The ideas and viewpoints expressed in the posts on the Ideas and Creations blog are solely the view of the author(s). Luther College's mission statement calls us to "embrace diversity and challenge one another to learn in community," and to be "enlivened and transformed by encounters with one another, by the exchange of ideas, and by the life of faith and learning." Alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the college are encouraged to express their views, model "good disagreement" and engage in respectful dialogue.
Get lost. Words of wisdom from Kate Elliott, assistant professor of art history at Luther and self-proclaimed queen of getting lost, who tells folks to get lost in order to find the rhythms of the neighborhood and understand the spirit of a place.
Read along as Todd Pedlar, Luther associate professor of physics, talks about the tight connections forged between students and faculty, and how despite our size, the unusual becomes expected.
This month, four Luther music faculty (Spencer Martin, Andrew Whitfield, Jessica Paul and Brooke Joyce) are teaching in Duino, Italy, as part of the second annual International Music Festival of the Adriatic. Joyce's blog post speaks to the inspiring environment in which to make music with a 15th century castle next door, a beautiful view of the sea out the back door, and dramatic cliffs that lead down to the rocky beach.
Award-winning author, renowned poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou died Wednesday at her home in North Carolina. Joy Conrad, Luther instructor of modern languages and literatures, tells what it has been like to teach Angelou's autobiography, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," at Luther.
Sheila Radford-Hill, executive director of the Diversity Center, talks about the importance of validating students for who they are, which "invites them to think through the complexities and contradictions inherent in a complex understanding of the world."
Thomas C. Johnson, Luther College assistant professor of communication studies, examines in depth the difference between media studies and critical media studies.
Should religion courses challenge conventional norms? Robert Shedinger, Luther associate professor of religion, defends the benefits of provoking spiritual crises.
What's the difference between a lawyer and a college professor? Sound like a bad joke? Steve Holland compares being a litigation attorney to being a college professor. It isn't as different as you might think!
Imagine an astronomer who never got the chance to use a telescope, or a painter who couldn't use a brush; now imagine an archaeologist who never got the chance to scrape a trowel or sink a shovel. Dan Davis, assistant professor of classics, discusses the importance of experiential learning on archaeological digs.
Guy Nave, Luther College associate professor of religion, highlights the socially constructed nature of beliefs and belief systems, and how they say far more about us than they do about the "gods" we claim to accept or reject.
Todd Green, Luther College assistant professor of religion, asks the questions "Are religion courses harmful to faith?" and "Should faith as we know it survive?" How would you respond?
Robert Vrtis, Luther assistant professor of theatre, paints a picture with words, or more specifically a voice-his 18-month-old daughter's voice. He takes a look at why we don't "feel out loud" and whether or not that's good.