Volume 56, Number 6    September 22, 2008         

Looting on the rise
Treasure-stealing pirates are no longer a thing of the big screen. In a Sept. 14 San Francisco Chronicle article, Karen Olsen Bruhns, professor of anthropology, commented on the rise of antiquities looting and how detrimental it can be to the understanding of the past. "Each piece represents a building or a site or a tomb and the complete destruction of it and all the information it could have given us," Bruhns said. Federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement authorities report that smuggling of rare artifacts into the United States has increased drastically from 63 cases in 2006 to 134 cases this year. And the result of the stolen goods: “It's gone forever,” Bruhns said.

The socialization of women
Throughout society women are often expected to care for others first, but are they risking emotional health to do so? In a Sept. 14 Oregonian article, Grace J. Yoo, associate professor of Asian American studies, discussed research that found women downplay the reality of their situation when they are in times of need, and therefore do not receive the proper emotional support. In a study of 174 women in the Bay Area, Yoo and four colleagues revealed that displaying vulnerability to family and close friends is exceedingly difficult for women. “Women are framing the news so the audience receiving it will not fall apart," Yoo said.

Fine art for rent
A unique loan program has been reinstated at UC Berkeley where students and faculty can rent pieces of art for up to one year, for free. But Linda Ellis, professor of museum studies, does not agree with the concept. In a Sept. 15 San Francisco Chronicle article about the program, she said that though many see the program as an exciting opportunity, allowing individuals to connect to the art on a unique level, it limits the chance for art to be seen by the community. “Why privilege one person over the whole community?" Ellis said, "That's why we have museums, so people can come and see the artwork, not to go to somebody's house to see it."

For more media coverage of faculty, staff, students, alumni and programs, see SF State in the News.

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Last modified Sept. 22, 2008 by University Communications.