“Cultural Encounters” incorporates themes from International Studies and Sociology to explore intersections of place and society as drivers of the human cultural expression. Expect a few outside activities this fall term, such as hiking to Professor Dreiling’s house for a day spent with your fellow College Connections students and a nice home cooked meal!
College Connections Faculty: Michael Dreiling
Michael Dreiling is an Associate Professor of sociology at the University of Oregon. Author of Solidarity and Contention (2001) and a dozen articles on social movements and globalization, he is presently writing several collaborative papers based on original research on a variety of social movements, including transnational feminist networks, cross border labor union mobilizations in U.S. and Mexico, and transnational environmentalism. At the University of Oregon, he teaches sociology courses on nonviolence, comparative revolutions, globalization, social movements, and American society.
FIG Assistant: Emily Beck
Hey y’all! I’m Emily Beck and I’m your FA for Cultural Encounters for Fall 2016! I’m from San Antonio, Texas but decided to move over 2,000 miles away to the beautiful state of Oregon where I study Communication Disorders and Sciences with a double-minor in Linguistics and Special Education. I am a student worker in the Office of Enrollment Management, a college scholar, and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Being part of a FIG my first term as a duck was an incredible experience that helped my transition into college super easy! My goal is to do the same for you and teach you about all the amazing things the University of Oregon has to offer!
My email is ebeck3@uoregon.edu and I hope that each of you send me an email with a small introduction of who you are and what you’re most excited about for our FIG!
Summer Assignment:
As for your FIG Summer Assignment, Professor Dreiling and I would like you to read the common reading: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. After reading this book, choose a passage that you can relate to a personal experience you have. In about a page or so, tell us why you chose this passage. Is this relatable to a personal experience or one of someone who is close to you? Was this a point in the book where you began to think differently about the idea of race that is present in today’s society? Finally, conclude with your overall rating of the book (did you enjoy it yes or no).
Week of Welcome:
Our FIG will meet on Friday, September 23rd at 10 AM in Columbia 150! Please arrive around 10 minutes early, as we will be moving to another location shortly after 10!
Are you looking for future classes related to your FIG?
The courses below are related to the focus of your FIG and are a great way to keep exploring the subject matter that you dove into your first term at the UO. Many of these courses satisfy general education requirements.
SOC 207: Social Inequality
SOC 328: Self & Society
INTL 250: Value Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective
