The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Wednesday, December 4, 2013 - 5A

Panel to explore
media, feminism

Professors discuss
how scholars
engage with public
ByKATHLEEN DAVIS
Daily Arts Writer
As is often the case with pro-
gressive topics, feminism has
sometimes had a difficult tran-
sition from
the academic Feminist
world to the
general public.
There has been, Engage
however, an the Public
active effort to
make the topic Friday at
friendlier to a 10 a.m.
non-scholarly
audience. Fri- The League
day, the Univer- Free
sity will host a
panel discus-
sion featuring four acclaimed
professors who will discuss how
to bring the topic of feminism to
an audience outside of academia.
Lilia Cortina, a professor of
Psychology and Women's Stud-
ies at the University, will act as
panel chair for the event, facili-
tating discussion and questions
between the professors and audi-

ence.
"(The panelists) are academ-
ics used to publishing scholar-
ship in places like peer-reviewed
journals and scholarly books,"
Cortina said. "But we also value
opportunities to share what
we've learned through our schol-
arships and our research with
non-academics."
Four of the panelists - Anna
Kirkland, Sari van Anders, Maria
Cotera and Cortina - are profes-
sors in the University's Women's
Studies department, while the
fifth panelist, Jennifer Berdahl,
is a professor of Organizational
Behavior at the University of
Toronto.
Prof. Kirkland has recent-
ly published several articles
about the lack of correlation
between vaccines and autism,
while also studying gender and
weight discrimination in the
United States. Prof. van Anders
has been researching the link
between sex, intimacy and bio-
physiology, and Prof. Cotera
has worked substantially with
Latina/o studies, U.S./third-
world feminism and American
Culture. Each of these profes-
sors will discuss their research
within women's studies and
how to bring these issues to the

forefront of public discourse.
The event will be used as
an opportunity to discuss how
feminist scholars use various
forms of media and technology
to engage their work with mem-
bers of the public, and the pros
and cons of doing so.
Cortina is aware of the unfa-
vorable stigma the general pub-
lic has against feminism and
said she hopes the panel discus-
sion will help encourage those
unfamiliar with the subject to
expand their views.
"All of us are keenly aware
that the public at large usually
has views of feminism and fem-
inists," Cortina said. "These are
very narrow, based on myths
and very negative."
Along with the other profes-
sors in the panel, Cortina hopes
to bring a change to the concept
that feminism is an idea only ben-
eficial to women, and encourages
anyone interested in the topic to
attend.
"We think of feminism more
as a broader social justice move-
ment that's working to correct
various kinds of gender-relat-
ed inequalities," Cortina said.
"These are also linked with race-
related inequalities and class-
based equalities."

CAPITOL NASHVILLE
Ping pong's cool, am I riggghht?
Curl up to these
holi~day country tunes

Why Iinsist on'Keeping
up with the Kardashians'
ByERIKAHARWOOD
Daily Arts Writer

By GREGORY HICKS
DailyArts Writer
Exploring your inner Christmas
country canbe difficult, especially
when the same Martina McBride
record has been orbiting your head
for one too many years. Search-
ing for anything to please your
extended Nashvillian family mem-
bers? Looking to educate yourself
on a stand-out classic that didn't
click with your generation? Every
expedition needs its kickstarters,
and yours should be no exception.
Lady Antebellum- On This
Winter's Night
Stir some light percussion,
delicate piano and the warmth
of a string orchestra to complete
preparation for a Christmas-ready
recipe. To any country listener
who frequents Need You Now,
it's evident that these are already
the iconic ingredients to Lady A's
sound. Impassionedballad-workis
the group's claim to fame, and the
holiday transition is barely a tran-
sition at all.
Rather than lullabying yourself
to relaxation with "Hello World,"
take the chance this winter to
heat the cocoa and sedate yourself
with Lady A's unexpected ballad
rendition of Mariah Carey's "All I
Want For Christmas Is You." The
track is Hilary Scott-exclusive,
vocally speaking, but Charles Kel-
ley's backup vocals initiate the
Grammy-winning harmonies that
charm fans through any season.
The 2012 record also features
an original number - the record's
title track, "On This Winter's
Night" Capitalizing on the mel-
ancholy piano themes of Own The
Night (particularly "When You
Were Mine"), the song narrates
the peaceful satisfaction of "this
winter's night." It's often said that
music is one of the few media that

can simultaneously draw opposing
emotions, and this Lady A original
provokes any number of holiday
feelings.
Originals and Mariah Carey
covers aside, the record isn't
astoundingly thought-provoking
(relative to other albums on the
Holiday charts), but certainly well-
executed. Charles, Hillary and
Dave carry a musical elegance that
flatters a Christmas studio album
finer than other neighboring coun-
try artists.
Brad Paisley - Brad Paisley
Christmas
Holidays are no reason for Brad
Paisley to budge in his musical
ground. On a scale from Mari-

