War, oppression are focus of Diversity Scholar Series

Iraqi-born Wafaa Bilal, assistant arts professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, specializes in online performative and interactive works. He will be engaging students, faculty, staff and the general public at the 2011 Diversity Scholar Series, scheduled to take place Nov. 15-16.

The series is a bi-annual event sponsored by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost of the university and co-sponsored by the School of Art, in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and the Campus Environment Team. The topic, speaker and co-sponsors change for each event.

Bilal will deliver a speech "The Dynamic Encounter" from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Nov. 15, in the University Club Bistro and Heritage Room, on the Tempe campus. The event is free and open to the public. Bilal will discuss how he uses physical and virtual encounters to provoke dialogue and understanding about international politics, war and oppression.

Attendees also will learn about his online and performative works and how he uses them to educate his audiences about war and the importance of peaceful conflict resolution.

Follow-up workshop sessions with Bilal are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Nov. 16, in the Memorial Union room 242, on the Tempe campus. The morning session is designed for faculty and graduate students and the afternoon session is designed for student support staff. Light refreshments will be provided at both sessions, and seating is limited.

The Diversity Scholars Series targets programs for faculty, academic units and staff, and provides the opportunity for discourse with nationally and internationally recognized scholars and leaders in higher education. The series aims to bring visibility and understanding to current intergroup, multicultural, diversity and social justice research, policymaking and teaching practices in higher education.

For more information, or to RSVP, send an email to diversityscholars@asu.edu. RSVPs also can be received here.