TP 21.pmd

TWIN PEAKS
A NEWSLETTER FOR AMERICAN STUDIES
21th Issue Winter 2006
University of Leipzig
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TWIN PEAKS
Dear Readers
Think outside the box. In spite of doubts, criticism, and technological
problems, the BA has finally arrived at the University of Leipzig. And in
these changes also lie great chances for future students. Professor
Crister Garrett told us where the BA American Studies is headed (see
page 5). And a couple of BA students of American Studies reflect on
their first days studying in Leipzig (page 4).
Think South: This year‘s study tour with Professor Hartmut Keil led to
Houston, Texas, where students explored the importance of voluntarism
in American society. Find their impressions of Houston on page 12.
Think North: Andreas Merz experienced a work-and-travel adventure
in Canada and reports about his experience (page 36).
Think post-9/11: Heaps of publications have followed the September
11 attacks and its aftermath. Jonathan Safran Foer offers a literary
perspective on its consequences in an unusual novel (page 27). Equally
unsual is Roger Willemsen‘s collection of in-depth interviews with former
Guantánamo detainees (page 24).
Finally, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to this issue
as well as our sponsors: the Fachschaftsrat Anglistik/ Amerikanistik,
the ASAA, and the Connewitzer Verlagsbuchhandlung.
The Editors
Stine, Paul & Katja.
Want to look into formerTwin Peaks issues but didn’t secure a copy?
Check out:
http://americanstudies.uni-leipzig.de/community/twin_peaks
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C ONTENT
LOCAL COLOR
Life Is Not a Party...................................................................................................4
Impressions of the Orientation Week by Christiane Freitag, Franziska Wenk, and
Maria Zywietz
Well-Nourished Nurselings.....................................................................................11
News from the American Studies Alumni Association (ASAA)
Impressions from Bayou City...........................................................................12
The American Studies Study Trip to Houston by Georg Keller and Daniel Finck
News from the FSR...........................................................................34
Fachschaftsrat Anglistik/ Amerikanistik
TALKING HEADS
“Simply Trying to Stay Alive”.................................................................................5
Professor Crister Garrett on BA-MA by Stine Eckert & Katja Wenk
Puzzling Elections...................................................................................8
U.S. Journalist Terry Michael on the Congressional Elections and Political Journalism
by Stine Eckert & Katja Wenk
ACADEMIC VIEWS
Democracies in the “Postnational Constellation“...............................................16
An Old Principle Under New Revision by Julia Heydemann
E-MAIL FROM AMERICA
Leipzig Goes Vanderbilt...................................................................................20
A Sequel Houndred Years Later by Anja Becker
WANDERING THOUGHTS
Was bringt die Zukunft Mexiko?................................................................30
Die Krise des mexikanischen Politiksystems von Lidia Martinez Murillo
Work and Travel in Canada....................................................................36
An Experience Put on Paper by Andreas Merz
On 5th Avenue ...............................................................................38
Poem by Ralph Grüneberger
ON THE SHELF
Zerhackte Leben - R.Willemsens Hier spricht Guantánamo ......................24
Romanrevolution - J.S. Foers Extrem laut und unglaublich nah ..............................27
von Stine Eckert
CALL FOR EDITORS AND STAMMTISCH..................................................................19
IMPIRINT.........................................................................................................39
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TWIN PEAKS
Life Is
Not
a Party
or: Impressions of the Orientation Week
by Christiane Freitag, Franziska Wenk, and Maria Zywietz
From October 10th to12th, the American Studies faculty organized an
Orientation Week for the students starting their BA studies this fall semester, but
now let’s talk about, what we as Ersties thought and still think about this:
First of all, we were all excited but also nervous. Both the heartily welcome
by Professor Garrett and the so called Icebreaker-game loosened the atmosphere.
After getting paired up as famous couples like Homer und Marge Simpson, we
were supposed to find out more about our individual partners – like our (real) names,
our age, hometown, and personal interests. We got into talking. Afterwards we had
to introduce our partners to everyone else – but not only did we do so, the faculty
members also introduced one another. This way we got first impressions of being a
member of the American Studies Community.
The second day was devoted to finding our way through the jungle of the
new Bachelor system – figuring out our Wahlbereich and signing up for courses.
Unfortunately, it was not as easy as it sounds: Since the online enrollment system
HIS LSF did not work as promised, we had to sign up the old way – using pen and
paper. Anyway, it was still “fun” to find out which Wahlbereich to choose, since
descriptions about the contents were pretty rare.
A huge advantage of the Orientation Week was that we already got information
about internships and study opportunities in North America. This way we realized
that we have to think about our career path now in order to start organizing. In
addition, we visited the American Consulate General Leipzig where we got some
more information about studying and working abroad.
Finally, we reached the highlight of the Orientation Week – the scavenger
hunt. Unfortunately, only eight of the 25 new students participated. Obviously, the
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TALKING HEADS
majority was not interested in getting to know Leipzig and its student life. One task
was to figure out how the Moritzbastei is similar to a famous American building –
would you know it? (You can find the answer at the end.) If you do not have the
clue maybe you should participate in the scavenger hunt during the next Orientation
Week in fall 2007.
The final day of our Orientation week ended with a BBQ at the
Internationales Begegnungszentrum (IBZ), where the American Studies faculty
invited the few students who worked through the difficulties of the scavenger hunt
for dinner.
To sum it up, the Orientation Week was a great chance for us to get to know
our fellow students, the American Studies faculty, and the city of Leipzig. It also
gave us a brief overview what our studies will be about during the upcoming years,
including the necessity to work for our goals.
After all (university) life is not a party. (At least not all the time.)
Last, but not least, we would like to thank the American Studies faculty, the
Fachschaftsrat Anglistik/Amerikanistik, and the volunteers for taking the time to
organize the Orientation Week, being patient with us, and therefore making the
start of our studies easier.
And the answer to the scavenger hunt question above is: The Pentagon.
“Simply Trying to Stay Alive”
Interview by Stine Eckert & Katja Wenk
Studies and received a Wahlbereich,
which met their interests. In the broad
picture it is working well, and of course,
you can always talk about things that
could have gone better.
Twin Peaks: How did the new system
of BA/MA start?
Crister Garrett: Like with any large new
system, there were unexpected
challenges in terms of implementing it,
but I met with the entire BA class of
American Studies and everyone got the
courses they have to take for American
TP: What problems did you
encounter?
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TWIN PEAKS
CG: The technology did not work the
way people had hoped it would work
to-person problem solving. You do as
much as you can.
Then you are very honest with students
and say that is a reasonable request, but
we do not have the resources for that
right now, whether it is personnel or other
forms of financial support.
TP: Are you talking about the whole
university’s enrollment system?
CG: Correct. I can relate stories from
the United States about a system that
large and complex. At the University of
Wisconsin, for example, they had been
trying to do an electronic pay and
registration system. They had been
working on it for five years, and after 25
million dollars they realized they have to
start from scratch. Reforms of this size
are inherently enormously complex.
TP: How did the faculty manage the
change?
CG: Faculty – that might come as a
surprise to many students – are also
human beings, which means they come
with their full range of personalities in
terms of change and new things. Some
are excited; some are less excited. The
range of faculty reactions are exactly the
same range of reactions among the
students.
TP: How are the students reacting
to these challenges?
CG: First semster students in a new
system are simply trying to stay alive,
and we have heard more from students
who are a little bit seasoned in the new
system.
The complaints are very fair. Of course,
you want a system that works perfectly,
or you want more courses. Those are
the kinds of things that we are hearing.
We try to engage students as much as
possible. For example, American Studies
had a lot of staff here on hand for the
first week. They handled unexpected
situations very quickly. Three of four
students of the entering BA class had
problems, and fairly within an hour we
had a solution for them. That took person-
TP: In how far does the faculty face
changes in organizing their classes?
CG: This will increasingly become the
case, particularly with teacher education
so that there is no overlap in the modules
being offered. That will change people’s
daily work rhythms. Faculty members
enjoy enormous freedom generally
speaking, certainly compared to other
segments of the working world, and that
will change.