I have roughly zero qualms
admitting my love for all things
low-brow. I blast Bangerz in my
car more often than not, reli-
giously read Perez Hilton and
will stop whatever I'm doing to
watch any "Fast and Furious"
movie that happens to be on TV
(R.I.P. Paul Walker). That said,
it should come as no surprise
that I have a guiltless obsession
with the royal family of reality
television: the Kardashians.
When my interest with the
Kardashian klan was burgeon-
ing, I assumed I was enjoying
it solely through the ironic lens
of someone part of the genera-
tion that prides itself on over-
sized eyewear and an extensive
closet of Bill Cosby sweaters
(I'm guilty of both). This was
seasons ago when the family
adopted a monkey, Kim dated
Reggie Bush and Rob was still
hot. I kept my love affair low-
key and would lie to friends and
family, pretending that I didn't
know intimate facts about the
family. Yet here we are, almost
seven years later, and a still
can't manage to escape the
Kardashian k-void, which as of
late has caused me to sit down
and ask myself: Why do I insist
on keeping up with the Kar-
dashians?
Members of the family have
attributed their ungodly suc-
cess to their relatability, but
that seems like a stretch. I've
personally never been in a posi-
tion to casually drop $30,000
on a Birkin bag and, for what-
ever reason, no one gave me my
own clothing line at the age of
15. To be fair, that clothing line
would have consisted of bedaz-
zled graphic tees and ill-fitting
cargo pants. And, the last time
I checked, no one in my family
had a child out of wedlock with
one of the most famous musi-
cians of our time (I hear a few
of those One Direction boys are
still single, Mom). To top it all
off, my family has never been
offered a television contract
just for being us.
The aforementioned list only
scratches the surface of rea-
sons why people loathe this
family, claiming the show is a
cesspool of excess, ignorance
and debauchery - that could
very well be a direct quote from
my dad, but I'm not sure. To an
extent, I get it; 16 year-old Kylie
drives her $100,000 Mercedes-

ah Ca
Kenny
Christr
Paisley
not for
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Warnir
souther
ern sub
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ea
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song that won't offend the ... sensi-
tive holiday-neutral folks. Eventu-
ally the track just censors each use
of Christmas vocabulary.
Ifthesesongsarebarkingupthe
wrong Christmas tree, gush over
"Born on Christmas Day." The first
half of the track is an old recording
of 13-year-old Paisley debuting
the ballad at a public gathering.
The track eventually mixes into a
mastered version of the modern-
day country superstar performing
the Christmas narrative. Thirteen
years old and publicly performing
a holiday original - quite a song-
writing feat.
John Denver - Rocky
Mountain Christmas

rey's Merry Christmas to One word: classic. John Denver
Chesney's All I Want for practically started churning ,out
mas Is a Real Good Tan, Christmas music the day he was
' leans closer to Chesney. tf born. In fact, much of this iconic
lyrical familiarity, "Winter record is a compilation of Christ-
rland" and "Silver Bells" mas tracks from his previous stu-
easily go unrecognized. dioalbums.
ng: This record is for the "Aspenglow"gives the gorgeous
rn humorist, not the north- visual cue of country-western's
burbanite in search of magi- favorite time of year, accompanied
istmas intimacy. by pleasantly melancholy melodies
(a paradox similar to the previ-
ously discussed Lady A track, "On
ristm as cam e This Winter's Night"). Add Den-
ver's "Christmas for Cowboys"
rAy this year. to the mix if you're looking for an
original western tune with a dab of
holiday thrown in.
As for its obligatory covers,
those scouting out a clas- no matter how rocky mountain
iday har-har, veer on over high Denver sings, the perfor-
sley's rendition of "Santa mance is dependably effortless.
d a Lot Like Daddy." Not Low-stress melodies for the fire-
ley original, but the cover side suit a December like stock-
breeds character - not that ings over the fireplace. Lady
untry goofball is in need of Antebellum and Brad Paisley are
he self-written laugh comes your off-the-radar recommen-
"Kung Pao Buckaroo Holi- dations, but if you haven't yet
Prep for talk-singing and added John Denver's Christmas
e the mind-boggle of Pais- repertoire to your season, it's
d the Kung Pao Buckaroos time to make this bestseller part
t to write and sing a holiday of your musical schema.

