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May 10th: 17:00 - 19:00
Movie Night - Me and You and Everyone We Know

The Corner hosted  viewing of the film Me and You and Everyone we Know

May 3rd: 17:00 - 19:00
Movie Night - Big Fish

The Corner hosted a viewing of Tim Burton's film Big Fish.

May 3rd: 10:00 - 12:00
The Age of Stupid - a film showing and discussion

Professor Melinda Szaloky of the University of California, Santa Barbara hosted a showing of the 2009 film The Age of Stupid by director Armstrong. 

April 26th: 10:00 - 12:00
Supersize Me - a film showing and discussion

Professor Melinda Szaloky of the University of California, Santa Barbara hosted a showing of the film Supersize Me by director Spurlock.

April 20th: 14:00 - 15:00
American Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulus Kounalakis visited the Corner.
On Tuesday, April 20th American Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulus Kounalakis visited the Amerircan Corner in Eger. Ambassador Kounalakis came to Eger as part of the American Days events held at the Istvan Dobo Grammar School and sponsored in part by the American Embassy in Budapest. Ambassador Kounalakis presented awards to students who participated in a competition on American history, politics and culture. She visited the Corner and spoke with students at the college about the Embassy and the numerous opportunities provided by the Embassy and the Corner for students to pursue their educations and their interests in American culture.

April 19th: 17:00 - 19:00
Movie Night - Fargo

The Corner hosted a viewing of Fargo by the Coen Brothers.

April 12th: 10:00 - 12:00
Manufactured Landscapes - a film showing and discussion

Professor Melinda Szaloky of the University of California, Santa Barbara hosted a showing of the 2006 film Manufactured Landscapes by director Baichval.


April 12th: 17:00 - 19:00
Movie Night - Radio Days

The Corner hosted a viewing of Woody Allen's film Radio Days.


March 29th: 10:00 - 12:00
Dead Man - a film showing and discussion

Professor Melinda Szaloky of the University of California, Santa Barbara hosted a showing of the 1995 film Dead Man by director Jim Jarmusch.


March 29th: 17:00 - 19:00
Movie Night - The New World

The Corner will hosted viewing of Terence Malick's film The New World.


March 22nd: 10:00 - 12:00
Grizzly Man - a film showing and discussion

Professor Melinda Szaloky of the University of California, Santa Barbara hosted a showing of the 2003 film Grizzly Man by director Werner Herzog. The movie documents the life and death of Timothy Treadwell, founder of Grizzly People, a grassroots organization devoted to preserving wildlife habitats of North American bears.


March 19th: 11:00 - 12:00
The American Corner welcomes Erasmus Students

On Friday, March 19th the American Corner welcomed a group of Erasmus Students from countries including Turkey, Finnland, Germany, and Sweden. These distinguished international students were familiarized with the resources available at the Corner and the many English language programs held by the Corner.

March 17th: 10:00 - 12:00
Announcements of the Winners of the Corner Translation Competition

Corner Director Thomas Cooper hosted a reading of translations into Hungarian of excerpts from J.D. Salinger's world-renown novel Catcher in the Rye. The Corner organized the translation competition in coordination with Attila Takacs of the Masters' Program at the Eszterhazy Karoly College. The intention was to make students of English more sensitive to the ways in which language reflects social class and social attitudes. The translators, all high school students, arrived at remarkably innovative solutions to the challenging question of translating social attitudes not only across languages but across cultures.

March 16th: 12:45 - 14:20
The Emergence of the US as a Global Power

Professor Zoltan Peterecz of the Eszterházy Károly College helda presentation on the emergence of the US as a global power and the many consequences this has had for US and global culture. Dr. Peterecz's presentation is part of the ongoing series in coordination with the Istvan Dobo Grammar School.


March 2nd: 12:45 - 14:20
Grey Owl Syndrome

Is the Hollywood Indian still more powerful than a genuine Native American? Dr. Judit Kádár of the Eszterházy Károly College held a presentation on the motivations and implications underlying gestures of so-called shape shifting, when members of majority ethnic communities adopt the cultural practices and identities of often marginalized groups. Drawing examples from historical figures and figures of fictional-historical narratives, such as the novels of James Fennimore Cooper and Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves, Kádár examined the roles of shape-shifters in the redefinition of ethnic and cultural identities and the transformation of the values of belonging in American cultural history.

February 16th: 12:15 - 14:20
Suffrage in the US

As part of the celebrtation of Black History Month, Thomas Cooper, Corner Director and member of the faculty at the Eszterhazy Karoly college, held a presentation on the history of voting rights in the United States, which culminated with the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, one of the most important achievements of the Civil Rights Movement.

