Digital Humanities
In this video Digital Humanities Prof. Susana Torres proposes a new approach to the humanities because, she says, today’s students are iconic – they learn from what they see.
This is just one of several reasons she believes that in this digital era the humanities matter more than ever.
Prof. Torres specializes in medieval Russian literature and culture, focusing particularly on the survival of oral tradition or lore and the endurance of cultural models, as well as on the theory of literary genres. She has conducted her research in Cambridge, Paris and Columbus (Ohio).
She has published extensively on medieval Slavic culture and literature. Part of her research undertaken in recent years is the subject of her latest book “A Quest for Glory: Heroism in Medieval Russia” (Slavica, Bloomington, Indiana) due out shortly. She is currently working on a new book.
A Secret Life
In this video IE University International Relations Prof. Mira Milosevic argues that people’s secret lives have exactly the same function as espionage in the field of international relations. Moreover, she says that everyone needs a secret life because it assures a certain level of protection.
In her view social networks make it extremely tempting to overshare our public and family lives, leaving us vulnerable.
Don t miss what she says about espionage and prostitution, citing what Vernon Walters, former Deputy Director of the CIA, once said to her!
Prof. Milosevic was born in Serbia, is extremely well read, conversant in several languages, and a very inspiring character, who of course likes to keep her secret life, secret!!!
P.S. She recommended a Croatian author you might want to check out – Dubravka Ugresic. I really like her work!
Literally Jammy
IE University Law Professor Soledad Atienza has two passions – making marmalades and jams, and reading long books. Finding out how she combines these two passions is not only entertaining, it also fires the imagination, as well as being very instructive!!!
Prof. Atienza is just awesome to be around because she’s one of those people who makes your life easier without making a big deal of it and without wanting anything in return. Not quite what you’d expect of a lawyer, or of most people for that matter.
In this video she reveals that there is life beyond the law, no matter how important law is for everyone’s lives. Enjoy!!!
Talking Luxury
Maria Eugenia Giron, Prof. of Entrepreneurship in luxury & creative business talks about the luxury industry and the Japanese concept of beuty “Wabi Sabi”.
There’s a Japanese proverb that says that the person who makes poor quality goods is worse than a thief, because he makes things that neither last nor provide true satisfaction, while a thief at least redistributes wealth in society. Well, when it comes to quality Prof. María Eugenia Girón knows everything there is to know.
Here she speaks about luxury and perfection, while touching on the ancient and intriguing Japanese Wabi Sabi concept of beauty, which is about seeking beauty in the imperfections found in all objects. As you might know, the aesthetic values of Wabi Sabi have inspired a great many aspects of Japanese culture, including the tea ceremony, flower arranging, haiku, garden design, and noh theater.
Prof. Girón has many sides and talents. She holds a degree in industrial engineering and is a Harvard MBA graduate. She has also studied art, worked as CEO of Carrera & Carrera, is a member of a large number of boards, including that of Oceana, and also she is the Executive Director of the Premium & Prestige Business Observatory etc. etc. But most of all she is just a really nice person. What else can I say?
P.S. Prof. Girón is the author of the book “Inside Luxury”.
Another Season
Cross-Cultural leadership Prof. John Clendenin talks about wolrd hunger, world peace…and recites Haiku in Saint-Croix, Virgin Islands.
As you probably know, Martini Shot is a Hollywood term that describes the final shot set-up of the day. According to Dave Knox, author of the film industry slang guide Strike the Baby and Kill the Blonde, the Martini Shot was so named because “the next shot is out of a glass”, referring to a post-wrap drink. But we didn’t have a Martini. Instead we had a local specialty, a cocktail named Painkiller with a capital P. I think the name says it all. As if this weren’t enough, Cross-Cultural Leadership Prof. John Clendenin dedicated this Haiku to a friend of mine who is passionate about plants and seeds:
Seeds
Plant seed within you
to nourish your heart
provide roots…for your dreams
John is pretty impressive in terms of both heart and mind. He was rescued from a life of street gangs when he was a kid, made a start as a yellow taxi driver in New York, and then served in the US marines as a telecommunications officer for years. He represented the US Marines in international competitions in track and field events, wrestling and basketball, and was a sport psychologist with the 1984 US Olympic pentathlon team. He went on to become a professor at Harvard, where he wrote one of the best selling business cases ever. He’s a member of Mensa, and is still a senior sniper instructor, as well as teaching at IE Business School and writing a haiku every day… You get the idea.
P.S. Saint-Croix in the Virgin Islands is a hub for the global crossing fiber optic network, which in plain English basically means that the internet connection there is “just awesome”, to quote Prof.Clendenin.