TP: Where do you see the American
Studies program heading?
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TALKING HEADS
CG: Overall, I am very optimistic. You
have to answer a basic question up front
which is: Do you think the Bologna
process will serve the interest of
students?
You can have a long debate about that.
Personally, I think if you approach it with
a very constructive attitude: It is
absolutely! First you have a three year
BA – as opposed to a four year BA or
longer degree. You are obviously not
going to be able to stuff into three years
what you could teach in terms of
knowledge before. So you have to
rethink what you mean by university
education.
To be candid, I think we have done a
good job of that here in American Studies
to say students get a basic expertise
about the United States. And we have
done that. Then we have added more
analytical skills, more independent
research, more thinking about education
in a personal and professional way. We
feel good that, after three years of a BA,
students will really feel confident about
their abilities, about advanced
knowledge, and about really entering an
increasingly international work force and
being able to engage that effectively.
Leipzig – it is already happening. I think
we are on a really good way.
There is a lot of work to do, of course. It
is a new program. If you really want to
be a good program, there is always a lot
of work to do. You are always out there
raising money and innovating. You are
always asking what is not being done and
what can we do more for students. It is
a cliché – Americans love their clichés –
but the moment when you stop innovating,
is the moment when your program
becomes stagnate or average. It is
always an ongoing process.
TP: You said that the American
Studies program is already being
paid attention to.
CG: Yes, large higher education funders
are, for example the DAAD. I am here
because of the DAAD. How do we get
two years of funding to allow me to help
with this reform process? We talked
about where American Studies wants to
go. The DAAD was convinced by that
vision.
The vision is not to make students fans
of America. It is about using an
engagement with the United States to
allow students to become sophisticated,
confident consumers of knowledge as
well as producers of knowledge and
active citizens in their communities. The
fact that America plays a very large role
in German life is a benefit, but ultimately
in the ground structure of the program it
is really not about using American Studies
as a platform to nurture vision for higher
education.
TP: Could you elaborate on the future
of the whole American Studies
program Leipzig?
CG: I think American Studies in Leipzig,
compared to other programs in Germany,
has a lot to offer; and the Masters
program will be in the same class. In two
or three years people will be paying a lot
of attention to American Studies in
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TWIN PEAKS
Puzzling Elections
Photograph by the U.S. Consulate General, Leipzig
Interview by Stine Eckert & Katja Wenk
Terry Michael is the founder and director
of the Washington Center for Politics and
Journalism. It is a non-profit initiative to
teach journalism students a different
perspective of political reporting. Terry
Michael describes himself as a “radical
libertarian who used to be an idiot leftist.“
In April, Terry Michael visited Leipzig
University to speak about American
“Identity Politics“, affirmative action, and
the upcoming congressional elections.
congressional elections. If Republicans
are so demoralized they stay at home,
and Democrats are energized and they
turn out, it’s possible there will be ten or
twenty more competitive districts. It
would take probably fifty competitive
districts for the Democrats to take over
the House. On the Senate side, there are
a hundred seats, but only 33 of them are
up for re-election. And only eight of these
are competitive. The Democrats are five
votes behind. It will be very difficult to
win back the Senate.
If I were to guess right now, I would say
there is a decent chance the Democrats
will take back one house, but not both.
They may, however, not take back either
Twin Peaks: What do you think is
going to happen in this year’s
congressional elections?
Terry Michael: It’s very difficult for
Democrats to take back either the House
or the Senate because of the way we
draw district lines. We have put most
liberals in some districts and most
conservatives in others. It’s nearly
impossible ever to dislodge an incumbent.
We have a 95 per cent incumbent
retention rate.
For the election, this means that of our
435 House districts, perhaps only thirty
or forty are competitive and can turn
over. Yet, few people vote in
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TALKING HEADS
house, even though the majority of
Americans probably would prefer a
turnover in parties.
the liberal vote with Hilary Clinton. Then
the former Governor of Virginia, Mark
Warner, may come in through the center
and get the nomination. He is a Southern
governor. And who were the last
Democrats we’ve elected? Southern
Governor Bill Clinton, Southern Governor
Jimmy Carter, and Texan Lyndon
Johnson. We elect Southerners as
President in the Democratic Party
because they don’t seem North-Eastern
leftish.
McCain seems too independent although
he’s been trying to be really pro-war. If
he falters and can’t make common cause
with his right wing, Governor Mitt
Romney – a conservative Republican
winning in liberal Massachusetts, a
governor, very attractive – may be able
to get the nomination instead.
If it’s Hilary Clinton against Mitt
Romney, I would bet Mitt Romney will
win the election. If John McCain wins
the Republican nomination, and governor
Mark Warner of Virginia wins the
Democratic nomination, I would give
Warner a little advantage. If it’s Hillary
Clinton against John McCain, I have no
idea. If it’s Mark Warner against Mitt
Romney, I’m not certain. But always if
you have a senator running against a
governor, I’d put my money on the
governor.
TP: If we look ahead a little further,
what is your prediction for the
presidential election in 2008?
TM: First of all you should understand
that we hardly ever elect legislators to
the presidency. We did it 1880, 1920, and
1960 only. If you’re a legislator running
for president you have a built-in
disadvantage. Legislators seem to
equivocate on everything because their
purpose under our political system that
our Founders created was to
compromise everyday, to split every
difference. People normally elect
governors and generals in American
politics because they are deciders.
TP: Who do you see as the most
likely presidential candidates right
now?
TM: Right now, the press says – and it
usually gets it wrong – that the
Democratic frontrunner is Hilary Clinton
and the Republican frontrunner is John
McCain. Hilary Clinton has a problem
with the center of the electorate because
she still has this aura of being a sixties
hippie. John McCain has a problem with
his right-wing base because he seems to
be too independent. So Hilary Clinton is
trying to run to the center, McCain is
trying to run to the right. That may hurt
them both in their nominating process.
In fact, if a Russ Feingold – and he were
candidate – enters the race he may split
TP: Looking back at the last
presidential race in 2004, it was
interesting that especially young
people did not turn to the traditional
news media, but to alternative news
and even fake news shows for their
information. In campaign knowledge
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TWIN PEAKS
tests they surprisingly scored better
than the average. What does that say
about the state of American politics
and journalism?
TM: The big problem is that only about
twenty per cent of 18- to 24-year olds
participate in the election whereas about
seventy per cent of people over 65 vote.
In American journalism younger voters
are deserting print-on-ink papers as well
as television news. They are looking for
alternatives of information if they’re
interested in politics. Elites, collegeeducated young voters, who actually
participate and are interested in politics,
are only a small subset.
During the last presidential election, they
were looking for some truth. They were
looking away from the traditional media
and the traditional politicians.
That’s why they went to Comedy
Central, because Comedy Central’s
Daily Show and Colbert Report are
in effect a debunking of the spin of
American politics and the worthlessness
of media. Much in the media is simply
reflecting the established political culture
and is not really giving young people a
reality check, but Comedy Central gives
them a reality check on the press and on
politicians. They also go to the internet
and they blog. And they sound off, but
they also see alternative viewpoints there.
Young people are doing what is naturally
a curse. When technology changes the
way news is delivered, young people go
to wherever they can find information.
I’m really very positive that we’re gaining
more interest in politics among younger
voters because they have alternatives to
the traditional media and to traditional
politics.
TP: Is that then also what you are
trying to achieve with your Center for
Politics and Journalism?
TM: I’m trying to train young journalists,
who’ll practice traditional, ethically
inspired journalism, to understand the
political process better so they could do
a better job of interpreting their political
process. I’m trying to give these young
journalists a way to break out of their
own prejudices, which tend to be liberal
and democratic, so that they can see other
political viewpoints and be fair in
covering a variety of political viewpoints.
