UAM professor speaks in Oxford
Carol Strong, Ph.D, professor of political science at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, recently presented her book, “The Dissident Politics in Václav Havel’s Vanek Plays: Who Is Ferdinand Vanek Anyway.” The presentation was made at the Oxford Round Table Symposium, “Beyond the Pages: Exploration in Literature,” held at Harris Manchester College at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.
The international symposium brought together scholars from the United States, Canada and Europe for a week of panels, roundtable discussions and workshops exploring how literature, politics and storytelling contribute to meaningful dialogue. Participants shared research and examined the role of literature in society through topics such as opera, education and political expression, according to a news release.
Strong’s book examines the life and works of Václav Havel, the dissident playwright who became the first post-communist president of Czechoslovakia. Her presentation focused on how Havel’s plays encouraged political dialogue under the communist regime and demonstrated the power of storytelling to inspire democratic discourse and social change, according to the release.
“The experience of being at Oxford, surrounded by its rich history, was a dream come true for me,” Strong said. “Even more meaningful were the discussions with scholars from around the world. We were quite different in many ways, yet we shared similar interests and ideas. Over the week, our conversations evolved and built on one another’s work, revealing the power of literature and dialogue to bring people together.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Following her presentation at Oxford, Strong gave a book talk at the Vaclav Havel Center in New York City, where staged excerpts from Havel’s plays were performed alongside her remarks. She is also planning to give a presentation at the Václav Havel Library in Prague, Czech Republic, in 2026.
“The Dissident Politics in Václav Havel’s Vanek Plays: Who Is Ferdinand Vanek Anyway” is available on the Perlego website. Details: Carol Strong at strong@uamont.edu or (870) 460-1687.
Area Agency tells menu
Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas offers lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays at the senior centers. Next week’s menu includes:
Nov. 17 — Cabbage roll soup, grilled cheese triangles, marinated tomatoes and cucumbers, emerald pears and milk.
Nov. 18 — Baked pasta, squash blend medley, tossed salad, cobbler and milk.
Nov. 19 — Glazed chicken, green peas, creamed carrots, cake and milk.
Nov. 20 — Beef stroganoff, spinach, corn, fruit and milk.
Nov. 21 — Cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle; potato wedges, coleslaw, hot spice peaches and milk.
Soybean Challenge now online
The Arkansas Soybean Science Challenge, an educational program administered by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, now offers a condensed online course for Arkansas students.
Launched in 2014, the challenge was designed to cultivate interest and participation in the next generation of agricultural scientific researchers. The program has led hundreds of middle school and high school students, along with their teachers and mentors, to develop research projects for science fairs across the state, earning thousands of dollars in scholarship money and prizes, according to a news release.
Soybeans are Arkansas’ No. 1 crop, with growers typically planting upwards of 3 million acres each year, generating more than $2.3 billion in cash receipts.
Keith Harris, Soybean Science Challenge coordinator for the Division of Agriculture, said the condensed course was “developed to highlight the importance of soybeans to the Arkansas economy and their role in providing food, fuel and other products globally. It is designed to encourage students to use scientific inquiry and discovery to help the Arkansas soybean industry with critical issues in production, such as soil, water, seed, disease and insect problems,” Harris said.
The program, which is co-sponsored by the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, offers real-world scientific education supporting soybean production and agricultural sustainability, Harris said.
“The condensed course does this while maintaining the content knowledge needed to conduct in-depth scientific research on soybeans and in agriculture,” he said.
Participants are required to complete the course’s six modules and a final exam, before developing a soybean-related science project to compete in regional science fairs affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair. Winners in regional fairs advance to the Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair, typically held in April.
Harris said that the condensed course currently has 17 students, with the majority completing the course just prior to the science fairs held February through April. Nine teachers are enrolled in the curriculum resources and teacher in-service courses.
Once a student completes the course, Harris said, they’re qualified for the competition throughout middle school and high school.
“Once a student successfully completes the course, they do not need to complete it again,” he said.
Details: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/Education_in_Agriculture/soybean-science/.