater confidence). Another has been havingaccess to the resources at the Bonhoeffer house; thehouse where Bonhoeffer lived and worked, whichnow functions as a museum and educational center.The director and staff have given me access to the ex-tensive library and directed me towards materials ofspecific interest. They have also assisted me in mak-ing arrangements to meet with German academicswith expertise related to my topic, including Dr. IsleTodt and Prof. Christiane Tietz. Dr Todt has alreadyprovided detailed feedback and suggestions on myproposal and research. I should mention that I havemade arrangements to visit the Bonhoeffer archiveat Munster early in the new year (which the Nanovic


CATHOLIC SISTERS UNDER NAZISM GRADUATE RESEARCH

grant is also helping to support). I have been in con-tact with the director of this archive and am lookingforward to my time there.In sum, the research grant from the Nanovic Institutehas been incredibly valuable for my dissertation. Ihave made a number of discoveries that are both ex-citing and significant. As a result of this research mydissertation is likely to have major impact within myfield of study (i.e. due to it having extensive primaryresearch on an issue that has long been neglected).On this basis I would like to thank once again theNanovic Institute and all those who have made thistravel and research possible.

Catholic Sisters Under Nazism

Martina CucchiaraDoctoral candidate in History, Recipient of The Do-minica and Frank Annese Fellowship in GraduateStudies, 2007/08

I have spent the first half of the academic year inGermany, where I conducted research at archivesin Munich, Wurzburg, and Brakel (near Paderborn).I spent a considerable time at the archive of thePoor School Sisters of Notre Dame in Munich. Thisarchive is generally not open to the public and I amgrateful to Sr. Consolata Neumann for granting meaccess and for her generous assistance during mystay. The holdings of the archive far exceeded myexpectations.The sisters have preserved memorandums, officialcorrespondence, reports, newspaper clippings, aswell as hundreds of letters the sisters themselveswrote between 1933 and 1945. The documents re-veal the uncertainties and fears sisters experiencedduring the early years of Nazi rule as well as theirefforts to preserve their schools and communities.During the initial years of Nazi rule between 1933and 1935, the state mainly used economic mea-sures to put pressure on Catholic congregations.For example, the sisters lost their tax-exempt sta-

Figure 41: The Poor School Sisters of Notre Damein Munich were founded in 1833 in Neunburg vormWald, Bavaria.

tus and teachers over the age of 65 had to retire.1

In 1935, with the commencement of the foreigncurrency trials,2 the National Socialist state’s mea-sures against women religious became more rad-ical. Police searched the School Sisters’ varioushouses across Germany in preparation for the for-eign currency trials. The Poor School Sister Sr. Can-isia Bruggemann of the congregation’s North RhineWestphalian province was eventually sentenced to a

1Unlike their secular teachers, Catholic sisters working asteachers did not receive pensions.

2The state accused Catholic sisters, brothers, and priests ofhaving illegally transferred funds to foreign countries to pay theirdebts. At the time, anyone who wished to exchange and transferforeign currency needed to obtain a permit from the German cen-tral bank. The state conducted over 30 trials against members ofthe Catholic Church. The trials were accompanied by a viciouspropaganda campaign directed mainly at Catholic sisters.


THE LATERAN ACCORDS AS A DIALECTICAL MODEL GRADUATE RESEARCH

lengthy prison term.Thanks to Sr. Consolata, I was able to also con-duct research at the School Sister’s archive in Brakelwhere I found numerous documents about Sr. Can-isia Bruggemann’s trial, including letters she wrotein prison. I am currently working on an article aboutthe foreign currency trials and the Nazis’ simulta-neous quite vicious propaganda campaign againstCatholic sisters. I plan on submitting the article forpublication by March this year.In Munich, I also conducted research at the archiveof the Diocese of Munich-Freising, the Munich cityarchive, as well as at the Bavarian state archive. Thearchive of the diocese shed light on the relationshipbetween the church leadership and the sisters. Thebishops supported the sisters in myriad ways butthey lacked the necessary means to support congre-gations financially. I found that sisters aided eachother. Especially during the war, sisters from dif-ferent congregations often joined communities andshared resources.My research also focuses on Catholic Sisters and theHolocaust. The School Sisters of Notre Dame inDachau were directly confronted with Nazi racialand genocidal policies. I found that the sisters actedas liaisons between prisoners at Dachau concentra-tion camp and their families. The sisters also sentfood packages and took considerable risks whenthey smuggled letters and medicine to imprisonedpriests. I will explore the issue of Catholic sisters andthe Holocaust in my upcoming research.I am returning to Germany shortly to conductresearch at archives in Regensburg and Pader-born.

The Lateran Accords as a Dialecti-cal Model

Michael DriessenDoctoral candidate in Political Science, Recipient of ThePaul Tobin Fellowship for European Studies, 2007/08

For the first half of this year I concentrated my re-search on the first of my two big case studies, Italy,which I am using to frame my project on religionand democratization in the Mediterranean. I basedmyself in Bologna and was institutionally attachedto the Istituto per le Scienze Religiose Giovanni XXIII,which houses what is probably the best library inall of Italy regarding the history of Italy’s “Catholicmovement” from the Risorgimento to the SecondVatican Council.

Figure 42: Mussolini at the Lateran Palace for thesigning of the accord with the Vatican, February 20,1929.

