1998-99 Odyssey theme introduced

Project explores the sources of the self and community

By Ana Tintocalis, On-Line Forty-Niner

Wednesday, September 2, 1998

For the third consecutive year, the Cal State Long Beach Odyssey Project brings the campus and the community together for a year-long series of speakers, films, conferences and performances that focuses on a single intellectual issue of importance to our time.

This year's theme, "The Self and Its Sources: Individuals and the Community," was introduced by a panel consisting of five CSULB faculty members with moderation by Jay Shaffer, a marketing consultant who has taught at Duke University.

"Self concept and the way we think and feel - I think we take for granted," Schaffer said. "So by looking at what we take for granted ... it adds a facet of understanding and experience that expands the world and enriches our understanding."

Schaffer introduced a self-discovery model to the panel intended to help individuals within the campus community discover their true selves.

The five-member panel consisted of Tony Battalia, religious studies department; Mary Caputi, political science; Elyse Blankely, English and women's studies; Julie Van Camp, philosophy; and Eve Oishi, women's studies.

"What we wanted to do was lay out the big picture," said Maria Viera, faculty coordinator of the Theatre arts department. "There are so many approaches to self and we wanted to lay out the idea that this is a broad topic with many different approaches and many different ways to look at it."

"The idea was to have a topic that's very interdisciplinary so that we have an interaction between departments that will make this a truly university-wide project."

"Students have big issues ... this is just laying out different ways to look at things. The experience outside the classroom may prove to have a lot more meaning in peoples' lives later on," Viera said.

Throughout the year, topics including self expression in the arts and literature, and the social and psychological aspects of identity will be explored, said the Odyssey release.

Odyssey 1998 -1999 will bring many well-known speakers, artists and performers to CSULB this semester. Actor Edward James Olmos, who has starred in the movies "American Me" and "Stand and Deliver," will speak about the movie industry later this month.

The next Odyssey event will be a photography exhibit called "Images of Self." Photographs donated by faculty, staff, students and alumni of CSULB expressing their personalities, interests and values will be displayed. The exhibit opens Sept. 8.

For more information about Odyssey events, one may call (562) 985-4546.