'Comedy' to illuminate
Shakespeare's lighter side

Where's Kanye?
Benz with the same blase atti- watch the show as an escape
tude I have toward my used from a mundane life or to ful-
1995 Honda. It sure as hell isn't fill some sort of (beautiful dark)
my normal, but it is theirs. Yet twisted fantasy. I also don't
the world treats the Kardashi- watch it for the compelling
ans with the same amount of dialogue or thought-provoking
disdain normally reserved for narrative. I watch it because I
war criminals, but for what rea- laugh every time Scott makes a
son? Because they have money? quip about Kris Jenner, I shed
Because they have a television a tear (an actual, real-life tear)
show? Because they participate when Kim talks about her baby
in a more lavish lifestyle than and I cringe every time I see
most of us? So what? They also Bruce because, my God, what is
run a multi-million-dollar busi- going on with his hair? I watch
ness, do extensive charity work it because I'm entertained.
and have yet to try and kill off If you were to scroll through
an entire race, as the overzeal- my DVR right now, you'd find
ous emotions of their critics a wide range of shows from
would have us assume. "Parks and Rec" to "Home-
land," and weird documentaries
on hard drugs and prison life.
Don't feel too You'd also find every episode
from this season's "Keeping Up
guilty for your with the Kardashians," right
there in plain sight. Eight sea-
taste in pop sons deep into the series, I can
finally say my love for the show
culture. comes from an honest, com-
pletely un-ironic place.
In the words of Jimmy from
"Degrassi": "And I can't hear
I'm not here to justify the the critics / Talking over the
ubiquitous presence of the Kar- applause." Haters gon' hate, but
dashians or my love for them, I'm too busy keeping up with
nor should I have to. I don't the Kardashians to notice.

By TEHREEM SAJJAD
DailyArts Writer
Imagine you're in a strange city,
unaware that your twin brother is
there as well. Then, your brother's
wife mistakes
you for him - Comedy
but not before of Errors
you've tried to
seduce her sis- Thursdayat
ter. 7:30 p.m.,
William Friday and
Shakespeare's Saturday at
joyful work of 8 p.m.and
mistaken iden- Sunday at
tity, "The Com- 2p.m.
edy of Errors," p
follows the Power Center
fortunes of two From $22
sets of identi-
cal twins, acci-
dentally separated at birth, and
then miraculously brought back
again. This week, the School of
Music, Theatre & Dance takes
its audience on a wild ride as
"The Comedy of Errors" brings
the absurdity and turbulent
tales of Ephesus to Ann Arbor.
Most people know Shake-
speare better for his numerous
tragedies. "Romeo and Juliet,"
"Macbeth," "Hamlet" and
"King Lear" are only a few of
his works that fall under that
umbrella, considered some of

the finest in English literature. As the play opens, the audience
"The Comedy of Errors," one finds the four men in Ephesus,
of Shakespeare's early plays, is where they fall into trouble,
a timeless comedy. Often, the confusion and eventually a
play is described as a farce, cri- warm reunion.
tiqued for being an immature "The audience knows more
work lacking some thematic than the actors on stage - we
and poetic qualities of his later know that there are two sets
comedies, such as "Twelfth of identical twins," Neville-
Night" and "As You Like It." Andrews said. "And then we get
"It's interesting that Shake- to see the miscommunications
speare wrote what's consid- and that brings the humor to
ered, at this age of day, a farce," the play."
said Director Joseph Neville- Shakespeare presents emo-
Andrews. "It's also interesting tion-packed plots that gener-
that, if this is his first play, that ate anticipation and tension in
he would select something very his audience. In "The Comedy
light and airy to write about. of Errors," comic and dramatic
But then, of course, he went on potential that twins provide is
to write the heavy-weights." beautifully realized. Having four
actors serve the roles of pro-
tagonists makes it exasperating
A tale of two that nobody onstage can spot
the glaring differences between
Bards. them; while they don't know
each other, everyone in the audi-
ence seems to know them.
"I think it's the fact that the
At first glance, "The Comedy audience knows ahead of time,
of Errors" seems like a predict- but they just don't know where
able tale of mistaken identities the story is going to go," Neville-
and broad humor. Two sets of Andrews said. "Is it going to be a
identical male twins (with the happy ending? Even though the
same names) are born to two plot is quite simple, how do we
couples, one poor and the other get from A to Z? I think that's
wealthy. During an ocean voy- what brings the joy and humor
age, the twins are separated. into the play."

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