Tag Archives: Communications

Africa Chatter: Pilot Webisode

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“Listen, reflect, share.”

Welcome to Africa Chatter. This segment is dedicated to reproducing the voices of the African Nations Club (ANC) for the sake of everyone in the MIIS community. This is a way for the ANC to spread its message, reassure the community that we are open to everyone, update the community on its proceedings, and educate people on what truly affects students interculturally.

In the pilot webisode we hear from ANC members Jessica Yoo, Josefina Lara, and Jarod Hightower-Mills. This particular conversation occurred before spring break, so most of our examples and references were from the J-Term trips to Peru and Rwanda and events and sentiments from the Fall term. Our discussion revolved around developmental enlightenment, specializing in exotic peoples, the relativity of the struggle, competitive voluntourism, the implication of development workers in the problems they intend to solve, and our peculiar intimacy with colonization.

Enjoy the clip and feel free to attend upcoming Let’s talk Africa gatherings.

Pro Bytes: Fusun Akarsu

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In this segment of Pro Bytes we explore the fascinating world of Fusun Akarsu, visiting professor from the Bogazici University of Turkey. After having flown half way across the world to our tiny planet of California to teach and research intercultural communications at the Institute, Fusun settled comfortably into our MIIS community as a research mentor. Of course she teaches much more than intercultural research, but it’s her approach to teaching and learning that makes her unique. Her teaching style, though she admits is not as direct as MIIS students may be accustomed to, has been cultivated by working in tandem with brilliantly self-driven students in an environment known to be very fluid and evolving.

As a self-proclaimed student-of-life herself, she brings a very insightful yet curious demeanor to the classroom. Add in a touch of free spirit and plenty of cheerleading and she made for a rewarding classroom experience in my first term. And so, I simply had to pick her brain about her teaching style and understanding of the world – and the results might make you rethink your time here at MIIS! Click the embedded link below to listen in.

Enjoy!