Mirror Sites:
CSUDH Habermas UWP

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: April 29, 2001
Latest update: May 5, 2001
jeannecurran@habermas.org

All eight kids, making like ph.d.s .

From upper right hand corner clockwise: Gale Horton, Nyree Berry, Jaime Shepherd, Thynesia Harris, Patrice Meighan, Rebecca McLaughlin, Patricia Anderson, Marlene Boykin.

Sharing a New Approach to Theory Building and Learning

Copyright: Jeanne Curran, Susan R. Takata, and individual contributors, April 2001.
"Fair Use" encouraged.

Susan and jeanne agreed that this was the best conference we've ever participated in, and the worst. The worst because one of us was seriously ill, and we were all profoundly touched and frightened by the incident. The best, because in spite of the danger and fear, we all shared in an incredible exchange. CSUDH students were caring for and sharing with UWP students. UWP students stepped up to take over in crises that could have been devastating. And we discovered that we all had extraordinary "lived experiences," all of us.

In addition to the joy and fullness of having the two schools come together and finally meet and work together, face to face, we shared our work with many who came from other universities to ask how they could incorporate, bit by bit, the same "really real" participation in academic sharing. And we had answers, and a site to offer!

I feel like the proverbial overexcited 8-year-old, of whom one of the school prinicipals, in a study long ago, complained that children after the school day, need to sit quietly with milk and cake, and read or contemplate. She said that in the seventies! Hey, where's our milk and cake? I know I need to rest, yet so much beckons us to come and share more of what it was like.

To that end, we'll put up photographs, if I can ever get access to them. So far the MSN board where they are won't let me in. And I'll put up my paintings. I painted all one Saturday afternoon, after our sessions. But so far, I don't have access to a scanner, and Kinko's wanted to charge me forty cents a minute! Of course, I pointed out to them that that was structurally violent. Susan and Mac sent me scans of theirs over the Internet, so those are up now. More as soon as I can find a scanner.

And then we'll put up our stories of what it was like. I've already put up the first draft of Alterity Turned Against Itself, and we'll add to that for some time to come, I expect.

---

---

Paintings

This one of Susan was requested by Mac. I had a Keno slip handy on the table, with crayons that the Nugget supplied, so I started drawing with that. I added the blue with the Paint program later, and retouched some of my rough drawing. Mostly, this is what the orginal looks like:

What I was thinking as I drew: How Mac kept trying to figure Susan out, and how all my training in Eastern philosophy had led me to an understanding that there is no Susan to figure out. An identity issue in which as soon as you think you have me figured out I am someone else. I am multiple persons, always changing, ever moving into new positions, new perspectives, connected with the universe, interdependent with the universe. And so I drew Susan in many sizes, and many spaces, trying to show our continuous shifting.

She's sitting quietly in the lower right corner. Trying to quiet us all down and get some group consensus, probably to get to dinner, in the upper left. Not sure what she's doing in the background, but she doesn't look happy with us. We undoubtedly gave her reason. And she's teaching over to the left. That's Susan. Many persons. Many roles. A butterfly and free.

---

---

Susan in Reno.

This one is done in watercolor. Mac asked for a painting of Susan alone. Guess I don't think "alone" too well, so Gale and Mac are climbing up Susan, scampering, energetic, because I that's what it felt like there, in a cocktail area just outside the Nugget casino.

Since I don't usually try for likenesses in my portraits, but keep them pretty abstract, this was a little scary. But it turned out to be lots of fun. I'll go back for a class in portraits when I retire.

These two drawings were done by Gale, and Mac, of Wisconsin, Parkside. I'm having trouble getting the PhotoHouse program from importing the files. The drawings are in Wisconsin. We'll have to figure this one out. Will put up commentary tomorrow. jeanne

I'd like to see us try to write our cross country space. Wouldn't that be fun?

More photos:

(reno006.gif)

jeanne and Susan and Pat

(reno004.gif)

Mac and Jeanne and Susan and Gale

(reno003.gif)

Gale and Mac and Susan

jeanne practicing portrait drawing, with zero training to go on:

(renothy02.gif) and (renothy03.gif) (renothy04.gif)Thynesia Harris

No more time to experiment today with drawings. Sorry, jeanne.