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Professor of Medieval History Hans Broedel was recently interviewed for an article regarding Halloween and various churches’ responses to the commercialized holiday. Broedel argued that the roots of Halloween’s traditions were not derived from ancient pagan customs; rather, the rituals of Halloween, such as trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins came from medieval Christian traditions. “Efforts to connect [Halloween traditions] to paganism may have been a form of stealth Catholic bashing,” Broedel noted.

Professor of Women's Studies Chandra talpade Mohanty was Plenary Speaker, "Global Citizenship and Transglobal Identities," at AAC&U Annual Conference on "Diversity and Learning," in St. Louis, Oct. 24-26, 2002.

After the arrest of an American Muslim associated with the sniper attacks in Washington D.C., many U.S. Muslims were fearful of discrimination and hatred directed at them in the United States. Sociology Professor Dennis Gilbert claimed that the arrest of John Allen Mohammed, a 41-year-old Muslim and an American citizen, was “’a bitter pill’ for American Muslims.” According to Gilbert, the way that Washington will handle the situation and the arrest will greatly affect how American’s react.

Hamilton College Professor of Government Cheng Li was quoted in an article concerning China’s recent political reconfiguring. Li said that China’s Communist party organizer Zeng Qinghong was very cautious in his timing; he also stated that Hu Jintao, along with Zeng, are on the same page; “they want to share power and things are very much under their control.”

Last summer, the twelve-year old brother of Hamilton College student Josh Benson '06 died from a heart condition. Head Coach of Men's Ice Hockey Phil Grady is going to make the 23-mile run from Hamilton College in Clinton to Hamilton, N.Y. to raise money for the Jamie Benson Scholarship Fund. The fund was established by the Benson family and their hometown.

Poet, essayist and political activist Martin Espada will visit Hamilton College in November. He will read from his work on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m. in the Fillius Events Barn, and will give a lecture, "Poetry and Politics," on Friday, Nov. 8, at 12 noon in the Red Pit. Both events are free and open to the public. Espada's visit is sponsored by the English department, Spanish department, Office of the President, The Levitt Center and La Vanguardia.

Assistant Professor of History Lisa N. Trivedi presented the paper,"Rituals of Time: Khadi Flags and the Nationalist Calendar in India, 1920-1945" to a conference held to honor Romila Thapar, the most eminent historian of ancient India, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, October 24-26.

Philip Klinkner, the James S. Sherman Associate Professor of Government, is co-author of a Harvard University report about spoiled ballots in the 2000 election. The Civil Rights Project (CRP) at Harvard University released the report, "Democracy Spoiled," by Klinkner, Christopher Edley, co-director of CRP, and Jocelyn Benson and Vesla Weaver, CRP research assistants. Their research found that whether or not a vote is counted greatly depends on where it is cast, proving that ballot spoilage is a national problem that dilutes the voice of millions of Americans. In 2000, two million people who turned out to vote were disenfranchised, according to the report.

In celebration of Hamilton College's 2002 Family Weekend, the Departments of Theatre and Dance and Music will present several free performances by students and faculty in the dance program, choir, orchestra, and jazz ensemble.

Professor of Classics and Africana Studies Shelley Haley attended the Classical Association of the Atlantic States conference in New Brunswick, NJ, in October, where she introduced the luncheon speaker, Martha Southgate. Southgate is a novelist who wrote The Fall of Rome, which features as one of three protagonists a black classicist at an elite prep school in New England.