Utility (pol’za) was a watchword of Empress Elizabeth’s reign (1741-61). The 1745 Atlas of the Russian Empire, published in nineteen regional maps and a general map of the empire, was presented in this spirit. The atlas united “geographical rules” and “new observations” to create a complete picture of the All-Russian Empire and contiguous lands. The visual and the imperial intersect…
moderated by Anya Schiffrin To sign up for this virtual conversation, RSVP here. One person, one vote. In theory, everyone in a democracy has equal power to decide elections. But it’s hardly news that, in reality, political outcomes are heavily determined by the logic of one dollar, one vote. We take the political power of money for granted. But does…
October 16, 12.30pm EST/5.30pm GMT Justice Daniel Cohalan, or the ‘Judge’ as he became known, is best remembered today for his tempestuous relationship with Irish nationalist leader Éamon de Valera during the latter’s visit to the United States in 1919-1920. Cohalan deserves more attention than this and the story of his life as an American politician and Irish-American nationalist encapsulates…
Facing an escalating demand for entry into the United States by German-speaking Jews in Shanghai in early 1941, the United States Consulate called the JDC for help. No one forewarned Laura Margolis, a translator for immigration interviews, about the living conditions of 16,000 Jewish refugees from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland, all desperate for food and housing. She set up…
Between the Soviet Union’s outreach to countries like Egypt and Afghanistan in the mid-1950s and the growing role of Communists in Iraq following that country’s 1958 revolution, Muslim intellectuals and ulema feared the expansion of Communism in the Middle East. They began to conceive of Islam as a distinct ideological system and alternative to capitalism and socialism, and they looked…
Nordic Authors You Should Know at Scandinavia House continues with a focus on Sami literature with Johanna Domokos and Saami poet, musician, and scriptwriter Niillas Holmberg. Moderated by Harald Gaski. The panelists will discuss Sami literature and culture today. Please send audience questions ahead of the discussion to info@amscan.org.
Read and discuss Scandinavian literature in translation as part of our Nordic Book Club. Each month we select a novel from some of the best Nordic literary voices. Discussions have typically taken place the last Tuesday of the month at Scandinavia House but will now be taking place bi-weekly as an online meeting.
In contrast to vital records, family photos do not impart clear, standardized information and have always posed a genealogical challenge. In 2019, amateur genealogist and data scientist Scott Genzer developed a technique for using free online facial recognition tools to identify people in photographs, and has successfully applied it to historical photos of the Jewish community of his ancestral town,…
This November, the 3rd Annual Sami Film Festival explores Sami values, visions, and stories, through a series of short films and documentaries from Sapmi, which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. On Saturday, November 7, join us for a panel discussion with Sami filmmakers and scholars as they delve into Sami film!
November 11, 12.30pm EST/5.30 GMT Airs and Graces Professor Richardson worked alongside Seamus Heaney while both were at Harvard University, a period during which he served as Oxford Professor of Poetry. She was Seamus Heaney’s personal contact when he was conferred with an Honorary Degree by the University of St Andrews during her tenure as St Andrew’s Vice-Chancellor. Professor Richardson will be introduced by the President of…
