The Plenary Workshop is a key event of the Globalization Program at Venice International University: a unique opportunity to bring together its vibrant community as a whole, this focal VIU event represents a lively outlet for students and professors alike to demonstrate their expertise and talents to a broader audience through dialogue and performance as well.
By sharing diverse disciplinary perspectives on a chosen topic and working on the approaches mastered during their semester at VIU, the participants join in collaboration in a true manifestation of international, transdisciplinary and intergenerational exchange, as the staple of the Globalization Program.
The 8th VIU Plenary Workshop was held on November 25, 2022, with the theme of focus as “Identity”. The event included talks, musical performances and display of arts, either solo or in a group, course-led or on the initiative of the participants, aimed at exploring individuality and plurality from many perspectives.
Indeed, the program included:
_ “Il coro delle lamentele degli studenti della VIU”, a song coordinated by Prof. Massimo Brunzin (VIU), conducted by Prof. Eileen Sweeney, with the participation of students from all classes
_“Each identity created by a literary work”, an ensemble of testimonies on the intersection between identity and literature from the class on "History of Japanese Books and Literature" coordinated and introduced by prof. Akihiko Niimi (Waseda University), with the participation of students Florian Breitsameter, Ella Duke, Daisuke Kuroki, Brian Lynch, Abigail Morris-Reich, Zoe Verbandt
_ “So, you want to be green? Innovations shaping environmental self-identity”, a talk from the class on "Innovation in Science and Technology: Key Issues of Management and Policy" coordinated by prof. Ettore Bolisani (Università degli Studi di Padova), with the participation of students Victoria Bruzik, Carolina Hirshfield, Li Ann Ramelsberger, Tobias Schwab, Naomi Suchland, Olivia Rose Whittle
_“The Taste of Identity”, a short film project introduced and edited by student Arielle Skladman
_“Identity Mosaics”, an interactive intervention from the class on "Anthropological Perspectives on Borders, Migration and Mobility in the Mediterranean" coordinated by prof. Natalie Göltenboth (Ludwig Maximilians Universität), with the participation of students Diana Berhe, Oscar Cornelissen, Paige Ferguson, Nathalie Hartman, Frances Henderson, Nadiya Khair, Arina Kolodina, Jeanne Perrin, Anna Shortt, Verity Toman-Baker, Anne Vangerven, Emma Verschueren, Madeleine Votaw
_“Unsafe Havens: LGBTQ Refugees and Identities”, a talk from the class on "Gender Studies. Migration and Gender" coordinated by prof. Marilynn Johnson (Boston College), with the participation of students Matteo Carrassi, Elena De Angeli, Olivia Whittle, Oscar Cornelissen, Lison Davaud, Maé Guinot, Matthew Norman, Paige Ferguson, and Li-Ann Ramelsberger
_“The Hispanic Culture and Identity”, a presentation and performance organized by student Reyshell Encarnacion
_“Stolen identity? European museums should return stolen objects to the countries of their origin”, a debate from the "Economics and Management of (Arts and) Culture" course supervised by Prof. Aleksandar Kešeljević (University of Ljubljana), with the participation of students Ayala Istas and Emily Xu
_“Personal Identity Online: Digital Technologies of the Self”, a talk from the class "Globalization, Communication and Network Society" coordinated by Prof. Ilya Levin (Tel Aviv University), with the participation of students Sofia Pianta and Natalie Hartman
_“Mad Rush”, a piano piece by Philip Glass (1989) performed by student Oscar Cornelissen
_“i-dentity. Cultural Identity in the Technological Age”, a talk from the class "Science, Technology and Culture" coordinated by Prof. Ilya Levin (Tel Aviv University), with the participation of students Frances Henderson, Abigail Morris-Reich and Olivia Rose Whittle
_“Superstitions as Key to Russian Identity”, a talk by PhD student Pavel Romanov
_“Dubrovsky. A song” performed by student Marina Kuzmina
_“Evolving”, an interactive performance by student Katarina Mijatovic
_“Cultural Heritage and Identity”, a talk from the course on "Cultural Diplomacy and the Role of UNESCO"
coordinated by Prof. Giorgio Andrian (Università degli Studi di Padova), with contributions from students Julia Bährens, Abigail Beard, Diana Berhe, Oscar Cornelissen, Molly Grain, Ayala Istas, Marina Kuzmina, Brian Lynch, Lisa Oppermann, Jeanne Perrin, Arina Saigina, Anna Shortt, Marina Sokolova, Heidi Surfleet, Zoe Verbandt, Elena Vivan, Anna Wallis
_"Identity and the City", a photo installation from the student of the course "Identity, Heritage and Globalization. The Multilingual City" supervised by Prof. Francesco Goglia (University of Exeter)
_"Identity Pavillion", and art installation from the course “The Milk of Dreams - Anthropological Perspectives on the Biennale di Venezia 2022" supervised by Prof. Natalie Göltenboth (Ludwig Maximilians Universität), with the participation of students Arina Saigina (curator), Elena de Angeli and Katarina Mijatovic (organization)
Find here the detailed program.
Through a various range of testimonies and displays of arts, the 8th VIU Plenary Workshop on Identity has once again proven itself as an inspiring demonstration of dialogue and exchange among multifaceted perspectives and personalities. VIU would like to thank all students and faculty of the Globalization Program for their contribution, collaborating in affirming VIU as a place for inclusion and encounter through their vision and experience.