I’m trying to motivate these young people
to stay in journalism careers because
journalism is a dying non-profession in
some ways. People are being eliminated
from news rooms, people are losing
interest in journalism quickly. About two
thirds of my students stay in journalism,
but only about one third of American
journalism school graduates stay in
journalism. I’m trying to motivate and
keep motivated young journalists to do a
better job of covering politics, to do a
better job of civically educating
Americans, but not necessarily with
traditional ink-on-paper, not necessarily
with broadcast news, maybe moving
more and more into online journalism.
TP: Thank you very much.
You can find out more about the Washington Center for Politics and Journalism
at http://www.wcpj.org .
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LOCAL COLOR
News from the American Studies Alumni Association
Well-Nourished
Nurselings
by Zoe Kusmierz
Few of us would want to be called well-nourished nurselings. It just doesn’t
sound sexy. Yet, this is literally what Alumni means; and, sex appeal aside, this is
what the ASAA wants all of you to become. Alumni, literally, are the „nourished
ones.“ Nourished both intellectually during the course of studies but also, in its original
sense, materially by an alma mater caring and providing for its students.
Call us traditional, but we at the ASAA like to put some of that second meaning
back into the word ‘alumni,’ however humble. We have done so again during the
ASAA Graduation Ceremony, which took place on April 21 in the Ring-Café and
brought together this year’s graduates, their friends and families, American Studies
faculty, and guests from the Consulate General for a farewell both festive and relaxed,
both retrospective and full of good wishes for the future.
Yet, as we say farewell, or rather ‘keep in touch’, the ASAA also offers a
welcome to those students who have just arrived in Leipzig. As sponsor of this
year’s Orientation Week for the first class of BA students, the ASAA has made
possible and participated in welcoming the new students. We have sponsored a
BBQ and in a roundtable discussion our member Beate Renker provided information
on how the alumni can help you as students seeking advice, mentorship or an
internship. Simple but, we believe that our responsibilities do not begin after graduation
but rather on the first day of your studies.
Upcoming Events
November 16.
We are proud to present a reading by American author Dave King (in
cooperation with the American Consulate General Leipzig).
End of Year
Look out for this year’s Christmas Lecture.
Place and time for both events will be announced at the American Studies
bulletin board, GWZ 3.502 or online at www.asaa-leipzig.de.
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TWIN PEAKS
Impressions from
The American Studies study trip to
Houston, Texas (Sep./Oct. 2006)
Photographs by Georg Keller (7) and
Daniel Finck (2).
top: Cougar, mascot of the University of Houston; middle: Mosaic at Port of Houston and
Houston Skyscrapers; below: Trailer Park at Galveston Beach
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LOCAL COLOR
Bayou
City
clockwise from top: Galveston Beach, Street Car in Galveston Beach, Rice University, Cougars
vs. Ragin‘ Cajuns, View from J.P. Morgan Chase Tower
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TWIN PEAKS
It has become a tradition: Every two to three years, the American Studies
Department offers a study tour to the United States. This fall, several
students went to Houston, Texas, to research voluntarism, diversity,
and civic engagement as essential elements of American society.
Houston –
A Glimpse Of The Future
by Georg Keller
People are ignorant. That includes your friends, your family, your fellow students
and most likely your neighbor’s pretty wife, too. If you asked them, for instance,
what they know about the city of Houston, they would probably mumble
something about NASA and Mission Control and, inevitably, come up with the
famous quote: “Houston, we have a problem.”
Of course, Houston is much more than the first word in a world-renowned
sentence. It is much more than Apollo 13, much more than NASA. It is, in fact,
the 4th largest city in the United States, right behind Chicago. The U.S. Census
Bureau estimates that there are slightly more than two million people currently
living in the city and about three million more in the greater metropolitan area.
Located 50 miles off the coast, the Port of Houston, the world’s 6th largest
port, is connected to the Gulf of Mexico via the Houston Ship Channel.
Furthermore, Houston is the world’s preeminent city in the petrochemical
industry and also accommodates the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest
concentration of research and healthcare institutions, making Houston one of
the nation’s economically most vibrant cities.
At the other end of the spectrum, you will find New Orleans. And when in
September 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the coastal regions of Louisiana and
devastated the city of New Orleans, officials were forced to utter the famous
sentence once again. “Houston, we have a problem.” Fortunately, Houston –
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LOCAL COLOR
once more – had a solution. In a concerted effort and with the help of
thousands of volunteers, the city’s large sports facilities were prepared to
shelter the throngs of Katrina evacuees being bussed in from the once Big
Easy.
Up until this day, a large number of them has stayed. Having found housing
but often no work, many of the former New Orleans residents are dependent
upon city, state or government services and funding and no one can tell what
will happen when these wells dry up. Patience is already wearing thin with an
increasing number of Houstonians. Unemployed and lacking educational skills,
the remaining evacuees tend to be viewed more and more as an unpleasant
element, a parasitic community exploiting Houston’s generous hospitality and
leeching off the hard-toiling “natives”. But with no place to go, many of them
have, nevertheless, expressed their intention to permanently stay in Houston
and make it their future home.
In comparison with other groups, they make up only a small fraction of
Houston’s diverse population. Growing numbers of immigrants from Latin
America, particularly Mexico, and Asia have changed the face of the city in
recent decades. Once predominantly Anglo-American, U.S. Census data
show that about 42% of the city’s total population in 2005 were Hispanics,
making them the largest ethnic group and so-called majority minority. White
people make up about 28% with African-Americans not far behind (23%)
and the rest being of Asian (6%) or of other ethnic origin. According to Rice
University sociologist Stephen L. Klineberg, this particular population makeup is pretty much what the whole U.S. will look like in the year 2050.
Houston is, as it appears, ahead of its time and officials in Washington, D.C.
might want to take a closer look at how the city is presently dealing with
(future) national issues like the integration of legal and illegal immigrants into
society and bilingualism in education. This could potentially prevent another
case of emergency communication. It’s just that people are ignorant. And
that does not exclude U.S. politicians. So when the mayor’s phone rings in
40 years, let’s hope the first sentence is not: “Houston, we have a problem.”
For more information on the study tour, please check out the study tour
blog at: http://lonestar.m2media.net/
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TWIN PEAKS
Democracies in the
“Postnational Constellation”
- An Old Principle Under New Revision
by Julia Heydemann
Whenever I am asked, what I study,
and I truthfully answer “political science”, I
usually get a groan for an answer. And if the
inquirer hasn’t run away screaming by then,
I’m asked the feared follow up question:
“Sooo, what’s your master thesis about, eh?”
As I have to answer „postnational democratic
theory“, by then, at the latest, the questioner
declares me for bonkers (...and then runs
away screaming).
Twin Peaks has thankfully given me the
chance and a little space to explain, why I
actually find both things – political science,
and in the context of this article, postnational
democratic theory – not only important, but
genuinely interesting topics. Indeed,
fascinating enough for me to write a master
thesis about the latter during the Soccer
World Championship... So, for all those not
yet convinced: Let’s give a little juice to these
so called “dry topics” right now!
Let’s start in good old academic manner with the term itself. What is meant by
“postnational democracy” and, for that matter, is a term like this actually of any analytical
value? Because, as Deirdre Curtin rightly
questions: “Isn’t everything ‘post‘ something
these days, the catchword of modern times?
Post-communism, post-liberalism, postsovereignty, post-modernity. Why add postnational to the list?” Indeed, we could borrow
at least two other terms from political science
to describe the reality of the states system
today: international and supranational. Why
is there then a need for postnational?
As we can see, national, i.e. the
reference to the modern nation-state, still
seems to play a role in all three words. This
leads us right to a fact that lies at the heart of
postnational democratic theory: the change
of the modern nation-state through processes
of globalization. On the one hand, the term
international can’t describe this change
accurately, as interrelations between states
don’t necessarily imply, that the actors are
modified by their interactions with one
another. Supranational, on the other hand,
means that there is a level above the national
one. This level modifies the national one
severely – one has only to think of the
competences of the European Union (E.U.).
But the term grasps only the transformation
of the nation-state through this level and not
through other processes, like for example
modernization and globalization.
The term postnational comes in here.