Other than providing me with a physical place tostudy, I was also able to attend a series of conferencesthrough the Institute held by Italian Catholic histo-rians on Pope Pius XI, who negotiated the LateranPacts between the Church and state with Mussoliniand who figures large in my own study. AlbertoMelloni, the director of the Institute, also helpedintroduce me to several other scholars in Bolognaworking on similar themes and offered his ownthoughts and critique on my project.In Bologna, I also worked with the Istituto Cattaneo,the leading Italian Institute for statistical analyses inthe social sciences and home to the most compre-hensive databanks on political and social indicatorsfor the last 60 years in Italy. Through the Cattaneo Iwas given access to some very important data whichI have tried to incorporate into my dissertation. Inaddition, two professors associated with the Insti-


FOUNDATIONS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS GRADUATE RESEARCH

tute have taken an interest in my project, offeringtheir criticisms and advice on some of the more com-plex issues regarding my thesis. They have been ex-tremely helpful.This fall I also made two trips to Rome for a cou-ple weeks of intense study at the historical archiveshoused at the Vatican (Archivi Vaticani Segreti) andthe Central Archives of the State. The time spent atboth archives turned out to be much more illuminat-ing than I had originally thought and has allowed meto provide a more thorough level of historical docu-mentation for the thesis.Following the work at the Archives, I spent severalweeks writing up the Italian part of the dissertationto around 80 pages and then tailored it back downto a publishable size article. I have sent it off to sev-eral scholars here in Italy as well as the members ofmy dissertation committee and after receiving com-ments back on it I am planning to send it into publi-cation.This semester I also took the time to travel to Slove-nia to present a paper at an International PoliticalScience Conference in Ljubljana. Around the time ofthe U.S. elections, I gave two radio interviews on Ra-dio Articolo Uno. And I also continued research ona related research paper comparing historical levelsof religiosity between France and Italy which I havesubmitted for presentation at the annual AmericanPolitical Science Association conference in Torontothis upcoming August.Finally, I also began switching most of my researchenergies to my Algerian case. In the beginning of De-cember I spent a week in Aix-en-Provence at the Mai-son Mediterraneenne des Sciences de l’Homme which,along with an analog in Paris, is the leading researchinstitute in France on the Maghreb. Most of my workthere was bibliographical; however, I also contactedseveral professors there and after meeting with oneof them, was invited back to give a talk at the Insti-tute in May 2009 on comparative research methodsin the Mediterranean.

Philosophical Foundations ofQuantum Mechanics

Elise CrullDoctoral candidate, History and Philosophy of Science

Owing in large measure to the Nanovic Institute, Iwas able to partake of two separate yet related tripsto Europe this summer, both crucial to my on-goingresearch. The first trip was a month-long researchvisit to the University of Aberdeen to continue work(begun in summer 2008) on a book I am writingwith Dr. Guido Bacciagaluppi on the historical andphilosophical foundations of quantum mechanics.The second trip was to attend a week-long gradu-ate course (through the University of Geneva) on thephilosophy of quantum physics in Arolla, Switzer-land.The first trip was to continue work on a book projectand various related side-projects with Dr. Baccia-galuppi at the University of Aberdeen, and also todiscuss my dissertation topic, a topic on which Bac-ciagaluppi is a leading scholar. He also will serve asan external member for my dissertation committee.Not only did we discuss my dissertation, but Bac-ciagaluppi and I also spent our month together re-searching grants and writing/revising applications(mostly for two- to three-year UK research grants)for continued work on our project.We were able to make good progress along theselines, and as this was my first experience writ-ing grant proposals of this magnitude, it was im-mensely instructive to be walking through these pro-cedures—which no doubt will comprise a signif-icant portion of my professional work in the fu-ture—alongside a senior researcher who has hadgreat success in the past with regard to these matters.I continue to learn much about the bureaucratic sideof professional research in my on-going work withBacciagaluppi. We were also during my visit ableto finish writing and editing a paper (based on re-search from summer 2008) which has been acceptedfor publication in Studies in History and Philosophy ofModern Physics, and of course to continue research


FOUNDATIONS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS GRADUATE RESEARCH

for the book itself.

Figure 43: Erwin Schrodinger, Austrian theoreticalphysicist, 1887-1961.

The book is to be an integrated historical and philo-sophical analysis of a set of papers dealing withquantum mechanics and a rich set of German cor-respondence between one of the fathers of quan-tum mechanics, Erwin Schrodinger, and variousother prominent physicists during the mid-1930s.Specifically, the primary sources we are transcribing,translating and placing within historical and philo-sophical context were inspired by the famous cri-tique of quantum mechanics voiced by Einstein inthe 1930s, and a paper written thereupon by BorisPodolsky and Nathan Rosen in 1935. This par-ticular project is of relevance today in a capacitythat far exceeds its historical merit as a first trans-lation/publication of many of these letters, for thediscussions taking place in these years among thesephysicists treat of philosophical questions still atthe heart of the field today. One specific exam-ple concerns the phenomenon of quantum entangle-

