Winter Lecture Series

January 17 - March 7, 2010

(In case of inclement weather, cancellations will appear on the church website, www.unitarianlincoln.org)

The topic of the 2010 Winter Lecture Series is Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The obvious focus for a lecture series on Pakistan and Afghanistan is to present in depth those topics that preoccupy news about that region—the current political and military situations, particularly as those situations involve official US activities. While not ignoring those topics, we seek as well to provide an understanding of the history, religious institutions, educational system, and culture of that region.

The Winter Lecture Series will run seven almost consecutive Sundays beginning at 7 pm. The series of 2-hour sessions will be held at the Unitarian Church, 6300 A St, Lincoln. Each will begin with a 1-hour lecture followed by refreshments and ending with audience questions and discussion. The last lecture will be preceded by a special dinner featuring Bouranee Baunjan and Pumpkin Fugdah. Details about the dinner here.

The schedule is as follows:

January 17 — (Watch the video) Sabahat Rafiq is an international investment banking consultant who has lived much of her life in Pakistan and who works with Islamic banks in Pakistan. She will discuss the history of tribal and religious interactions that have shaped Pakistan from its beginning.

January 24 — (Watch the video) Professor Jack Shroder is Assistant Dean of International Studies at the University of Nebraska-Omaha who regularly provides briefings and courses to US government personnel on Afghanistan. He will discuss how the limited natural resources of the region contribute to the cultural conflicts that in part characterize both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

January 31 — (Watch the video) Dean Tom Gouttierre is the Dean of International Studies and Program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies. He will discuss how the changing social, political, religious, and military forcesthat have swept through both Afghanistan and Pakistan have shaped education and educators in those nations.

February 14 — Sabahat Rafiq will return to discuss Pakistan’s struggle with the power of the three forces: the army, the feudals, and the bureaucracy. She will emphasize the Army’s fluid relationships with Pakistan’s government, and with the tribal and ethnic groups that comprise Pakistan.

February 21 — General Roger Lemke is the Director for Military Affairs for Senator Mike Johanns, a current consultant to officials in the US Government on Afghanistan, and he is the former Adjutant General of Nebraska and a past Commander of the Nebraska National Guard. He will discuss a history of the military conflicts of the region

February 28 — Dr. Shahid Kamal is a psychiatrist working for the State. He is a native of Pakistan who has lived and worked in 7 countries. He will discuss the history of Indian-Pakistan relationships and the Kashmir dispute.

March 7 — Winter Lecture Series Dinner will be held at 5 pm. The cost of the meal is $15. It will be catered by Kathy Davis and Deb Stephen. The lecture by a representative from the State Department will begin after the dinner at 7 p.m.

Sign up for the dinner at church on Sunday, February 28th or by phoning the church office 483-2213 by March 3rd.

Menu will include the following items:

Bourane Baunjan  (Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce)
Vegetables in coconut curry
Pumpkin Fugdah (sweet pumpkin)
Rajma (red kidney beans)
Rice Pilau (with apricots and almonds)
Cucumber and onion salad
Onion bread with mustard seeds
Turshi Alubalu (sour cherry Chutney)
Asabia el Aroos (Brides Fingers)

For more information, please contact Dick Dienstbier at rdien@neb.rr.com, or Chuck Francis at cfrancis2@unl.edu

This program is funded in part by the Nebraska Humanities Council and by the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Videos of each session can be found on the the Prairie Fire newspaper's Winter Lecture Series page.