It implies that a transformation of the nationstate is taking place, which leaves it in a different state than it was before (i.e. “post”)
undergoing the change in question. The
“postnational constellation” (Jürgen
Habermas) is then defined as the situation in
which modern states find themselves today:
strained by processes of globalization,
nation-states aren’t able to guarantee
prosperity and security as they used to do,
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ACADEMIC VIEW
for example in the 1980s. In an attempt to
regain control, especially concerning a
number of policies, which transcend national borders like for example ecological,
economical or migration problems, nationstates have been joining inter- and supranational organizations with a strong increase in
memberships in the 1990s. However, supranational organizations often develop an
influence of their own, thereby cutting down
on the sovereignty of their members. Their
strongest impact has to be seen in watering
down democracy in the nation-states. This
happens when national governments
underlie majority votes in supranational
decisions. The people of that state have no
democratic means to contest this decision
apart from the next national (not supranational) election on predominantly national (not
supranational) policy issues.
The modern nation-state therefore
finds itself in a structural dilemma: Due to
globalization processes and transnational
policy problems there seems to be no alternative to a membership in an international
organization. However, the latter are given
more and more competences due to an
increase in policy problems, which have to
be solved transnationally. This means that
international organizations gradually become
supranationalized – with the aforementioned
negative effect on the democracies of the
nation-states.
And this is where postnational
democratic theory comes into play: It
proposes a “way out” of the dilemma by
conceptualizing democracy postnationally.
So what does that mean? All the authors of
postnational democratic theories have one
thing in common: They share the belief that
the democratic principle can transcend national borders. This is more than a small
revolution in the thinking about democracy,
as it challenges about everything we’re used
to so far: one territory with one people and
one democratic system. In contrast, in the
postnational sphere we’re talking of
overlapping borders, multiple demoi
(peoples), new forms of political problem
solving, a variety of transnational actors and
last but not least we’re searching an answer
to the question: Can democracy be separated
from the nation-state?
If it can’t – as many authors believe –
then the beginning of the 21st century will
eventually be marked by what Jean-Marie
Guéhenno calls the “end of democracy as we
know it.” This, because the structural
dilemma prevails and there seemingly is no
way out of it. If democracy, however, could
be adapted to the postnational constellation
and its conditions, there might exist a real
chance of keeping the democratic standards
we’re used to – even postnationally.
This is where theories of postnational
democracy are of great interest and have, as
we can see, quite a challenge to meet “in real
life,” as well as in academia. Not only does
our way of thinking about democratic
representation have to change, but innovative solutions have to be found to indeed acute
problems. Due to lack of space I sadly can’t
present in detail all the solutions postnational
theories propose. They broadly reach from
global answers like the democratic reform of
the United Nations to regional proposals like
the democratization of the European Union.
In this last approach, I personally see the
greatest potential for postnational democracy
– and this, although we all know, that the
E.U. isn’t exactly famous for its democracy
and transparency. However, the E.U. is also
the most integrated area in the world, as well
culturally, socially, economically as politically.
It has collected 50 years worth of experience
in transnational cooperation and has even
attempted, as first international organization
ever, to democratize its structures by
founding the European Parliament. That this
democratization has yet been of little effect
17
TWIN PEAKS
has more to do with the multidimensional
system of the E.U. than with the general
impossibility of democratizing its structures.
Postnational democratic theories are
therefore called for to develop democratic
procedures that “fit” the specific European
circumstances. Democracy is, and always has
been, a process. It develops through
continuous democratization efforts, like its
various adaptations from the Greek polis to
the nation-state demonstrate. Why
shouldn’t it be tailored to fit the needs of the
21st century?
I’ll leave this last question for the
readers open to decide. What I hope to have
shown in the course of this short analysis is
that these questions are everything but
boring. On the contrary, they prove not only
to be highly relevant, but afford innovative
answers that have yet to be found in political
science. However, not only political scientists
should be aware of these questions. They
ultimately concern everybody, because
democracy is first of all about the people that
constitute it. And that means in the end:
about you!
Illustration by Paul Salisbury
18
CALL FOR EDITORS
Time to say
Goodbye
TWIN PEAKS
A NEWSLETTER FOR AMERICAN STUDIES
... will disa
ppear if y
ou ar
e not g
oing to sa
ve it !
disappear
you
are
going
sav
We are leaving the Twin Peaks Newsletter for American Studies
and are looking for you to succeed us as editors of the Twin Peaks.
If you want to continue our work for the Twin Peaks, please join
our final round of coffee talk and serious conversations on
November 20 (Monday)
- 20:30 pm -
Café K
ow
alsk
Kow
owalsk
alskii
(Ferdinand-Rohde-Straße 12)
Questions? Criticism? Advice?
You can also e-mail us:
[email protected]
19
TWIN PEAKS
Leipz ig Go es Van d e rbil t
A Sequel Hundred Years Later
Text and Photos by Anja Becker
In early August 2006 I arrived in
Nashville, Tennessee, right after a
refreshing shower. This will be my home
for 12 months as a DAAD post doc at
Vanderbilt University. But on that very
first day I admit my priorities were
hardly of academic interest: I wanted
to buy bread and tea, and so forth, the
essentials, you know. I walked for an
hour to a supermarket that from the
information in the Yellow Pages had
struck me as close by. When I had paid,
I asked the ladies at the register: “I heard
there is a bus running back to the
Vanderbilt campus. Do you know
anything about it?” The two women
exchanged a glance. “Weeeeelll,” one
of them finally said, “I believe I’ve seen
a bus drive by one day. …Honey, why
don’t you sit down outside and wait?
Maybe a bus will come and pick you
up. Maybe… It’s only 10 am.”
This is life in a Southern city;
though as of now I know little about it.
But for a start: don’t trust the clichés.
Even though people are friendly and
relaxed, the weather isn’t sunny all the
time. We’ve had several cloudy and
rainy days, just like Leipzig-weather; it’s
nice to cool off a little. And even though
Nashville has a reputation for country
music, I’ve not yet come across any
square-dancing chaps lining up in the
street. The local men don’t even wear
cowboy hats or boots (unless you
venture to the tourist ghetto downtown).
Nor do women dress in conservative
Southern Bell style. Come to think of it,
people here don’t look much different
from people in Leipzig. It’s simply one
more place to be.
Vanderbilt is a central feature to
Nashville. A private university, ‘Vandy’
– as it is sometimes lovingly called – is
currently listed number 18 in the ranking
of American universities. In 1873 it was
chartered as ‘Central University’, but
when shortly thereafter a substantial gift
20
E-MAIL FROM AMERICA
was elicited from ‘Commodore’
Cornelius Vanderbilt, the name was
changed. Vanderbilt, a Northerner who
had made money in railroads, was
married to a much younger Southern
woman by the curious name of Frank
A. Crawford Vanderbilt. Frank was kin
to Bishop McTyeire, one of the decisive
figures in the university’s early history.
Frank lobbied her husband to do
something for the ‘young men’ of her
native South as a contribution to
reconstruction after the Civil War. It
turned into a gift for women as well:
Vandy admitted women almost from the
beginning, though the road to equality
was a long one all in all. Today Vanderbilt
is headed by Chancellor Gordon Gee,
who visited Leipzig in June 2005.
Statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt at
Vanderbilt University
Indeed, Leipzig is of particular
interest to Vanderbilt. Back in the late
19th century, Leipzig attracted numerous
American students, including in 1883 a
young and yet undistinguished chap from
South Carolina, James Hampton
Kirkland. He proceeded to obtain a
Leipzig Ph.D. degree in Old English two
years later. Upon his return to the United
States two of his teachers and friends,
Charles Forster Smith and William
Malone Baskervill, landed him a job at
Vanderbilt University. Both Smith and
Baskervill held Leipzig Ph.D. degrees.
