> > Peter Lang wrote:
> >
> > > wah
> > > ok you make a couple good points. my first reaction is to
> write
> > > something that sounds solid.
> > > in reality we dont know anything about how it will
> actually work,
> > > unless we start asking the types of questions you mention.
> > > i could write a "weak" version, or maybe you should attack my
> > text and
> > > change what you think is necssary.
> > > tonite i have to have drinks again, probably at the back
> of the park
> > > at the 42 street new york public library.
> > > i may need to stay one evening at home and relax.
> > > pet
> > >
> > >
> > > On 6/1/06, *vahida* < wah@rotorrr.org
> > > --don't forget we are making the supposition for something
> > that we
> > > still
> > > have to exam, to find proofs for, not defining
> something that is
> > > obvious or already done - than we would not have to do
> it...
> > > we still dont know if this learning contents are
> > contradictory or
> > > complementary between themselves, do they impulse
> > conflicts... we dont
> > > know yet
> > > we could find it out only by doing it. so how are we
> going to do
> > > this? -
> > > i dont think its necessary to be present during all the
> > route, we
> > > could
> > > also delegate work
> > > - but for sure we cant just order sombody to send us books
> > > are we going to meet kids that are learning from this
> books (or
> > > profesors)? should we show them books from another
> regions?
> > > what would be their reaction? what would be the
> reaction of
> > their
> > > parents?
> > > we don't know well if this could be something too
> provocative.
> > > what do
> > > you think?
> > > .....wah
> > >
> > > Peter Lang wrote:
> > >
> > > > wahida, take a look at this and give me your comments,
> > > > peter
> > > >
> > > > Mark Mazower argues that violence in the Balkans may
> be no
> > greater
> > > > than anywhere else, "Western observers have often
> mistaken the
> > > myths
> > > > spun by nineteenth century romantic nationalists for
> eternal
> > > truths."
> > > > (M Mazower, /The Balkans: A Short History/, New
> York, Modern
> > > Library,
> > > > 2000, pp 153). The myths retold, more than the realities
> > > themselves,
> > > > are the lightening rods for questionable
> interpretations,
> > > conflicting
> > > > positions, problematic assertions that have
> inevitably led
> > to bitter
> > > > conflicts.
> > > >
> > > > Constructing history in the Balkans, especially after
> > 1992, has
> > > become
> > > > a thorny enterprise, with each state or even region
> spinning
> > > thousands
> > > > of years of interpretative history to suit narrow
> contemporary
> > > > political interests. Yet if each of these histories
> remain
> > highly
> > > > polemicized, no where is their impact so critical as
> in the
> > > education
> > > > of the region's youth. Building alternative narratives,
> > introducing
> > > > possible ambiguities, developing parallel accounts, may
> > begin to
> > > offer
> > > > new possibilities for intercourse, to cast broader
> > perspectives
> > > on how
> > > > to reconstruct a more pluralistic identity for the
> region
> > for a
> > > youth
> > > > whose perspective still remains part of a primary
> "elemental"
> > > learning
> > > > experience.
> > > >
> > > > 'Elemental Balkans" is a project that proposes to
> question
> > the way
> > > > history in these regions is presented by collecting and
> > reshuffling
> > > > elementary school texts from every state and region
> in the
> > Balkans,
> > > > with the aim of offering more ambiguous,
> unpredictable and
> > uncertain
> > > > historical, geographical and cultural narratives.
> > > >
> > > > In a region where the acts of building or creating are
> > suspect, the
> > > > strategy of recombining, recycling and
> re-embroidering primal
> > > > educational lessons becomes one of the few
> strategies that
> > is both
> > > > inclusive and non-conclusive. "Elemental Balkans" is
> a project
> > > to bind
> > > > and rebind what remains common truths, avoiding in the
> > process the
> > > > complexity of critical judgement.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 6/1/06, *vahida* < wah@rotorrr.org
> >>> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > hey,
> > > >
> > > > short reminder----
> > > >
> > > > options for the title:
> > > > - unpredictable histories
> > > > - uncertain histories
> > > > - elementary (book on) balkan
> > > > - balkan basics
> > > > - bbb (balkan basic book)
> > > > - .......
