Exploring modern nomads
Geography professor explores the Kazakh disapora in Mongolia
by Erin Rohrer
Issue date: 11/19/09
Section: Campus News
Twenty years ago, the Iron Curtain fell and the Mongolian Kazakhs were free to migrate once again. Since Kazakhstan gained independence in 1991, as many as 60,000 Kazakhs have migrated from Mongolia to Kazakhstan.
In celebration of Minnesota State's International Education-Diversity Week, human migration expert Dr. Holly Barcus will give this year's keynote speech. Barcus will discuss "Modern Nomads: Transnational Migration and the Kazakh Diaspora of Western Mongolia" on Friday. Barcus, an assistant geography professor at Macalester College, spent time in both Mongolia and Kazakhstan for her research.
"The department of geography is essentially about people, places, the environment and the globe, and as our contribution to this week's events we are thrilled to have invited Barcus to speak," said Don Friend, geography professor and chair. "Barcus' speech is about culture, religion, people, choice of where to live, post-soviet break up and the end of the iron curtain. All of those big picture things are the background story of these nomadic people that live and move across the border between Kazakhstan and Mongolia."
Barcus' talk will take place from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Armstrong Hall basement, AH 4. It is free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public. The lecture is co-sponsored by the MSU Department of Geography, Kearney International Center and the Division of Institutional Diversity.
MSU celebrates International Education-Diversity Week one week before Thanksgiving each year. International week began in 2005 when it combined with a pre-existing diversity week.
Other events for the remainder of the week include a transgender workshop, "Modern Nomads", and a diversity dinner on Friday as well as Study Abroad pre-departure orientation and Korean night on Saturday.
Erin Rohrer is a Reporter staff writer
In celebration of Minnesota State's International Education-Diversity Week, human migration expert Dr. Holly Barcus will give this year's keynote speech. Barcus will discuss "Modern Nomads: Transnational Migration and the Kazakh Diaspora of Western Mongolia" on Friday. Barcus, an assistant geography professor at Macalester College, spent time in both Mongolia and Kazakhstan for her research.
"The department of geography is essentially about people, places, the environment and the globe, and as our contribution to this week's events we are thrilled to have invited Barcus to speak," said Don Friend, geography professor and chair. "Barcus' speech is about culture, religion, people, choice of where to live, post-soviet break up and the end of the iron curtain. All of those big picture things are the background story of these nomadic people that live and move across the border between Kazakhstan and Mongolia."
Barcus' talk will take place from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Armstrong Hall basement, AH 4. It is free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public. The lecture is co-sponsored by the MSU Department of Geography, Kearney International Center and the Division of Institutional Diversity.
MSU celebrates International Education-Diversity Week one week before Thanksgiving each year. International week began in 2005 when it combined with a pre-existing diversity week.
Other events for the remainder of the week include a transgender workshop, "Modern Nomads", and a diversity dinner on Friday as well as Study Abroad pre-departure orientation and Korean night on Saturday.
Erin Rohrer is a Reporter staff writer
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