ment—something that was first clearly articulatedby Schrodinger in 1935, and which forms the basisfor current physics research into quantum decoher-ence. This is especially relevant as my dissertation ison the topic of decoherence, and on the philosoph-ical implications of these new concepts—new con-cepts whose physical principles already existed inthe formalism of the 1930s, but whose full meaningand implications have just now begun to be appreci-ated. The state of discussion regarding the physicaland philosophical implications of quantum decoher-ence is pink with newness, and thus serves as a fasci-nating place to carry out research projects of the kindbeing undertaken by Bacciagaluppi and myself, andas I hope to achieve in my dissertation.Regarding the second trip, the graduate coursein Switzerland, the intensive discussion, lecturing,reading and debating that took place during this oneweek among veteran physicists and philosophersand a group of energetic, passionate graduate stu-dents was absolutely unique. I was able to attendseminars on topics new to me as well as familiar,taught by leading names in the field—including myco-author, Bacciagaluppi. During the lectures I wasnot only able to learn as a student, but furthermoreto learn as a future teacher by observing how Baccia-galuppi and the other instructors presented a varietyof difficult issues. This class was a wonderful oppor-tunity for me to gain a greater degree of expertise inmy field and on the specific issues related to my dis-sertation, and it was also a great deal of fun to meetmore of my “academic family”, to forge deep rela-tionships with students who are at a similar stagein their Ph.D. careers but from numerous locationsabroad and in the U.S., and likewise to get to knowthe professors involved in the class and discuss theirresearch in more depth. The importance of such re-lationships in any stage of one’s professional careercannot be underestimated.Both the trip to Scotland and the course in Switzer-land involved work in the foundations of quantummechanics, a field of study whose history concernsnumerous institutes, laboratories, and persons pri-marily located in Europe, and whose present statecontinues to be characterized by a high degree of in-


MARITAIN AND KOJEVE GRADUATE RESEARCH

ternationality. Thanks to the Graduate Travel andResearch Grant, my second summer of work in thehistory and philosophy of quantum theory provedto be one of incomparable worth.

Maritain’s and Kojeve’s Argu-ments for World Unification andEuropean Integration

James FetterDoctoral candidate, Political Science

I used my recently awarded Travel and ResearchGrant to attend the “Ideas of Europe/Ideas for Eu-rope” conference from May 6-9 at the Chemnitz Uni-versity of Technology in Chemnitz, Germany. I pre-sented my paper entitled “One World, Two Philo-sophical Traditions: A Comparison of Maritain’s andKojeve’s Arguments for World Unification and Eu-ropean Integration” on the first day of the confer-ence.My paper will be published in the conference pro-ceedings, which are supposed to be published laterthis year.Because the conference was structured to allow forparticipants to attend the majority of the panels, Iwas able to get a sense for the numerous debates con-cerning European identity and the intellectual basisfor it. Since I do not specialize in European studies inany form and have done limited coursework on Eu-ropean integration, this was a very enlightening ex-perience for me. I became aware of the contentiousnature of debates about the limits of European iden-tity and the degree to which such an identity exists atall. Although the overwhelming majority of the con-ference participants were in favor of European inte-gration, I did not discern much agreement on whatconstitutes, or is excluded from, Europe, or the partof Europe that should in future be eligible for admis-sion into the EU.Furthermore, I discerned some disagreement aboutthe basis and content of so-called European values.

Figure 44: Aleksandr Vladimirovich Kozhevnikov(Kojeve) (1902-1968), a Russian philosopher knownfor his work on the philosophy of history and laterinfluence on French and European policy.

Although most conference participants agreed thatEuropean, in contrast with American, values empha-sized solidarity and hospitality, much disagreementremained as to whether European values should beseen as arising from the Enlightenment or from someother source and to what extent European values areuniversalizable.I noticed a general concern with avoiding Eurocen-trism but often at the expense of differentiating be-tween values unique to the European context andthose that could gain universal acceptance. Many ofthe presenters contended that there was, in effect, nodifference between European and cosmopolitan val-ues, but this led them, in my view at least, to a failure


LEGITIMACY AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS GRADUATE RESEARCH

to explain what values Europeans share or shouldshare with one another that they currently do notshare, and perhaps should not expect to share, withthe peoples of other regions.In short, debates among European intellectuals con-cerning the future of their continent are at leastas contentious as those in the United States, evenamong scholars who favor European integration insome form. To conclude, the nuanced understand-ing of these debates I gained by attending this con-ference will enrich my future work on the intellectualbasis for European integration, and the opportunityto present my work to European scholars is likely tobenefit my professional prospects as well.

The Role of Legitimacy in CreatingInternational Institutions

Lucrezia Garcia IommiDoctoral candidate, Political Science

The Nanovic Travel Grant allowed me to carry outa set of interviews of invaluable importance for mydissertation research, which focuses on the role ofnorms (supranationality, in particular) in the cre-ation of the International Criminal Court (ICC).From July 4th until August 1st, I was in The Hague,from where I travelled to Paris, Koln, and Gottin-gen to conduct a series of interviews with diplomats,NGO representatives, and academics who have beeninvolved in the different stages of creation of the ICC.Even though I had initially planned to spend onlythe first two weeks in The Hague, it soon becameclear to me that the best course of action was to es-tablish myself in The Hague, where I could conductthe most interviews, and to travel from there to dif-ferent destinations as important interviews outsideThe Hague became confirmed.Upon my arrival at The Hague, I got in touch withthose interviewees with whom I had arranged inter-views in advance. In spite of their early commit-ment to the interviews, it was quite challenging tofind openings in their agendas, so I spent my first

Figure 45: The International Criminal Court (ICC),The Hague, Netherlands.

week emailing and making phone calls in order to setthis first group of interviews. Fortunately, after thisrather slow start things picked up and I was able toconduct about twenty lengthy elite interviews, andset the contacts to continue conducting interviewsover the phone later on.The first set of interviews in The Hague was withdiplomats of delegations from different countries(some among my case studies, some from countriesof particular interest for other reasons) who eitherparticipated in the negotiation of the Rome Statuteor participated in some other capacity in the cre-ation and consolidation of the ICC. The intervie-wees included Fabricio Guariglia from the Argen-tine Delegation (currently the Senior Appeals Coun-sel of the ICC), Gilbert Bitti and Beatrice LeFrapperfrom the French Delegation (currently, Senior LegalAdvisor and Head of Jurisdiction, Complementar-


LEGITIMACY AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS GRADUATE RESEARCH

ity and Cooperation in the Office of the Prosecutorof the ICC respectively), and Phakiso Mochochokofrom the delegation of Lesotho (currently Senior Le-gal Adviser of the ICC). In addition to this, I con-ducted a set of interviews with members of the civilsociety, specifically leaders in NGOs of particularrelevance for the creation of the ICC, such as Ce-cilia Nilsson (CICC, Coalition for the ICC), MarianaPena (FIDH, Federation Internationale des Liguesdes Droits de l’Homme) and Deborah Ruiz (PGA,Parliamentarians for Global Action) This last inter-view proved particularly illuminating because Ms.Ruiz has not only actively participated in the pro-cess of Mexico’s ratification and implementation ofthe Rome Statute, but in other places in Latin Amer-ica, notably Chile. Both Mexico and Chile are casesin my project and were “difficult customers” for theICC, thus understanding their process is particularlyinteresting.Both set of interviews proved invaluable to plan andobtain a second round of interviews in The Hagueand elsewhere. Indeed, the round of interviewswith diplomats and state representatives led to asecond round of interviews in The Hague. In thisround I interviewed the individuals who are carry-ing out all ICC related issues in The Hague, whichincluded Erasmo Lara (Embassy of Mexico), RaulComelli (Embassy of Argentine), Fernando Ramalho(Embassy of Brazil), and Massud Husain (Embassyof Canada). The first round of interviews also ledto finalize the arrangements for two other key inter-views in Germany - the first with Claus Kress at Uni-versity of Cologne and the second with Kai Ambos atthe University of Gottingen, both of whom were partof the German delegation in Rome, and an interviewin Paris with Jose Luis Fernandez Valoni (Argentinerepresentative to UNICEF), who was part of the Ar-gentine delegation in Rome.The first round of interviews with the NGOs led toother interviews including Daniel Wheatly (presentin the negotiation of the Rome Statute on behalfof Amnesty International UK) and Helen Duffy(present in the negotiation of the Rome Statute onbehalf of Human Rights Watch) in The Hague, andSimon Foreman (Amnesty International France) in

Paris. That first round also led to an invitation toparticipate in the “International Justice Day: Cele-brating the 11th Anniversary of the Rome Statute,”which allowed me to meet two other extremely im-portant future interviewees, Helen Brady from theAustralian Delegation (currently ICTY) and the vicepresident of the ICC, Judge Hans Peter Kaul fromGermany. Judge Kaul is considered by many the “fa-ther of the ICC” and by all one of the most influentialand emblematic figures in the creation of the court.Interviewing him on the role of Germany and theGerman delegation in Rome, as well as on his per-sonal motivations for taking on the enormous taskof finally creating a permanent international crimi-nal court was, without any doubt, one of the high-lights of my field work and of my PhD.From the information gathered in these interviewstwo basic lessons emerged, and I am trying to incor-porate them in my dissertation. The first one is thatsupranationality as a norm might be most impor-tant during after signature and ratification stages,informing the capacity and willingness of states tobring the Court from paper to reality. The secondlesson has to do with serendipity and with “beingthe right person, at the right time” (as Machiavellisaid, “when she (Fortune) wants to accomplish greatthings, she selects a man who has so much courageand so much ability that he will recognize the oppor-tunities she places before him”) and the challengesof studying the role of individuals and of the “unex-pected” in politics. This second lesson caused me toreconsider the framework of my research.All in all, this research experience was as satisfactoryand useful as I could have possibly expected—andthen some. I am still capitalizing on the informa-tion I obtained as well as the contacts that I made,and I’m hoping to continue doing so in the upcom-ing months, when I’ll travel to Mexico, Chile, NewYork City, and The Hague once again, to continuemy research.


EASTERN EUROPE AND ESPERANTO GRADUATE RESEARCH

Cultural Mobilization in theEastern European Transitions of1989

Ana VelitchkovaDoctoral candidate, Sociology and Peace Studies

I traveled to four Eastern European coun-tries—Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland,and Romania—during May and June, to studycommunist-era cultural mobilization around theEsperanto movement.I visited eight different cities that have been cen-ters for the Esperanto movement in Eastern Europe(Sofia, Bulgaria; Brno, Dobichovice, and Prague inthe Czech Republic; Poznan, Warsaw, and Wroclawin Poland; and Timisoara in Romania). I interviewedthirty-two individuals, primarily former and/or cur-rent leaders of the Esperanto movement who havebeen very active in the movement at least since the1980s, and in most cases, since much earlier. Irecorded about thirty hours of interviews, and in theseveral cases when respondents were not comfort-able with being recorded, I took copious notes. I alsoattended five regular meetings of Esperanto groupsin four of the cities, which provided me with addi-tional information about the movement.Upon completing the interviews, I hired two un-dergraduates to transcribe the majority of them (theones in Bulgarian, English, and Spanish). I willhave to transcribe the interviews in Esperanto my-self, since I could not find anybody able and willingto do it.By the end of the Polish portion of the trip—whichwas the last portion—I had learned quite a bit of Es-peranto, and I conducted a few interviews in thislanguage in addition to the interviews in English.In Romania, I used English, French, and a combi-nation of broken Russian and Esperanto. I was ableto find interpreters (mostly younger members of themovement) in the Czech Republic and in Poland.Since Esperantists hold the belief that Esperanto isan easy language, they are more likely to take a re-

