Views of Islam Part I: Religious Violence

Last year at this time, especially in the state of Utah, a whole lot of attention was captured by an anniversary. 9-11, the 150th anniversary of the massacre at mountain meadows. By coincidence, we all hope by sheer coincidence, the anniversary has been shared now for seven years by another massacre; one perpetrated in Manhatten, in Pennsylvania, at the Pentagon. Thinking Aloud turns its attention to questions about Islam, the nature of its association with religious violence, and by way of comparison, the connection between ANY religion and the phenomenon of violence. Join us for Thinking Aloud, on the anniversaries.

A Social Critique of Harry Potter

Classical 89 Thinking Aloud: http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/past.asp?d=8/27/2008

J. K. Rowling has described her Harry Potter series as "a prolonged argument for tolerance." Some may not care too much about underlying themes - as long as they get their quidditch and magic - but one Oxford student presents a compelling case in support of Rowling's social statement. Prejudice in Harry Potter's World outlines the many moments in which Harry, his magical friends, and millions of readers are learning a thing or two about social equality.

Are We There Yet?

Classical 89 Thinking Aloud Interview: http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/past.asp?d=8/21/2008

BYU professor Susan Rugh has a new book about the golden age of American family vacations - a time of open roads, new cars, cheap gas, and countless destinations. More Americans were seeing more of America. Unfortunately, not everyone was welcome on the road. Rugh also reveals a harsh underside of the vacation at this time, when African Americans were denied food, lodging, and even access to restrooms. The title of the book is Are We There Yet?

Mobile Phones and Forbidden Romance

Classical 89 Thinking Aloud Interview: http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/past.asp?d=8/14/2008

Romance in Morocco may look like a dream on film but for Moroccan teenagers, romance means straddling the fence that lies between cultural norms and Western influence. In the last decade or so, cell phones have dramatically affected gender and generational relations in the Middle East and North Africa, specifically in Morocco. BYU Researchers published the article Globalization, Mobile Phones and Forbidden Romance in Morocco, in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of North African Studies. They will join us to discuss this increasing rift between globalization and forbidden romance in Morocco.

Pornography and the Internet Generation

Classical 89 Thinking Aloud Interview: http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/past.asp?d=8/8/2008
Clinical psychologist and licensed therapist Jill Manning offers a tool that will arm youth against the enticement of pornography. Her new book, What's the Big Deal about Pornography? A Guide to the Internet Generation, posits that parents and children ought to be talking about the problem of pornography more, but in very focused ways. Jill Manning joins us for the interview, with Jason Carroll of the BYU School of Family Life.

Incarceration and Families

Classical 89 Thinking Aloud Interview: http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/past.asp?d=7/31/2008

Too often, we think of incarceration as only an imposition on the individual. But few inmates are islands unto themselves, lacking spouses, children, or other family members. Shirley Klein and Stephen Bahr help us explore all sides of this tale: the bigger family picture of incarceration and the story of the concentric rings that move outward from the offender to the lives of those nearest and dearest.

Breaking Dawn

A stay-at-home-mom of three boys Stephenie Meyer found herself writing after a dream she had. When she sat down at her computer and began, she found that she couldn’t stop. The piece she created, which centered on her dream, became Twilight, a novel. In an era of Harry Potter and the immediate success of writers willing to bring their readers into mystical and magical worlds, Twilight was immediately successful. Written for young girls, it became popular with all people- and thus began the craze. The story centered on protagonist Bella, a high school student who moves to the sleepy Pacific Northwest town of Forks, Washington. Shortly into the book Meyer introduces Edward, who becomes Bella’s love, and oh- he also happens to be a vampire. Meyer twists and weaves the plot into a series of dramatic and gripping events. It is almost impossible not be entranced by the world and romance of the characters she creates. Two books later in the series, the saga continued. Unlike many sequels, New Moon and Eclipse, the second and third books in the series, drew more readers into the lives of Bella, Edward, Jacob, and the host of other characters. Why these books have created such a strong response, and gained readers around the globe can perhaps be found in the careful and well-weaved stories that ensues.
For students at Brigham Young University the books hold special meaning. Stephenie Meyer graduated from BYU and her books are sold not only at the student bookstore in the Wilkinson Center, but also at Deseret Book, a Latter-day Saint book store. When the news broke that Meyer was working on a fourth book in the series, and the last in the saga to be written by the point of view of Bella, fans scrambled to pre-order, and wait in anticipation. Breaking Dawn, was thrust into even more of a spotlight when it became know that a Twilight Movie would be coming out into theaters December 2008. Many die hard fans re-read the first three books waiting for Breaking Dawn, while following website and blog posts about movie updates.
On Saturday August 2nd at 12:02 am the first copies of Breaking Dawn went on sale. The Brigham Young University celebrated by holding, ironically and comically, a blood drive as well as a party in the student bookstore. Copies could be found at bookstores everywhere, and fans flocked to pick up multiple copies. Hosting a series of concerts and celebrations including one in Times’ Square, Meyer and fans celebrated the debut of the fourth book. While the movie is still in the works, and a book written by the point of view of Edward is due to be released in the future, Twilight fans are satisfied for the time being.

-Katherine Harris

Feminazis or Ardent Advocates?

Classical 89 Thinking Aloud Interview: http://www.classical89.org/thinkingaloud/past.asp?d=7/30/2008

When tracing the genealogy of human rights activism, it’s hard to know precisely where to begin. But in the English speaking world, the lineage of human rights as it relates to women can almost certainly be traced back to one Mary Wollstonecraft today. We’ll examine a tradition of rhetorical prowess, from Wollstonecraft to Virginia Woolf.