February 15th: 14:00 - 15:00
Conversation Hour

Fulbright Scholar Benjamin Brooks resumed holding the regular conversation hours at the Corner, open to one and all who wish to practice their English with a native speaker.

February 15th: 15:00 - 16:00
Essay Writing Consultation

Fulbright Scholar Benjamin Brooks resumed holding the regular writing consultations at the Corner. Ben offers help structuring and writing acadmic essays and using and citing secondary sources. The consultations are open to anyone. They are held every Monday from 15:00 - 16:00.

February 15th: 17:00 - 19:00
Movie Night

The Corner resumed its regular movie nights.

Jan. 21: Secretary of State's Speech on Internet Freedom

On January 21st the Corner hosted a viewing of the speech by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on a new U.S. policy that encourages the governments of the world to ensure their citizens open access to the Internet. Clinton spoke at the Newseum, a museum dedicated to the news industry. Referring to the internet as a "new nervous system" for the world, she compared internet censorship by governments to the Berlin Wall. Clinton likened open access to the internet to the freedom of assembly guaranteed in the Bill of Rights: "The freedom to connect is like the freedom of assembly in cyberspace. It allows individuals to get online, come together, and hopefully cooperate in the name of progress." The viewing was followed by an open discussion on the importance of open access to means of international communication in an increasingly globalized world.


Jan. 19th: American Culture in the Classroom: US Government

Corner Director Thomas Cooper spoke on integrating the study of US government into the study of English as a second language at the high school (gimnázium) level.


Jan. 15th: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In commemoration of the birth of Martin Luther King Jr. the Corner hosted a viewing of the film Black in America: Tomorrow’s Leaders from the series of documentaries entitled Black in America.



 

 

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Humor in American Literature

On December 9th Dr. Judit Szathmári of the Eszterházy Károly University held a presentation on humor in American Indian literature. Her presentation touched on the ways in which humor can be used as a means of deflating racial and cultural stereotypes and liberating our thinking about normative notions of cultural heritage and cultural destiny.

 


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Thanksgiving Party

 

On Friday, November 27th the Corner hosted a presentation on the history and evolution of Thanksgiving as one of the most significance national holidays in the US. A homemade Thanksgiving dinner was served, complete with Turkey, stuffing, sweet-potato biscuits, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. The evening was a great success, and several of the guests asked for the recipes, which can be found here.

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November 30: Guest speaker Peter Szeremi, communication skills trainer at Emotional Dynamics (www.emotional-dynamics.hu), held an interactive workshop on communication skills, conflict resolution, and pedagogy.


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November 27: Culture in the classroom: A talk was held by pedagogues from the college on how to integrate the study of culture into language classes.


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November 25 (17:00 – 18:00): Disability rights, the UN Charter, and the U.S.: Legal scholar Sally Chaffin held a talk on the recent decision of the Obama administration to sign the UN Charter on disability rights.
 

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US Politics / Global Politics


On November 20th Corner Director Thomas Cooper held a presentation on the relationships between globalization and US foreign and domestic policy. The presentation emphasized the changing role of the US in the so-called new world order following the fall of the Soviet Union and the shift away from bipolar conflicts of ideologies of statehood to conflicts between notions of global culture and local and national cultures.

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November 18 (17:00 – 18:00): Standardized tests in the U.S.: Fulbright Fellow Benjamin Brooks will hold a presentation on study and test taking strategies for standardized tests required for admission to U.S. institutions of education, including the TOEFL and GRE.


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November 17: Standardized tests in the U.S.: Fulbright Fellow Benjamin Brooks held the first meeting of a new series on study and test taking strategies for standardized tests required for admission to U.S. institutions of education, including the TOEFL and GRE.

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One/An/Other Roundtable Discussion

On November 11th the Corner hosted a roundtable discussion of scholars, students, and community activists entitled One/An/Other. The theme of the discussion was how to address problems of ethnic, racial, and gender discrimination in the workplace and in broader social contexts. One of the central aims was to reflect on approaches to reducing extremist rhetoric and sentiment and fostering public support for tolerance and multi-culturalism. The discussion was of particular relevance given the recent rise in racist rhetoric both in the US and in Hungary, fueled in part by consequences of the economic crisis. The roundtable focused on how existing institutional practices perpetuate ethnic, racial, and gender bias, and how institutions in Hungary might benefit from policies introduced at institutions in the US, including for instance the introduction of seminars on multiculturalism at US schools, colleges, and universities. Participants in the discussion included representatives of the media, scholars from a range of fields (political science, American studies, media studies), students, teachers at local schools, and members of the public.

The American Corner welcomes Erasmus Students

 

On November 4th the Corner welcomed a group of Erasmus students to Eger. The Erasmus students, who represent several EU and non EU countries (including Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Spain and Turkey), were informed about the resources at the Corner and the College and the regular events at the Corner (such as the English conversation hour).

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Edward Loo in the Corner

On Monday, Sept. 28th the American Corner
Eger hosted Public Affairs Counselor
Edward Loo of the U.S. Embassy in Budapest.
Loo met with students from the American
Studies Department, the English Department,
and the Political Science Department to
discuss opportunities for study abroad in
the United States, including study funded
through various foundations, such as the
Fulbright and Humphrey fellowships.

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Growing-up in America: A comparative look

 On April 3, the American Corner of Eger was pleased to welcome Dr. Jane Zahner and Dr. Jack Hasling  of ValdostaStateUniversity for a presentation taking a comparative look at childhood experiences gained while growing up in Modale, Iowa and New Orleans, Louisiana respectively.

Dr. Zahner in addition to focusing on such aspects of traditional small town life as working on the family farm and participating in local holidays and celebrations emphasized that by now the family farms gave way to mechanized large scale agricultural enterprises while the farm crisis left its mark on the state. As an additional highlight the presenter mentioned the strong attraction of  “life in the slow lane” as today more and more former Iowans decide to move back home.

In comparison Jack Zahner grew up in the bustling metropolis of New Orleans. He provided an overview of the city’s social development, history and culture while touching on such issues as segregation, the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina, and the efforts of the community to deal with the disaster.

We thank our presenters for the truly engaging and thought-provoking lecture!


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Fulbright scholarship grant information session in the American Corner of Eger

The American Corner of Eger was very pleased to welcome Dr. Huba Brückner, the executive director of the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission. Dr. Brückner held an attention-grabbing, yet comprehensive orientation session concerning the opportunities provided by the Fulbright program. As an added attraction, Ms. Lilla Nagy, PhD candidate and a former Fulbright grantee, discussed her own experiences as well.
The Fulbright program is named after U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, who started this professional exchange scheme in 1946. The program has grown to include citizens of 150 countries by the present day. Hungary joined the Fulbright program in 1978, the year when the United States returned the crown jewels and since then 780 candidates have earned the honor to become Fulbright scholars.
The Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission has announced the grant award application process for the 2010-2011 academic year. The program including various respective application categories is open to all levels of academia including graduates of M.A. or undergraduate (B.A, B.Sc.) programs, PhD students, and to those with advanced degrees. Thus the Fulbright program whose main features include equal opportunity and transparency offers valuable research and instruction options for young graduates and mid-career professionals alike. The program covering all fields of scientific inquiry welcomes applications from any scientific discipline or artistic endeavor.
The Fulbright program seeks applicants dedicated to the utilization of their professional experiences gained in the United States for the benefit of Hungary, in addition to being committed to the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of scientific channels of communication and information exchange between the two countries. 
The application documents, which are uniform world-wide, can be downloaded from the following web address: www.fulbright.hu. The requested application documentation should be submitted by May 15, 2009.
We thank Dr. Brückner and Ms. Nagy for the very informative presentation!


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A presentation on President Obama

 

The American Corner of Eger was pleased to welcome Dr. Paul Swann, Professor of Media Culture at TempleUniversity, and Fulbright Scholar at the Department of American Studies at EszterházyKárolyCollege for the 2009 Spring Semester.

Dr. Swann held a tremendously entertaining and informative lecture about President Barack Obama on February 26th. The 60 minute presentation focused on the main aspects of Barack Obama’s life and career until reaching the Oval Office.

Furthermore, Dr. Swann analyzed the media cultural aspects of the Obama campaign and the first achievements of his presidency along with providing a comparison with such outstanding figures of American history as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.   On behalf of the enthusiastic capacity crowd let us express our gratitude to Dr. Paul Swann for the unforgettable afternoon!
 

 
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The Evolution of Democracy in America -
a presentation by Thomas Cooper

 

Reference is often made in scholarship and popular culture to the 200 year-old tradition of democracy in the United States.

As appropriate as this characterization may be as a generalization concerning the principles of U.S. government, it arguably offers a misleading picture of the history of this tradition. One might equally characterize the history of U.S. government as a history of restrictive practices through which various groups were excluded from participating in government.
 

This presentation traces the histories of some of these practices and offers an interpretation of American democracy as a history of exclusions that ended only with the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, almost 200 years after the Declaration of Independence.
 
 

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Csatolt állományok:

  • Csatolt állomány [Political Culture 1] 091103_002.jpg

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    MarkCon 2006 American Corners Hungary - Eger 3300 Hungary Eger, Eszterházy tér 1. * Phone: +36 36 523 454, Fax: +36 36 523 453