Remarks

Remarks by Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Judith A. Chammas at Bangladesh Association of American Studies

BAAS

February 26, 2006

Thank you so much for inviting me to open the 2006 conference on U.S. Society and Culture.  Thanks to the Bangladesh Association for American Studies (BAAS) for their cooperation in working with the American Center, U.S. Embassy, to organize this workshop.

American Center has a long tradition of cooperation with BAAS in staging these workshops for college teachers from all over Bangladesh.  Over the next two days, we hope to promote a better understanding of American society and culture; to improve teaching about the United States; and, through you, the teachers, to popularize the study of the United States to your students.

As an academic discipline, American Studies is – well, American and unique.  After World War II Fulbright scholars started to teach American literature, history, politics and culture overseas.  USIS, or the United States Information Service, supported these efforts by stocking libraries full of American books, showing their audiences the finest American films, and bringing artists and musicians overseas to showcase American culture.   American Studies scholars developed the field out of a desire to examine U.S. society critically.  In those days, only in interdisciplinary courses could scholars look closely at questions of gender, race and class in the United States.  American Studies has grown and changed over the years, but remains interdisciplinary in approach and sometimes unconventional in content.

Like the founding of American Studies, American history can be seen as a series of acts that have defied conventional wisdom and traditional behavior.  The American struggle for independence in the 18^th century foreshadowed the struggle against colonialism in South Asia after World War II.  Our Declaration of Independence proclaimed the shocking idea that men and women were created not to serve the state, but rather the reverse – that people created government to preserve their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  The American civil rights movement helped encourage the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa.  And we continue to persevere in the unfinished business of providing equal opportunity to all. 

Someone once said, “Know your enemy,” but it is even more important to understand your friend.  If Bangladeshis study American culture, they will understand the roots of our cooperation and the basis for our friendship.  The workshop’s topics point to the idea that our two countries have much in common.  We share a love of stories: our two great literatures are a strong basis for our national identities.  We share an appreciation of religious diversity, for the role of business in international relations, and for the ideas that have shaped our democracies.  We both deeply value our traditions and take pride in our nations’ tolerance of different points of view.

Seeing these common values lets us see through the stereotypes and the harmful assumptions that we might make about each other.  With energy and enthusiasm, you as teachers have the power to open up young minds and provide to your students an awareness of a world that celebrates diversity and the power of the individual.

Bangladesh should not take for granted its priceless quality of tolerance.  As educators, you are responsible for teaching the importance of resolving differences peacefully.  As the world shrinks, there’s increasing pressure for close neighbors to find ways of getting along.  The education you give your students should serve them well throughout their lives and teach them to avoid extremism and intolerance.   That’s an awe-inspiring responsibility, but I believe that teaching is a noble calling.  Teaching American Studies will, in ways big and small, promote tolerance and understanding.

You may be thinking—well and good.  But “knowing your friend,” truly understanding American society, is easier said than done.  How can a dedicated teacher with a full load of classes, meetings, marking papers, counseling students – plus responsibilities at home – hope to learn about American society?  How is it possible to incorporate American content into your classes when you have so much other material to cover?

I have one very practical answer. You might know that the lending library was a concept invented by our own Benjamin Franklin.  Teachers attending this conference will be offered free membership in the American Center Library, which follows Dr. Franklin’s idea of making information accessible to everyone.  When you receive your library card, you will be able to borrow books, videos, DVDs; you can use the Internet, watch movies and learn from CD-ROMs.  Our Library specializes in American fiction, computers, business, and English as a Second Language.  And we have a growing collection of children’s books about America. 

My other solution to the question “How do I learn about America?” is similar. Read, question, keep your eyes, ears and heart wide open.  For the language and literature teachers, there’s no better way to learn about America than to make literary friends with people like the Great Gatsby, Huck Finn or Scarlett O’Hara.  Getting acquainted with these characters tells you more about American history, society and culture than any number of reports or textbooks.  Listen to our music; it’s much more than pop, and much of it derives from jazz, a truly American art form.  It emphasizes improvisation, defying convention, and inventing variations on themes.  Hearing this creativity is truly inspiring, and I hope it will encourage you to include American material in your classes.

I hope also that you’ll tell your students about our Student Advising service at the American Center.  This is a place students can come to get accurate and up to date information about colleges and universities in the U.S.  They can learn about the SAT and TOEFL, and find out which university is right for them.  As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said, the U.S. has “never been more eager” to welcome foreign students.  Secretary Rice, herself a former college professor, speaks of the “transformative capability” of American higher education.  She often meets leaders of other countries who have attended different kinds of schools in the United States.

“They’ve gone to community colleges, they’ve gone to small colleges, they’ve gone to land-grant colleges, they’ve gone to research universities.  They’ve all had the common experience of being – of studying – in America.  And the experience then becomes one that binds them to us in a way that can never be broken,” she said. 

Please, if you need assistance or ideas to help incorporate American themes and topics in your classes, or if your students have questions about America, don’t hesitate to contact BAAS and the American Center. The American Center’s librarians and advising staff are here for one reason – to help you.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy the rest of the conference.  The 2006 Bangladesh Association of American Studies Workshop for College Teachers is now open.

 

Note:  A Bangla translation of this article is also available from the American Center.  If you are interested in the translation, please call the American Center Press Section (Tel: 8813440-4, Fax: 9881677; e-mail: DhakaPA@state.gov; Website: dhaka.usembassy.gov