> > > >
> > > > idea:
> > > > - uncertain irrational enciclopedia with a lot of
> > contradictory
> > > > dates...
> > > > - knowledge/truth is uncertain
> > > > - rashomon?
> > > >
> > > > method:
> > > > - would be good to use photocopies, so puting
> all the
> > different
> > > > contents
> > > > in the same level... also make editions and
> > distribute it...
> > > > - traveling sellsman? - but how we can
> sell/distribute the
> > > books when
> > > > they are supposed to be finnished after the
> completing of
> > > all the
> > > > route?
> > > > - open project to more people... how? - incuding
> diferent
> > > kind of
> > > > issues? balkan biblioteque - ?
> > > >
> > > > dates/planning:
> > > > ???
> > > >
> > > > until soon,
> > > > vah
> > > >
> > > > PS. Does Jim still wants to do screening this
> eveninng? If
> > > not see you
> > > > tomorrow...
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 5/30/06, vahida < wah@rotorrr.org
> >>> wrote:
> > > > yes tourguides are also good
> > > >
> > > > and i know you dont know the language, but you did
> > history?
> > > > maybie few texts and lots of images---
> > > > very basic things like national history explaned to
> > children,
> > > > work with translators...?
> > > >
> > > > the thing is that geopolitical changes in the region
> > changed the
> > > > learning standards in the schools
> > > > related to:
> > > >
> > > > 1 - history
> > > > 2 - geography
> > > > 3 - language
> > > >
> > > > + religion (that replaced the "defence and
> protection")
> > > >
> > > > --somehow i see the history as a good medium to
> get to the
> > > future...
> > > >
> > > > this will continue...
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Peter Lang wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > vahida
> > > > > ok. i am with you on recycling idea. take pages of
> > books from
> > > > > different periods and mix them up. i dont read the
> > > language so
> > > > maybe i
> > > > > can work on maps and books that teach children
> > english or
> > > french...
> > > > > maybe we can sell them in flea markets.
> > > > > maybe we mix tour guide books also... like pre war
> > > tourguide books
> > > > > with post war tour guide books.
> > > > > peter
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On 5/30/06, *vahida* < wah@rotorrr.org
> >>>> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > hi peter,
> > > > >
> > > > > i got one small idea regarding your
> recicled book
> > > > >
> > > > > wht is really conflictive there on ex-YU
> Balcans
> > is a
> > > > history, now
> > > > > shown
> > > > > through national histories. Before during Tito
> > > communist era we
> > > > > have all
> > > > > learned in schools the same kind of
> history. Now
> > seems
> > > that
> > > > kids are
> > > > > learning something completely different in
> every
> > region.
> > > > After the
> > > > > separation all the schoolar sistems had
> > rewritten the
> > > XXcetury
> > > > history
> > > > > mostly related to the IIWW an comunist period,
> > > recovering the
> > > > > nationalist movement in each region. This
> is very
> > > conflictive
> > > > > situation
> > > > > for the coexistance of this small countries...
> > What are
> > > > children
> > > > > learning now in the schools regarding XXc
> history
> > > seems to
> > > > be really
> > > > > confussing and contradictory comparing
> different
> > regions
> > > > Slovenia,
> > > > > Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia,..... Albania...
> > > > > The interesting period to focus on could
> be from
> > > Balkan wars
> > > > > 1912/13 to
> > > > > last Balkan wars 1991--
> > > > > My idea is just to take of the pages from
> current
> > > learning books
> > > > about
> > > > > this period from each region and mix them
> > togather in
> > > > chronological
> > > > > order....
> > > > >
> > > > > this is some idea for the moment....
> > > > >
> > > > > maybie more recicling things like this
> could be
> > done...
> > > > >
> > > > > til soon,
> > > > > vahida
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > Peter Lang wrote:
> > >vahida,
> > > > remember when we went to the store in williamsburg
> > > > the name was Beacons closet. we found those books that were
> > > >rebound into notebooks using parts from different vintage books, on dogs,
> > > > paper mache, whatever...
> > > > we should do something about recycling and learning
> > > > peter
>