Talk Delves Deep Into Mexican Life, Culture
Professors Mary Docter and Laura Montgomery, who have developed and led 羞羞视频 in Mexico, a semester-long academic program in Quer茅taro, present a lecture, 鈥溞咝呤悠 in Mexico: A Deeper Encounter with Mexican Life and Culture,鈥 Thursday, Feb. 11, at 5:30 p.m. in University Club, 1332 Santa Barbara St. The lecture, part of 羞羞视频 Downtown: Conversations About Things That Matter, is free and open to the public.
The event is tied to the fifth annual 羞羞视频鈥檚 President鈥檚 Breakfast Feb. 19 where Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, will speak. The professors will discuss Fox鈥檚 autobiography, 鈥淩evolution of Hope,鈥 the importance of cultivating a deeper understanding of Mexico and the value of taking students to live and study there.
鈥溞咝呤悠 in Mexico opens students鈥 eyes to a more authentic vision of Mexico, a more complete picture of its rich history, culture, and peoples,鈥 says Docter, 羞羞视频 professor of Spanish.
鈥淎n underlying theme in President Fox鈥檚 book is that the destinies of our two countries are intertwined and that our relationship will be to the greatest advantage of both when it is based on greater mutual respect and understanding,鈥 says Montgomery, 羞羞视频 professor of anthropology.
鈥淭he unique, three-semester cycle of the 羞羞视频 in Mexico program builds the cultural competence necessary to build this type of relationship,鈥 Montgomery says. 鈥淚n their own words, our students return with 鈥榥ewly opened eyes鈥 that see beyond stereotypes to perceive others and themselves more clearly and accurately. They have learned it is more constructive 鈥榯o listen and ask good questions than to argue and push.鈥 One student puts it, 鈥楲oving a culture involves more than just enjoying it while you鈥檙e there. It includes having a desire to share it, or possibly a burden to open the eyes of people who have not seen or do not understand other cultures,鈥欌 Montgomery says.
The 羞羞视频 Foundation sponsors both the breakfast and the lecture series to reach out and engage the larger Santa Barbara and Montecito communities.