Women's Studies, in conjunction with other departments
and groups on campus (see below), will be sponsoring a week-long series
of events to raise awareness about human trafficking. The speakers and
presentations will analyze this issue from global, national and local
perspectives and involves talks by scholars and activists as well as
a documentary and a benefit concert. Our intention is to provide a multi-disciplinary
perspective on this issue to help the community understand and imagine
solutions to the problem of modern day slavery. Please let Jeanne
Petit,
Director of Women's Studies, know if you have any questions.
Breaking Chains: Hope College Human Trafficking Awareness Week, February
15-22
Wednesday, February 20: Presentation by Hope for the Voiceless
led by Luke Hassevoort at 7:00 in Maas Auditorium
Hope for the Voiceless was founded by a group of students from a variety
of backgrounds, with different experiences, perceptions and opinions
with one thing in common—they believe the world can change. They
founded the organization to wake the world up to the problem of human
trafficking and to help audiences recognize their own culpability in
the problem. Luke Hassevoort is a 2012 graduate from the University of
Michigan with a BA in Psychology and minors in Health and Gender Studies.
Thursday, February 21: Dr. Stacey Robertson, “Slavery Now and
Then: Methods for Change” at 4:00 in Winants Auditorium
Dr. Robertson is the Oglesby Endowed Professor of American Heritage
at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. She is Director of Bradley’s
Women’s Studies program and in 2010 published, Hearts Beating for
Liberty: Women Abolitionists in the Old Northwest. She holds a Ph.D.
from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is also a founding
member of Historians against Slavery.
Dr. Robertson argues that 19th Century Abolitionists can serve as a
model for the abolition of modern day slavery. As she says:
“Support for modern-day abolitionism has exploded
in recent years. The reason for this upsurge in consciousness is the
movement’s
sophisticated use of the latest information technology. Like nineteenth-century
abolitionists, today’s antislavery activists know how to educate
and motivate using the communication tools available to them. In the
1830s, William Lloyd Garrison relied on the printing revolution -- with
its steam press and cheap paper -- to spread his message across the nation.
He stirred up a pamphlet storm that blew across the South and enraged
slaveholders. Today’s abolitionists tweet and twitter, and they
use Facebook and text messages. They produce stylish, informative websites
and mainstream commercials featuring Hollywood stars. Like their predecessors
of 150 years ago, modern abolitionists recognize that their strength
lay in a savvy, technology-driven grassroots effort to reach as many
hearts and minds as possible.”
Friday Evening, Feb. 22 at 7:00 pm in Maas Auditorium
Benefit Concert for the Manasseh Project -- Songs against Slavery
The mission of Songs against Slavery is to awaken hearts to the injustice
of sex trafficking through benefit concerts. SAS empowers, equips and
offers resources to help others run concerts as a way to fundraise and
walk along side established non-profit agencies that are fighting sex
trafficking.
NOTE: These events are co-sponsored
by the Women’s Studies Program,
Hope United for Justice, International Studies Program, Department of
History,Department of Religion, Department of Economics, Management
and Accounting, Department of Political Science, Department of Philosophy,
Department of Sociology, Department of Communication, Dean of the Chapel’s
Office, Dean of Arts and Humanities, Dean of Social Science, Dean for
International Education and Multicultural Life
Wheaton Theology Conference
The Religion department from Hope College is co-sponsoring
a faculty led-trip to the annual Wheaton Theology conference which will
be held April 4-6, 2013.
This year’s theme is Christian
Political Theology. Please see the poster for
further information.
There are a number of very fine scholars presenting at this year’s
conference including: William Cavanaugh, Retired Archbishop of Kenya – David
Gitari, Stanley Hauerwas, David Gushee and Mark Noll.
The departments involved will pick up the travel costs. Students are
expected to cover their registration ($60) and food tickets ($40). They
will be
housed with Wheaton students in dorms.
Mark Husbands
Professor of Religion
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