Figure 46: A ‘constructed international auxiliary lan-guage,’ Esperanto was invented in 1887 by LudwikZamenhof (1859-1917), a Polish opthalmologist.

searcher seriously if she speaks it. My making seri-ous progress in learning it, without too much effort,partially supports the validity of this. However, cau-tion is needed: I have a lot of experience with learn-ing languages and with linguistics and I am fluent inseveral Romance languages, which provide the basisfor 80% of the Esperanto vocabulary.In terms of substantive findings, I am yet to an-alyze the data I collected to make complete senseof it. However, here are several general observa-tions:• Most people engaged in the Esperanto move-

ment to connect with others. Similarly, on theorganizational level, transnational interactionoccurred between Eastern European and othergroups, primarily from the West. Even states inEastern Europe used the Esperanto movementto relate their achievements to others.


NEW DIALECT POETRY IN ITALY GRADUATE RESEARCH

• Knowledge and learning was a major focus formost interviewees and for the activities of allgroups.

• Not only groups but also individuals often es-poused both cosmopolitan and patriotic val-ues, which contradicts most definitions of cos-mopolitanism.

• The fundamental value Esperantists espouse isequal and just communication on the basis of aneutral language that puts interlocutors on anequal footing with the hope of achieving peace-ful coexistence among people in the world.

• Not only the Esperanto movement as a wholebut also most individual participants I inter-viewed proclaimed to be apolitical, which issurprising at first, given our traditional under-standing of what the response to political op-pression ‘should’ be (and oppression there wasfor Esperantists, albeit of different magnitude).In the communist-era Eastern European context,however, being political meant being involvedwith the communist party, so being apoliticalwas (and still is), in fact, an act of opposition.

These observations can be made sense of througha global sociological lens known as the “world cul-ture/world polity” approach. The world culturetheory argues that there are global cultural mod-els/norms that have spread throughout the worldover the last two centuries, including the nation-stateform as the only thinkable form of societal organiza-tion, individualism and a related discourse of rights,rationalization and scientization of most aspects ofhuman life, a belief in progress (individual and soci-etal) and justice. The theory is criticized for beingoverly deterministic and for ignoring process andpolitics.The Esperanto movement in communist-era EasternEurope provides an account of the process of enact-ing world cultural models in a region believed tohave been in isolation. Therefore, I will continuethe analysis of the data with the following work-ing hypothesis in mind: Under conditions of polit-ical oppression, the Esperanto movement in East-ern Europe was engaged in cultural mobilization

and covert opposition that aimed at reconnecting theregion with the world. As such, it can be classi-fied as a systemic movement that attempted to effectchange through cultural transformation. It enactedthe world cultural values of progress (of the individ-ual through knowledge) and justice (interpersonaland international particularly as relates to commu-nication). However, these enactments differed fromthe general Western models and were adapted to thelocal conditions (a.k.a. ‘glocalization’), incorporat-ing elements of the local political culture (a.k.a. ‘cre-olization’).

Gian Mario Villalta and the NewDialect Poetry in ContemporaryItaly

Damiano BenvegnuDoctoral candidate, Literature

My summer research has focused on the so-called“Italian new dialect poetry” and in particular on themost important theorist, and one among the mostimportant authors, of this group of new poets, GianMario Villalta.My project was two-fold: 1) to seek the necessarytexts for a wider reconnaissance of the new-dialectphenomenon: texts that are (situated) in small locallibraries or in the Italian National Library in Rome;and 2) thanks to the reading of the texts, to take thetestimony of one of the most important protagonistsof the new-dialect period, Gian Mario Villalta, withwhom I will try to lay the basis of a future interpreta-tion of this phenomenon not only as an Italian ques-tion but also in the context of contemporary Euro-pean poetry.Regarding the first point, I spent ten days in theItalian National Library in Rome, and then went toGenoa and Turin for another week to try to find somebooks not present in the National Library.In Rome I focused my attention on several maga-zines published during the Eighties and Nineties,


NEW DIALECT POETRY IN ITALY GRADUATE RESEARCH

Figure 47: Gian Mario Villalta, poet, 1959-.

Diverse Lingue and Baldus—both really important tounderstand what was going on in the Italian liter-ary enviroment in that crucial period for the newdialect poetry. Diverse Lingue, whose complete titleis Diverse Lingue: semestrale delle letterature dialettalie delle lingue minori, was published by CampanottoEditore from 1986 to 1998, and, as the title says, hasparticularly dealt with the so-called “Dialect Litera-tures.” Almost all the new dialect poets have con-tributed something to this magazine, either in theform of interviews or critical essays. My close read-ing of Diverse Lingue, therefore, helped me to havea general survey of the poetic production in dialectat that point, and enabled me to have a more pre-cise knowledge about the specific authors and theirideas on the relationship between dialect, landscapeand poetry.Baldus, instead, was published between 1990 and1997 by a group of poets, many of whom will be partof the so-called Gruppo 93, a kind of attempt to cre-ate an Italian avant-garde movement able to face thecomplexity of the present. This magazine didn’t fo-cus only on dialect poetry but tried to have a widergaze on Italian literature. In this way, Baldus pub-lished a lot of theorical articles. One in particular,written by Gian Mario Villalta, could be consideredthe first theoretical serious attempt to understandcritically the new dialect poetry within the new Ital-ian literary frame, influenced both by the disappear-ance of the old dialect rural culture and by the crisisof the poetry written in standard Italian.

Then, after ten days in Rome, I traveled to Genoa andTurin. In Genoa I worked in the Istituto Internazionaledi Studi Liguri and in the Library of the University ofGenoa. There I focused my attention on the Ligurianpoets and in particular on Roberto Giannoni’s works.I tried to get a sense of what kind of micro-editorial-market the new dialect has in Italy right now, con-tacting a couple of little presses in the center of thecity and talking with the owners. In Turin, instead,I went to the Centro Studi Piemontesi, an institutionspecialized in the Piedmontese culture, where I readand bought some books written in the Piedmontesedialect.After this kind of general introduction and a coupleof investigation in the Ligurian and Piedmontese tra-ditions, I went to Pordenone, in Friuli-Venezia Giu-lia, where I met Gian Mario Villalta and I also wantedto read his works in Italian and in dialect.I had a couple of meetings with Gian Mario Villaltaand we talked about both his literary production andthe situation of the new dialect poetry today. As Iwrote in my proposal, these meetings should be boththe starting point for a coming article about Villalta’swork and his vision on the new dialect poetry, butalso a first step for a future hopeful collaboration be-tween Villalta himself and Notre Dame.Furthermore, Villalta’s knowledge of the contempo-rary Italian poetry and his theorical insight makeshim able to have a clear survey of the relationshipsand the contradictions among the Italian nationalidentity, the new challenges that Italy is facing inthese days (also in terms of language/languages)and the new poetry. One of his major points is thatthe so-called new dialect poetry has introduced anew use of the dialect, no more a language of localidentity and culture, but rather a kind of existentialidiom that necessarily has to deal with the languageof the standard culture (that is to say the introduc-tion of philological annotations) and the languageof telecommunication (the standard Italian). In thisway, we have a text that not only does not hide its re-lation with other languages, but in fact shows on thepage its intrinsic diglossia—or triglossia, if we con-sider the philogical jargon a real language.


Student Testimonials

“Thanks to the grant I received from the Nanovic Institute, my senior thesishas come to take on more meaning, and I have learned about an issue thathas gone widely unconfronted throughout Russian history. I would like tothank the Nanovic Institute and its sponsors for giving me the opportunityto expand my knowledge and research in such a rewarding way.”

Mary Ann Barge, Class of ’09, Double Major in Russian and Classics

“I had a couple of meetings with Gian Mario Villalta and we talked aboutboth his literary production and the situation of the new dialect poetry to-day. As I wrote in my proposal, these meetings should be both the startingpoint for a coming article about Villalta’s work and his vision on the new di-alect poetry, but also a first step for a future hopeful collaboration betweenVillalta himself and Notre Dame.”

Damiano Benvegnu, Doctoral candidate, Literature

“In addition to observation and involvement in a foreign government, theinternship also afforded valuable public relations experience. I was con-stantly corresponding with constituents, writing press releases, and cam-paigning. Honed communication skills coupled with an understandingof British policymaking will significantly improve my contribution to bothclassroom discussions and my career after graduation from Notre Dame.”

Elizabeth Bierman, Class of ’10, College of Business

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STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

“I cannot express how fortunate I felt to be working as an intern with one ofEngland’s leading Classical architecture firms for two months this summer2009. The connections that I acquired, the experience I gained, the placesI traveled, and the people that I met made for a unique opportunity that Iam glad to have done.”

Nicole Bernal-Cisneros, Class of ’10, School of Architecture

“Exploring disability in the UK was enlightening and eye opening for manyaspects for my senior thesis. It gave me a chance to see how much progresshas been made in policy and how policy manifests itself on daily basis. I willuse my personal experience to complement primary resources and exploredynamic changes in the relationship between UK society and adults withdisabilities, as compared to the standards, communities, and perceptions inthe US. ”

Caitlin Booth, Class of ‘09, Sociology

“My stay in Ireland widened my perspective on Irish culture, language, andsociety. Cork is a large, multicultural city, and I enjoyed meeting peoplefrom all different parts of Europe, from Poland to Spain to Holland. Work-ing at DePuy gave me a better understanding of global business practicesand the importance of global communications. Thank you for providingthe funds for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Melissa Braganza, Class of ‘10, College of Science

“The Nanovic Institute gave me an amazing experience that was truly themost rewarding academic endeavor of my life. I plan to continue this re-search during my course of study at University College Dublin this spring,expand the project in the summer of 2010, write a senior anthropology hon-ors thesis, and consequently apply for a graduate anthropology degree.”

Claire Brown, Class of ‘11, Anthropology



“Maymester in Budapest was an invaluable experience which vastly ex-panded my perception of the world. I immersed myself in the medicalworld, gaining valuable skills as I lived the daily life of a paramedic. Inaddition, through my travels in Europe, I learned the ways of many dif-ferent cultures. Thanks to the Nanovic foundation, these six weeks of mysummer broadened my mind as I discovered aspects of European cultureof which I had never known.”

Rosabelle Conover, Class of ’12, College of Science

“My supervisors were approachable and passionate about their work. Myfavorite times with them were heading in and out of the office, when theywould point out buildings, quizzing us on what decade they were builtand discussing the genius (or incompetence) behind the designs. My tripallowed me to look critically at the subject I study, and in the end, reinforcedmy Notre Dame education. I am very grateful!”