In 1893 Kirkland, who was then in his
early thirties, became chancellor of the
institution. He would head Vanderbilt
until his retirement in 1937, thus
21
TWIN PEAKS
becoming one of the longest-serving
American university presidents. He
knew from experience how thoroughly
students were trained in
Germany; incidentally
quite a few of the faculty
members around 1900
were recent Leipzig
Ph.D.s! Vandy students
were telling jokes about
this Leipzig presence
back then. We’re getting
there again. By chance I
met a young assistant
professor of biochemistry,
a German. We didn’t
have to go far beyond a
cordial “Hallo!” to realize
we were both from
Leipzig. Cheerfully Jens
leaped to his feet and
introduced me to his lab
– a team of 15, about half
of them from Leipzig.
One woman from
Tennessee among the little
crowd was the local
presence to remind
everybody – we are at
Vanderbilt after all.
Vanderbilt
seems
constantly on the move.
As is common at
American colleges and universities, the
buildings have names to honor
benefactors and former faculty.
However, the old science hall is now
used for the humanities. Offices are
being moved back and forth,
departments shift and overlap. I have an
office in Buttrick Hall, a building that
Kirkland Hall
inside resembles a Gothic church.
Although there no longer is a university
chapel, the old main building, now
Kirkland Hall, used to incorporate one.
From outside you recognize the huge
22
Gothic windows in the back, but inside
three stories of office space were added.
Originally a Methodist university,
Inside Buttrick Hall
Vanderbilt isn’t a denominational
institution anymore.
E-MAIL FROM AMERICA
barren sight in the early days, the
founders began planting a variety of
different trees that, nicely pragmatic,
would also be of use for
botanical instruction.
Today the VU campus is
officially recognized as an
arboretum, a botanical
garden. It features
Magnolias, Ginkos,
whatnot, and a centennial
oak that is said to be three
hundred years old and
thus stood there already
long before Americans
declared independence
from merry old England
back in 1776. However,
watch out: These precious
and rare trees seem to
have a wicked sense of
humor and sometimes
drop huge seeds when an
unsuspecting person
passes underneath…
We are well into the
semester now and a zillion
things are going on.
Indeed, I have to run now
to be in time for a
German Stammtisch.
Maybe I’ll meet more
bright Leipziger who opted for
Vanderbilt. It would revive an old
tradition.
The Vanderbilt campus is one of the
most beautiful in the United States. A
Let’s see.
23
TWIN PEAKS
Seine Haupttätigkeit ist das Fragen. Um seine Neugier in den Dienst
einer guten Sache zu stellen, interviewte Roger Willemsen Menschen abseits
von politischer oder glamouröser Prominenz. Durch die journalistische
Ursprungsform des Frage-und-Antwort-Spiels legt Willemsen fünf zerhackte
Leben frei. Die gedruckten Sätze im Interviewband Hier spricht
Guantánamo sind gesprochene Sprache; sie sind einfach zu lesen, wirken
authentisch und zeichnen detailliert nach wie zwei Jordanier, zwei Russen
und ein Afghane aus ihrem Leben gerissen werden als das Militär sie verhaftet.
L
n
ebe
h
ackte
Zer
von Stine Eckert
Abdulsalam Daeef war einer dieser Gefangenen. Der Ökonom ist in
Kandahar geboren, war Pressesprecher und Botschafter der Taliban-Regierung in Afghanistan. Im Lager von Guantánamo wird er zum Sprecher der
Gefangenen. Es ist Daeefs erstes und bis zur Veröffentlichung des Buches
einziges Interview. Er beschreibt Willemsen die Haftbedingungen: die Zelle,
das Essen und die Hungerstreiks, die Koranschändungen und die Solidarität
unter den Gefangenen sowie die Repressalien durch die Wärter. Auf
Willemsens Frage, ob Hitze oder Kälte gegen ihn eingesetzt wurde, antwortet
Daeef: „Ja, das haben sie gemacht. Gefoltert haben sie uns aber nicht primär
physisch, sondern sie haben uns eingeengt, und zwar so sehr, dass wir uns
unter dem Druck selbst alles Mögliche angetan haben. Das war der Grund,
warum es jeden Tag Gefangene gab, die sich umbringen wollten. An einem
Tag waren es 28 Personen, die Selbstmordversuche unternahmen, aber sie
hatten keinen Erfolg. Sie haben sich aufgehängt. Aber es kamen gleich Leute,
die sie daran hinderten, ihre Tat zu vollenden“. Er beschreibt weiter: „Es war
auch deshalb so beengend, weil es keine Gesetze gab, sondern nur Willkür.
Es kam ein Soldat und fragte: ‚Warum habt ihr das gemacht?’ Dann kam ein
24
ON
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SHELF
anderer Soldat und fragte: ‚Warum habt ihr dieses Tuch? Gib es mir.’ Es war
unerträglich, man wurde immerzu schikaniert, eingeengt. Wie sollte man so
leben?“
Bewegt von den Ungerechtigkeiten, die den Ex-Häftlingen widerfahren
sind, beginnt Willemsen sein Buch mit einem eindringlichen Plädoyer. Darin
wettert der Publizist, Fernsehmoderator und Dokumentarfilmer gegen die
Medien, die nach seinem Erachten
die Ex-Häftlinge aus Guantánamo nie
ausführlich zu Wort kommen ließen.
Stimmt nicht, konterte das Nachrichtenmagazin Spiegel anlässlich
der Buchvorstellung im Februar
2006: „Hier stellt sich die Frage,
welche Zeitungen Willemsen liest
und
welche
Fernsehdokumentationen er sieht – außer
seinen eigenen. Dass der SPIEGEL
in mehr als einem halben Dutzend
großer Artikel seit Jahren die unhaltbaren Zustände in Guantánamo dargestellt und kritisiert hat und als
erster den „Besuch“ von BND-Mitarbeitern in dem Lager enthüllte, ist
Willemsen offenbar nicht aufgefallen.
Ähnliches gilt für Publikationen wie
die Süddeutsche Zeitung und viele
andere deutsche Medienorgane.
Aber darum geht es ihm im Grunde gar nicht. Es genügt dem Großaufklärer
Willemsen nicht, selbst ein gutes Werk zu tun. Er muss wohl stets der Klassenbeste sein.“
Sein Buch entstand innerhalb eines halben Jahres. Mit Hilfe der
Menschenrechtsorganisationen Reprieve und Amnesty International – der
50jährige Willemsen ist selbst Amnesty-Botschafter – sowie der HeinrichBöll-Stiftung konnte Willemsen die Ex-Häftlinge auffinden. Ein großes Problem
25
TWIN PEAKS
war es, das Vertrauen der Häftlinge zu gewinnen. Doch trotz anfänglicher
Skepsis konnte Willemsen seine Interviewpartner davon überzeugen, dass
er ihre Antworten nicht zweckentfremdet. „Die Interviewpartner haben alle
mir gegenüber erst einmal Recherchen angestellt. Die hatten alle gegoogelt,
wer ich bin. Ich glaube es hat geholfen, dass ich mal Arafat interviewt und ein
großes Portrait über König Hussein von Jordanien gedreht hatte“, sagt Willemsen. „Die wussten, dass ich Amnesty-Botschafter bin, für Care arbeite
und einen humanitären Hintergrund habe. Das ist etwas anderes als ein
journalistischer Hintergrund. Denn den Journalisten trauen die Häftlinge in
der Regel nicht und das zu Recht, weil vieles von dem was die bisher in
Interviews gesagt haben, dann plötzlich in Amerika wieder erscheint als: ‚Ach,
das ist ein Wellness-Camp.‘“
Guantánamo hat ihr Leben noch mehr zerrüttet als es vorher schon
durch politische Schwierigkeiten gewesen war. Auch nach der Haft werden
sie ihr Leben lang gebrandmarkt sein. Willemsen verfolgt weiterhin ihre
Schicksale. „Es gibt kein normales Leben für diese Häftlinge. Der Sprecher
für die gefangenen Häftlinge hat inzwischen wieder die Rolle eines Sprechers
für die Taliban übernommen – sehr gefährlich. Natürlich ist der in seinem
Leben bedroht. Denn als Vertreter der Taliban habe ich ihn selbst in Kabul
am Standrand unter ganz konspirativen Umständen nur treffen können. Die
beiden Russen sind wieder von einem Prozess bedroht, weil man jetzt jedes
Attentat, das in Russland stattfindet, ihnen anlastet. Sie sind zweimal gefoltert
wurden, haben aber in der ersten Instanz gewonnen. Leider wird es einen
zweiten Prozess ohne Jury geben, also mit schlechteren Aussichten.“
Der Interviewband Hier spricht Guantánamo zeigt auf einfache, aber
beeindruckende Weise fünf Mal ein durch politische Umstände, Krieg und
Gefangennahme zerrüttetes Leben. Ein Leben, dass für den Leser zwar etwas
vorstellbarer wird, aber unfassbar bleibt.
Das Buch Hier spricht Guantánamo. Roger Willemsen interview Ex-Häftlinge.
ist als Taschenbuch im Fischer Verlag erschienen und kostet 8,95 Euro.
26
ON
THE
SHELF
Romanrevolution
Romanrevolution
Nine-Eleven ist seit rund fünf Jahren das Schlagwort,
auf das alle US-Amerikaner reagieren. Auch die Literatur
hat sich mit den Folgen des Anschlags beschäftigt. Ein
Titel heißt passend Extrem laut und unglaublich nah.
Der zweite Bestseller des 28-jährigen US-Amerikaners
Jonathan Safran Foer besticht nicht nur durch seinen
Inhalt, sondern auch durch seine Form.
Eine Kinderstimme erzählt: Oskar Schell, neun Jahre
jung und ganz schön altklug. Er spricht Französisch, isst
nur vegane Kost und erfindet allerlei witzige Sachen wie
Flügel mit integriertem Vogelfutter, eine Fußspange, die
Farbspuren hinterlässt oder Airbags für Wolkenkratzer.
„Als ich abends im Bett lag, erfand ich einen
ganz speziellen Abfluss. Er würde sich unter jedem Kopfkissen in New York befinden und wäre
mit dem Reservoir verbunden. Die Tränen aller
Menschen, die sich in den Schlaf weinten, würden an denselben Ort fließen, und am nächsten
Morgen würde man im Wetterbericht den Pegelstand des Reservoirs erfahren, und dann
wüsste man, ob New York Bleifüße hatte. Und
bei einer echten Katastrophe – der Explosion
einer Atombombe oder mindestens bei einem
Angriff mit biologischen Waffen – würde eine
superlaute Sirene losgehen und alle Menschen
in den Central Park rufen, damit sie mit
Sandsäcken einen Damm um das Reservoir
errichteten.“
von Stine Eckert
Oskars Fantasie ist grenzenlos und Safran Foer wartet
mit immer neuen skurrilen Ideen auf, die den Leser
zwischen Melancholie, Bewunderung und Mitgefühl
schwanken lassen. Denn Oskars Kreativität ist nur ein
fragiles Schutzschild, um mit dem Tod seines
Vaters klarzukommen, der in einem der
27
TWIN PEAKS
Zwillingstürme starb. Auch Oskars Mutter, die ebenfalls trauert, macht
sich Sorgen um ihren Sohn. Deshalb schickt sie ihn zu einem Therapeuten:
Dr. Fein.
Dr. Fein: „Hallo Kumpel.“
Oskar: „Ich bin nicht ihr Kumpel.“
Dr. Fein: „Gut. Nun ja. Herrliches Wetter heute, findest Du nicht
auch? Wenn du willst, können wir rausgehen und Ball spielen.“
Oskar: „Ja, das Wetter ist herrlich. Nein, ich will nicht Ball
spielen.“
Dr. Fein: „Bist du sicher?“
Oskar: „Sport ist nicht faszinierend.“
Dr. Fein: „Was findest Du faszinierend?“
Oskar: „Welche Antwort erwarten Sie jetzt?“
Dr. Fein: „Wieso glaubst du, dass ich etwas erwarte?“
Oskar: „Wieso glauben Sie, dass ich schwachsinnig bin?“
Dr. Fein: „Ich glaube doch gar nicht, dass du schwachsinnig bist.
Ich glaube auf keinen Fall, dass du schwachsinnig bist.“
Oskar: „Danke.“
Dr. Fein: „Weshalb bist du Deiner Meinung nach hier, Oskar?“
Oskar: „Ich bin hier, Dr. Fein, weil es meine Mom belastet, dass
ich im Moment nicht mit meinem Leben klarkomme.“
Dr. Fein: „Muss sie das belasten?“
Oskar: „Nicht wirklich. Mit dem Leben kommt man sowieso nicht
klar.“
Gegen Oskars Altklugheit, die sich mit kindlicher Naivität mischt, kommt
kein Psychologe an. So versucht Oskar mit einer Schlüsselsuche seinem
Trauma selbst beizukommen. Denn im Kleiderschrank seines Vaters findet er
einen Umschlag mit einem Schlüssel und dem aufgekritzelten Namen „Black“.
Sofort recherchiert er die Anzahl der Schlösser in ganz New York City.
„Ich stoppte die Zeit, und ich brauchte drei Sekunden, um ein
Schloss zu öffnen. Dann rechnete ich nach: Wenn in New York jede
halbe Minute ein Kind geboren wird und jeder Mensch achtzehn
Schlösser besitzt, entsteht alle 2,777 Sekunden ein neues Schloss.
28
ON
THE
SHELF
Selbst wenn ich nichts anderes tun würde, als Schlösser zu öffnen,
würde ich jede Sekunde 0,333 Schlösser in Rückstand geraten. Und
das auch nur, wenn der Weg von einem Schloss zum anderen nicht
weit war, und wenn ich nicht essen und schlafen würde, was im
Notfall okay wäre, weil ich sowieso nicht schlafen konnte. Ich
brauchte eindeutig einen besseren Plan.“
Beim Lesen wechseln sich so Lachen und Weinen mit Staunen alle paar
Seiten ab. Doch nicht nur die schlagfertigen Dialoge und Oskars Kongenialität
sind beeindruckend. Safran Foer macht aus dem Medium Buch ein Kunstwerk.
Denn neben dem normalen gedruckten Text findet der Leser in Extrem laut
und unglaublich nah bunte Handschriften, leere Seiten, rote Kringel und
viele Schwarz-Weiß-Fotos wie zum Beispiel ein Türschloss, Stephan Hawking,
Fingerabdrücke und Schildkröten. Die Bilder reflektieren Oskars Gedanken
in seinem „Was-ich-erlebt-habe-Buch“. Doch das Herzstück des Romans ist
ein tragisch-witziges Daumenkino – es zeigt wie die Menschen in die
Zwillingstürme wieder hereinfallen. Extrem laut und unglaublich nah ist so
eine kleine Romanrevolution, welche die Folgen des 11. Septembers auf
ungewöhnliche Weise betrachtet, die nicht um Mitleid heischt und deshalb
unglaublich nahe geht.
Der Roman Extrem laut und unglaublich von Jonathan Safran Foer ist im
KiWi Verlag erschienen. Die gebundene Ausgabe hat 432 Seiten und kostet
22,90 Euro.
29
TWIN PEAKS
Was bringt die Zuk
unft
Zukunft
Mexiko?
- Die W
ahlen in Me
xik
o und die Krise
Wahlen
Mexik
xiko
des me
xik
anisc
hen P
olitik
sy
stems
mexik
xikanisc
anischen
Politik
olitiksy
systems
von Lidia Martinez Murillo
Die mexikanischen Wahlen am 2. Juli verschiedenen Bezirken machen ihn für
2006 sind nicht nur die kontroversesten, viele Mexikaner zu einem ungesetzlichen
sondern auch die am heftigsten Präsidenten. Sein Sieg war knapp: Der
umkämpften Wahlen in der Unterschied im Wahlergebnis zwischen
mexikanischen Geschichte gewesen. ihm und seinem wichtigsten
Nach einem sehr polemischen und Widersacher, dem linksorientierten
komplizierten
Oppositionskandir i c h t e r l i c h e n Die mexikanischen Wahlen am daten
Andrés
Prozess hat das
López
2. Juli 2006 sind nicht nur die Manuel
Bundeswahlgekontroversesten, sondern auch Obrador von der
richt
Felipe
der
die am heftigsten umkämpften Partei
Calderón von der
Wahlen in der mexikanischen Demokratischen
a k t u e l l e n
Revolution (PRD),
Geschichte gewesen.
Regierungspartei,
lag bei nur 0,56
der Partei der
P r o z e n t
Nationalen Aktion (PAN), zum neuen beziehungsweise 233.831 Stimmen.
mexikanischen Präsidenten erklärt.
Obrador und die PRD protestierten
Calderón kommt als schwächster gegen das Wahlergebnis und fochten
Präsident ins Amt, den Mexiko je gerichtlich dagegen an. Daraufhin
gehabt hat. Die Unregelmäßigkeiten ordnete das Bundeswahlgericht eine
während der Stimmabgabe in Neuauszählung in 11.839 Wahllokalen
30
an. Doch danach erklärte die Behörde,
dass die gefundenen Unregelmäßigkeiten
nicht ernst genug waren, um die Wahl
zu annullieren. Calderón sei der neue
Präsident sein, entschied die Behörde.
Die
Entscheidung
des
Bundeswahlgerichts kam nach zwei
Monaten intensiver Straßenproteste,
angeführt von Obrador und der PRD.
Obradors Anhänger hatten zuvor den
Zócalo-Platz und den ReformaBoulevard, die wichtigsten
WANDERING THOUGHTS
Verkehrsknotenpunkte in MexikoStadt, besetzt. Dadurch seien
wirtschaftliche und soziale Probleme
nicht nur für lokale Unternehmer,
sondern auch für alle übrigen Einwohner
entstanden. Unternehmensvertreter
sprechen aktuell von Millionen Euros an
Verlusten im Hotel-, Dienstleistungsund Gastronomiebereich.
Obrador erkennt den Sieg von
Calderón nach wie vor nicht an. Deshalb
will er jetzt eine „Regierung des zivilen
Illustratrion by Paul Salisbury
31
TWIN PEAKS
Widerstands“ anführen. Dafür trifft er Calderón einerseits sowie seine Politik
sich auf dem Zócalo-Platz regelmäßig gegen López Obrador, seit er
mit seinen Anhängern. Dort spricht er Bürgermeister von Mexiko-Stadt
über die Organisation einer „Convencion geworden war andererseits, beweisen,
Nacional Democratica“, einer nationalen dass sich auch die Regierung Fox nicht
demokratischen Konvention. Diese von den Lastern des alten politischen
Konvention soll die Aufgabe Systems lossagen konnte.
übernehmen, einen pazifistischen
Widerstand zu organisieren und Respekt
Im politischen Regierungsalltag als
vor dem Willen des Volkes einzufordern. neuer Präsident könnte Calderón sehr
Deshalb hat
oft mit Obrador
d i e s e
und der PRD
Konvention ein
kollidieren.
López Obrador erkennt den
eigenes Kabinett
Doch das hängt
Sieg von Calderón nach wie vor
gegründet, das
auch von der
nicht an. Deshalb will er jetzt
sogenannte
Entscheidung
eine „Regierung des zivilen
„Frente Amplio
der PRD ab.
Widerstands“ anführen.
Progresista“, das
Denn zurzeit
sich bereits als
befindet sich die
Parallelregierung sieht: Zum Beispiel hat PRD selbst in einer Krise: Ein Teil der
es López Obrador zum „gesetzlichen Parteimitglieder steht hinter Obrador;
Präsidenten“ erklärt; der wiederum andere versuchen sich von ihm zu
spricht bereits über eine neue distanzieren.
Verfassung.
Doch als zweitgrößte Partei muss die
Das mexikanische politische System PRD mit anderen Parteien
steuert einer ernsthaften Krise entgegen. zusammenarbeiten. So müssen die
Nie zuvor in Mexikos Geschichte hatte PRD-Abgeordneten und der
das politische System eine solche Krise Bürgermeister von Mexiko-City,
wie die aktuelle zu bewältigen. Die Alejandro Encinas (PRD), eine
Konflikte nach den Wahlen und die Entscheidung treffen: Entweder sie
angeblichen Unregelmäßigkeiten bei der unterstützen Obrador, so dass es zu
Stimmabgabe zeigen, dass die alten einer Behinderung von Calderóns
Methoden des politischen Systems, wie Reformen kommen könnte oder sie
zum Beispiel die Korruption in den sagen sich geschlossen von Obrador los,
Institutionen, weitergehen könnten. Die so dass er am Ende allein dasteht. Er
öffentliche Unterstützung von Präsident hat die Unterstützung von vielen Leuten
Vicente Fox für den Wahlsieger bereits verloren, aber er kann immer
32
noch die Masse mobilisieren. Seine
Kritiker versuchen weiterhin, ihn in der
Nationalpolitik zu einer Randfigur zu
machen.
So präsentieren auch ausländische
Regierungen und die meisten großen
internationalen Medien (New York
Times, El Pais, usw.) Obrador als
radikal und gefährlich für die junge
mexikanische Demokratie. Sie
empfehlen ihm das Ergebnis der Wahlen
zu akzeptieren, aber Obrador will weiter
mit Hilfe der nationalen demokratischen
Konvention die „Rechte des Volkes“
verteidigen.
WANDERING THOUGHTS
verdient das Land nicht nur saubere
Wahlen, sondern auch einen richtigen
Präsidenten. Calderóns Regierung wird
immer der Schatten des Betrugs
anhaften. Außerdem könnte seine
Regierung sehr großen Schwierigkeiten
mit der PRD gegenüberstehen.
Das Problem ist, dass Mexiko nicht
mehr warten kann. Das Land braucht
verschiedene Reformen beispielsweise
im Arbeits-, Energie- und
Ausbildungsbereich, um in der
Globalisierung mithalten zu können. Das
mexikanische Politiksystem braucht
einen Wechsel, eine Verbesserung.
Deshalb braucht Mexiko Obrador und
Calderón hat in einer seiner ersten eine kritische Linke, die nicht nur
Reden als Präsident zur Vereinigung der Calderóns Reformen behindern,
rivalisierenden Parteien aufgerufen. Er sondern eigene Ideen entwickeln, um
sprach über einen Dialog und National- diesen Wechsel möglich zu machen.
Dennoch braucht
versöhnung.
Gleichzeitig
das Land auch die
Mexiko
hat
viel
Geld
für
eine
aber spricht
Zusammenarbeit
unabhängige
und
respektierte
O b r a d o r
der
zwei
Wahlkommission ausgegeben.
darüber, eine
wichtigsten
Deshalb verdient das Land nicht
e i g e n e
Hauptakteure,
nur
saubere Wahlen, sondern auch
Regierung zu
Calderón und
einen
richtigen
Präsidenten.
bilden, um die
Obrador, und
ihrer Parteien, um
verfassungsmäßige
Ordnung wieder zu herstellen. Diese sich weiter zu entwickeln.
aktuelle Ungewissheit ist nicht gut für
Die Geschichte wird zeigen, was die
Mexiko, denn sie vergrault auch
Wahlen von 2006 und ihre politischen
internationale Investoren.
Akteure gebracht haben – aber was
Mexiko hat viel Geld für eine passiert in der Zwischenzeit? Welche
unabhängige und respektierte Zukunft kann Mexiko mit zwei
Wahlkommission ausgegeben. Deshalb „Präsidenten“ erwarten?
33
TWIN PEAKS
FSR?
Wir machen uns für deine Interessen stark!
Das sind unsere Angebote für dich:
• Regelmäßige Sprechzeiten, zu denen du Antworten auf deine
Fragen zum Studium bekommst:
ANGLISTIK: Do 10:00 – 12 Uhr
AMERIKANISTIK:
Do 15:00 - 16:00 Uhr
LEHRAMT ENGLISCH: Mo 13:15 – 14:45 Uhr
• Probeklausuren für die Zwischenprüfung
• Regelmäßiger Newsletter mit aktuellen Infos zu Studium,
Veranstaltungen und Angeboten rund um die Anglistik und
Amerikanistik
• Jedes Semester eine Wochenend-Fahrt und eine legendäre
Party
FS
R?
Was wir sonst noch tun: (und das kostet am meisten Zeit und
Nerven!)
Wir vertreten dich in studentischen Gremien der
akademischen und studentischen Selbstverwaltung und
versuchen dort, Entscheidungen zu deinen Gunsten zu
beeinflussen.
So erreichst du uns:
R?
S
F
• Homepage: http://www.uni-leipzig.de/~fsranam
• e-mail: [email protected] (z.B. Um den Newsletter zu
abonnieren)
• live und in Farbe: GWZ (Beethovenstr. 15), 3. OG, Haus 4, Zi
H4 3.16
• Briefkästen in den Instituten für Anglistik und Amerikanistik im
GWZ
FS
R
...und denk dran: ohne deine Ideen, Vorschläge, Anregungen, ?
Kritik und Feedback sind wir nur halb so erfolgreich, wie wir in
deinem Interesse sein wollen!
34
LOCAL COLOR
SCREENING
B R I T A I N
Ihr wolltet schon immer mal diesen Film sehen? Oder den? Oder
beide?
In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Institut für Anglistik zeigen wir an
folgenden Dienstagen ab 19 Uhr (GWZ H4 3.15) verschiedene
englische Filme, und das auch noch kostenlos! Hier ist unser
Programm für dieses Semester:
07.11.06
14.11.06
28.11.06
05.12.06
12.12.06
09.01.07
16.01.07
30.01.07
06.02.07
13.02.07
Hound of the Baskervilles
Equilibrium
Sense & Sensibility
Hamlet (1997)
East is East
Orlando
V for Vendetta
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Monsoon Wedding
The Full Monty
Auf folgender Seite findet ihr immer das aktuelle Programm und
eventuelle Änderungen.
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/screeningbritain
Kommentare, Vorschläge und Kritik könnt ihr dort natürlich auch
loswerden.
Bis bald im GWZ
Euer Screening Britain-Team!
35
TWIN PEAKS
The Canadian
Way of Life
Text by Andreas Merz
Photograph by Katja Wenk
Canada is the world’s second largest country. It is surrounded by three vast
oceans: the Atlantic to the East, the Pacific to the West, and the Arctic Ocean to
the North. And the country’s landscape is as diverse as you can imagine: Starting
from rugged rock-cliffs in the Eastern provinces, it stretches into the endless prairies
of the central provinces of Sasketchewan and Manitoba, which are abruptly ended
by a gigantic wall – the Rocky Mountains. Descending from the mountains, the
Okanagan Valley (famous for it’s wine) and Whistler (a world-class skiing resort)
emerge before arriving in Vancouver, Canada’s cosmopolitan gate to the Pacific
and host of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
If you consider travelling through Canada, I suggest you take your time and
you know more or less what you want to see before arriving there. The country is
a paradise for all kinds of outdoor activities like hiking, canoeing, climbing, surfing,
or skiing, to name just a few. This, however, does not mean that Canada is only
nature. You can get immersed into the metropolitan atmospheres of Toronto,
Montreal, or Vancouver, too.
I spent three months in Canada during this year’s summer break with an Open
Work Permit from the German Canadian Society, which issues up to one hundred
work permits each year. Basically, the program consists of two different periods:
two months of working combined with one month of travel.
First, I signed up with several employment agencies. This is much more common
in Canada than it is in Germany. These agencies get you a job very quickly, although
this job might not be related to your studies or be what you term the ‘job of your
dreams.’ I got my first job just one day after signing-up with an agency: sorting
envelopes in an office. My real working experience started in Vancouver, at a
Seattle’s Best Coffee. It took me four weeks to get this job.
36
WANDERING THOUGHTS
The Vancouver Skyline
Another way to find a job is by writing a resumé, printing it several times, and
strolling through shopping-malls. Then you can enter all shops you would like to
work for and ask for an interview with the manager. It is very direct and effective,
unlike in Germany, but don’t be afraid to do it. It is just the way people do it in
Canada. Yet, it is a little more time-consuming because it takes some time to get a
reaction to your resumé. Ideally, you have signed up with one or two employment
agencies earlier so that you can rely on their offers, too.
It is quite easy to get used to the Canadian way of life. The differences to
European life are small, but there are indeed some. Canadians are friendly, really
friendly. They even say “Thank you.” to their bus drivers. They are never afraid of
a little small-talk with strangers, and they don’t hesitate to help you out, even if you
didn’t ask anybody. Canada’s citizens are as diverse as the landscape. Don’t be
surprised to see Indian bus-drivers, Asian waiters, or Middle Eastern security guards.
Canada has a long immigration history. The country has been an immigration country
since it’s very beginning and it continues to be one in spite of increasing difficulties
to migrate to Canada.
To explore the vastness of the Canadian nature, I recommend you to rent a
car. This gives you the chance of planning your own route and stopping where you
want to. However, if you travel on your own and your budget is too small for a car,
Moose Travel is an organization that provides many tours which cover most of the
major nature tourist attractions as well as city tours. Hostel prices are quite
reasonable as well; a night costs you around 20 Can $.
For information on the Work and Travel program see the website of the DeutschKanadische Gesellschaft at http://www.dkg.de
37
TWIN PEAKS
On 5th Avenue
For Robert Fass
I read yesterday’s paper.
The Playgirls go wrapped
In black over the counter.
On the TV the Rolling Stones
Thirty years ago: “Let’s spend
Spend Some time together …”
Outside a man holds
Into it snow pieces of recording tape
That an editor throws out of the 17th floor.
The man yells “Shit” and “Fuck You”
She is as black as creation.
I wonder hesitantly whether
I should not cover better the
Pale white dollar faces.
38
Illustration by Rosa Linke
And disappears. The waitress comes
Poem by Ralph Grüneberger
Up a hat, a baseball cap:
IMPRINT
THE AUTHORS
Anja Becker (Ph.D. American Studies,
Leipzig) is a Visiting Postgradual Fellow in American History at Vanderbilt
University (Nashville,Tennessee)
working on higher education in the
American South and West in the late
19th and early 20th century.
Christiane Freitag, Franziska
Wenk, and Maria Zywietz are among
the first to study the BA American
Studies at Leipzig University.
Ralph Grüneberger is a Leipzig poet
and member of PEN Club Germany.
Julia Heydemann (Dipl. Political
Science) works on her M.A. in
European Political and Administrative
Studies at the College of Europe in
Bruges, Belgium.
Georg Keller majors in Arabian
Studies at Leipzig University combining
iit with American Studies and Political
Science.
Zoe Kusmierz teaches American
literature at the American Studies
Department Leipzig and is an active
member of the American Studies Alumni
Association.
Lidia Martinez Murillo works on her
dissertation in Global Studies at the
Leipzig‘s Zentrum für Höhere Studien.
Andreas Merz majors in English and
Spanish Studies at Leizpig University
to become a translator.
THE EDITORS
Katja Wenk (V.i.S.d.P.) majors in
American Studies at Leipzig University, combining it with Journalism and
Psychology.
Stine Eckert majors in Journalism
and American Studies at Leipzig University.
Paul Salisbury majors in American
Studies at Leipzig University and has
completed his second major German
Studies. He is currently working on his
master’s thesis.
THE ILLUSTRATOR
Rosa Linke is a trained librarian,
which studies Graphic Design at Bauhaus University in Weimar.
Twin Peaks - A Newsletter for American Studies
Institut für Amerikanistik, Beethovenstraße 15, 04107 Leipzig
Design: Stine Eckert, Katja Wenk
Title Photograph: Anja Becker
Contact: [email protected]
Katja Wenk: 0341/ 22 78 05 1, Stine Eckert: 0173/ 81 28 369,
Printed by: ZIMO druck und kopie KG, Beethovenstraße 10, 04107
Leipzig
39
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e-mail: [email protected] • http://www.cvb.de