Deirdre Connell, Class of ’10, School of Architecture

“Owing in large measure to the Nanovic Institute, I was able to partake oftwo separate yet related trips to Europe this summer, both crucial to myon-going research. Thanks to the Graduate Travel and Research Grant, mysecond summer of work in the history and philosophy of quantum theoryproved to be one of incomparable worth.”

Elise Crull, Doctoral candidate, History and Philosophy of Science

“Being in Paris itself was a very important experience for me. I did notstudy abroad in France during my sophomore year like most of my otherclassmates, and my speaking and writing skills are therefore not as well de-veloped as they could be. However, being in Paris for ten days—taking themetro, shopping in the markets, and going to cafe’s—raised my confidencelevel immensely.”

Catherine Davis, Class of ‘09, English and French



“As a business major, what personally interested me while in Ditchling wasthe Guild as a place of commerce. With the generosity and kindness of thepeople of Ditchling and the proprietors of the Ditchling Museum, we wereable to completely delve into Gill’s world and successfully learn about hisperspective and influences. This experience could not have occurred with-out the generous funding of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies.”

Erin Dolan, Class of ’10, Business and Marketing

“I found a large amount of sources and material dealing with my topic, farmore than I had anticipated after the preliminary research I had done hereat Notre Dame. The trip was truly amazing, and an unbelievable opportu-nity both to expand my research for my thesis, and my appreciation for theGerman capital. I cannot thank the Nanovic Institute enough.”

Thomas Dudro, Class of ‘10, History and German

“The experience in Ukraine was incredible, both in what I learned aboutthe country and about myself. It helped me come to terms with my identityas an American, and also to overcome the feeling of alienation in a countrythat I thought was “mine” but found to be very foreign.”

Michael Fedynsky, Class of ’12, Political Science

“The understanding I gained by attending this conference and presentingmy paper will enrich my future work on the intellectual basis for Europeanintegration, and the opportunity to present my work to European scholarsis likely to benefit my professional prospects as well.”

James Fetter, Doctoral candidate, Political Science



“I was finally able to explore the figures I study with the depth that a thesismerits and to gain a perspective and vision that I had not been fully able toconceive with the limited materials available to me in the United States. Iwould like to thank the Nanovic Institute whole-heartedly for its support,encouraging me to chase after history and literature by my own design andin opportunities that simply aren’t provided in any classroom.”

Marcus Gatto, Class of ‘09, French

“I learned more through this experience than I am able to express in words.As a director working outdoors on a very limited timetable, it was essentialthat I use our time extremely responsibly, but also work at a pace whichenabled the actors and crew members to feel both relaxed and focused. Itwas a crucially educational experience for me to learn what it is like to beon all sides of the camera; I think that my skills in all areas of filmmakingwere stretched and strengthened.”

Joseph Gleason, Class of ‘10, Film, Television, & Theatre and English

“Besides learning parts of the German language useful to my professionalarea, I gained a significant amount of knowledge of fiber-reinforced con-crete, what it is, how it works, how it is manufactured and how it fails. Ibelieve this knowledge has the potential to help me in the future, as suchtopics may come up again during the course of my studies or even career.”

Kevin Godshall, Class of ‘11, Mechanical Engineering and German

“I would like to thank the Nanovic Institute for making this summer ofresearch possible for me. This first attempt at independent research hasbeen very valuable in experiencing the life of the scholar, and I have re-turned more confident than before that my next step will be to enter grad-uate school for literature.”

Monica Grzesiak, Class of ‘10, English and German



“My experience this summer truly allowed me to grow in my professionalabilities as well as understand the importance of my contribution to archi-tecture, whether it be in the United States or somewhere in Europe.”

Alejandra Gutzeit, Class of ’10, School of Architecture

“In addition to helping me better define my research agenda and objectives,the trip provided me with experience using a number of important Germanarchives. The contacts I made with archivists and my familiarity with thecollections will help streamline future research.”

Andrew Hansen, Doctoral candidate, History

“The experience the Nanovic Institute for European Studies has given me isimmeasurable. By providing me with the funding and support to conductmy research in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the institute allowed me the opportu-nity to pursue my interests all the while growing as a researcher, historian,scholar and student of international development.”

Barbara Vi Thien Ho, Class of ‘10, Double Major in History and InternationalPeace Studies

“All in all, this research experience was as satisfactory and useful as I couldhave possibly expected—and then some. I am still capitalizing on the in-formation I obtained as well as the contacts that I made, and I’m hopingto continue doing so in the upcoming months, when I’ll travel to Mexico,Chile, NY city and, hopefully The Hague once again, to continue my re-search.”

Lucrecia Garcia Iommi, Doctoral candidate, Political Science

“Archival research is an essential component of research at the graduate andprofessorial level, and this trip gave me a sampling of what I will experienceat that level. I learned proper etiquette for archival research and how toproperly handle original documents that are often very old and frail. Thankyou for making this great experience possible!”

Daniel Krcmaric, Class of ‘12, Anthropology and Political Science



“Without the Nanovic, I would never have gotten the insight and com-prehensive research on Louis XVI, Jean-Baptiste Greuze, and J.J. Regnault-Warin. Learning outside the classroom is essential to both academics andresearch and I thank them for giving me the opportunity to pursue my se-nior term paper.”

Allison Lang, Class of ‘09, Science Pre-Professional and French

“My research in Germany provided me with an excellent opportunity tohave direct contact with the manuscripts which I have studied in the class-room and as part of my independent research. It allowed me to do whatmost scholars have not done: to view nearly all of the remaining grammat-ical fragments in a short period of time, to consider closely their relation-ships and to evaluate their visual arrangements. Furthermore, I was ableto gather more experience working with manuscripts and archivists in Ger-many, which will certainly be useful for my further work in this field.”

Hailey Jane LaVoy, Doctoral candidate, Medieval Institute

“What I learned on the Maymester relates to much more than just architec-ture. Perhaps the thing that I found most shocking was the extreme dis-crimination against the Roma. Learning about the Roma culture and theway that they are viewed by others got me thinking about how differentgroups interact and how we might be able to influence those interactions ina more positive way.”

Anna Michelle Martinez-Montavon, Class of ’12, School of Architecture

“On the whole, the trip was very successful. It allowed me to make im-portant contacts, collect enough materials for what I hope will be my firstpublished article, and to create a substantial bibliography of sources to con-sult on my return to Paris in January 2010. I am grateful for the NanovicInstitute’s generous support of my research, and I hope the same privilegewill be afforded to graduate students in the years to come.”

John W. McCormack, Doctoral candidate, History



“The information I gathered in Spain is invaluable to the foundation andprogress of my senior thesis. As I commence the writing of my senior thesis,I appreciate the fact that the uniqueness of my topic and my research wereavailable for me to investigate due to the grant. Part of me will alwaysremain in Barcelona as I developed a strong love for the city.”

James Murphy, Class of ‘10, Political Science

“The Nanovic Institute’s Undergraduate Travel and Research Grant gaveme the opportunity to create a more insightful, profound, and unique seniorthesis project, and for that I am extremely grateful.”

Alyssa Novak, Class of ‘10, Program of Liberal Studies

“The summer I spent in Rome was certainly a summer I will never forget.I improved my Italian exponentially by using it in a formal work environ-ment. I had to be independent, make friends with people who spoke a dif-ferent language, and learn how to fit in to the Italian culture. I also learneda lot about the Italian government and the European Union. I feel blessedthat I had the opportunity to work in Italy this summer, and I hope to workin Italy again in the future.”

Kathleen O’Connor, Class of ‘10, Double Major in Marketing and Italian, Minorin European Studies

“The Herrly Internship Grant offered me the wonderful opportunity to ex-perience Paris and France firsthand. Not only was I given the opportunityto live and explore the city and country, but I was also given the challengeof working alongside French businessmen to create two lectures as well asto further expand my French language skills by working as a translator inNormandy.”

James Ogorzalek, Class of ‘11, Double Major in History and Political Science



“In addition to advancing the research toward my dissertation, my tripalso proved to be an enjoyable and culturally enriching experience—I spentmost of my weekends admiring art collections in museums and historicchurches, enjoying live music performances, and welcoming the opportu-nity to expand my research and language skills. I am very grateful to theNanovic Institute for facilitating this research, and I intend to officially rec-ognize the Nanovic Institute in my dissertation, as well as any publicationsthat may stem from the research that I conducted during the summer of2009.”

Kunle Owalabi, Doctoral candidate, Political Science

“I have been able to create a permanent visual record of the wall decorationin each church in Taranto, Puglia, that will be essential throughout my ca-reer as an Art Historian. Many of these churches are either partially or notdocumented photographically making the photographs I have collected asignificant contribution to the field.”

Nicole Constantina Paxton, M.A. candidate, Art History

“The research that I completed at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France wasinvaluable to my paper. The library contained many books on the history ofreading and reading practices during the French Revolution that are simplynot available at Notre Dame. My paper could not have been written withoutthe research I was able to conduct in Paris. The Nanovic grant has not onlyallowed me to write the best paper possible for my senior-level seminar,and gain experience in conducting original research, but has given me anew sense of confidence in my plans for the future.”

Rachel Santay, Class of ‘09, French Language and Literature

“There is still much work to be done before my thesis is completed, but I cantell already that these documents will be invaluable to the project. Further-more, the experience of doing research at another university, navigating anarchive, and using microfilm are all very important aspects of the learningand research process for historians and I am grateful to the Nanovic Insti-tute for making this opportunity possible. ”

Laura Srebro, Class of ‘09, History



“I would like to thank the Nanovic Institute for their generosity and supportfor my trip, and also for their continued support of students who seek outalternative learning opportunities. Without this support my trip would nothave been possible.”

Aimee Sunny, Class of ‘10, School of Architecture

“The Esperanto movement in communist-era Eastern Europe provides anaccount of the process of enacting world cultural models in a region be-lieved to have been in isolation. Therefore, I will continue the analysis of thedata with the working hypothesis that, as a cultural movement, Esperantoin Eastern Europe has resembled a process of ‘glocalization’, not ‘globaliza-tion’.”

Anna Velitchkova, Doctoral candidate, Sociology and Peace Studies

“To study the cinema of the Basque people is truly to enter into the largerquagmire that is Basque sovereignty, to carry the burden of the debate, toweigh the many opinions held, and dodge around the serious issue of ETA’sviolent attacks—all while the camera continues to shoot frame after frame.However, as one approaches the light at the end of the tunnel (or perhapsthe light upon exiting a darkened theater) the study of Basque Cinema canoffer new insight into the issue of Basque independence.”

Javi Zubizarreta, Class of ‘10, Film, Television and Theatre


Documents

Nanovic Student Testimonials 2008-09