Once home to witch trials, Salem now mecca to alternative religious groups
   Halloween in Salem, Mass. is a month-long spectacle where visitors and residents invoke the spirit world in public séances, hear ghost stories and take tours of haunted homes. As the heart of puritan New England and the site of the 1692 Salem witch trials, the city ironically has evolved into a mecca for real-life witches, psychics and members of various religious groups. “There’s somewhat of a carnival atmosphere to being in the ‘Witch City,’ but there are real rituals performed there as well that are mixed in with some of this commercialism,” says Christopher White, an assistant professor of religious studies at Georgia State University who researches modern religions in America. “This is just like the rest of America – sacred and secular at the same time.” The emergence of alternative religious groups in Salem is part of a larger trend in American society, where membership in mainstream Protestant denominations is on the decline and New Age, Scientology, Kabbalah and Eastern religions are growing in popularity, says White. “Salem is a good place to study the changes in religion in America, because people still live with the past – yet it’s so contemporary with all these new religious movements,” he says. “It represents a paradox in American culture.” Contact White at 404/651-0724 or cgwhite@gsu.edu.

Professor solving mysteries of Mummy’s tomb
   In Hollywood movies, mummies often come to life, wrapped in decaying yellow bandages and frightening the daylights out of the living. It’s all special effects – but, however unintentionally, filmmakers may have hit on a grain of truth. According to Melinda K. Hartwig, an ancient-Egyptian art history expert at Georgia State University, the paintings on tomb walls of ancient Thebes (modern Luxor, Egypt) illustrate cultural beliefs about death and the afterlife in the days when elaborate, ritualistic burials were common. "Tomb images were not only retrospective of a life well-lived but prospective in that they magically ensured the eternal life and survival of the owner," says Hartwig, author of "Tomb Painting and Society in Ancient Thebes, 1419-1372 B.C." For more, contact her at 404/651-0587 or mhartwig@gsu.edu.

Researcher courts diagnosis, prevention of pox-related illnesses
   As public health officials continue to monitor the likelihood of bioterroristic attacks here and abroad, U.S. scientists are trying to develop safe and effective ways to protect people from several virulent and often life-threatening diseases. Georgia State University chemistry professor Jenny Yang is searching for ways to quickly and efficiently diagnose and prevent diseases caused by pox viruses, such as monkey pox, camel pox and smallpox. Researchers currently lack good tools to analyze or quickly diagnose such illnesses, and vaccines for some diseases, such as smallpox, can cause severe and even deadly side effects in those with heart disease, HIV and cancer. Yang collaborates with scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, contact her at 404/651-4620 or the-cherry@gsu.edu.

Thou shalt not violate the Constitution
   It’s possible to display the Ten Commandments on government property in ways that aren’t unconstitutional, but courthouses aren’t the right venue, says Neil Kinkopf, associate professor of law at Georgia State University. Kinkopf can provide insight into two appeals involving the Ten Commandments that the U.S. Supreme Court is set to consider soon. One involves the posting of the Ten Commandments in Kentucky courthouses, while the other concerns a Ten Commandments monument on the Texas Capitol grounds. Kinkopf says displays of the Ten Commandments on government property wouldn’t be unconstitutional representations of state-sponsored religion if they were truly part of an exhibit of various laws. “For example, one can imagine that a Library of Congress exhibit on legal codes throughout history wouldn’t be very good if it left out the Ten Commandments,” Kinkopf says. “But courthouses do not normally feature museum-type exhibits.” Sometimes government officials will make the token gesture of including other historical documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, but it’s clear that highlighting the Ten Commandments is their real goal, Kinkopf says. Contact him at 404/651-0892 or nkinkopf@gsu.edu.

The real thing? Bush, Kerry sell themselves like soda
   Marketing techniques used to sell cola and computers are increasingly being used to advertise political candidates like George Bush and John Kerry, says Georgia State University marketing professor Naveen Donthu. He points to comparative ads now airing that pit the men against each other in ways similar to Coke vs. Pepsi. Donthu is currently analyzing presidential candidates’ ads and getting people’s reactions to them. He is particularly interested in how today’s candidates depend on marketing research. Two-time presidential candidate Gary Hart helped pioneer politicians’ use of marketing research 20 years ago, Donthu says, while Bill Clinton took the art to a whole new level, hardly making a move without it. Politicians now commonly refer to focus groups and perceptual maps before deciding what positions to take so they can mold themselves into the “perfect” candidate, he adds. Such strategies are being employed by politicians locally and nationally. Contact Donthu at 404/651-1043 or ndonthu@gsu.edu.

Bundle up with a good book – and become a force for social change
   When the weather gets colder, curling up with a blanket and a good book typically becomes a favorite pastime for adults and children alike. Parents can use their children’s renewed interest in reading as an opportunity to both foster a lifelong love of books and to teach them about good citizenship, says a professor in the Georgia State University College of Education. “Books are the shaping forces in kids’ lives,” says Dana Fox, associate professor of middle/secondary education. “Children’s literature is a strong force to bring about social change – these are not just innocent picture books with nice stories.” Fox is co-editor of “Stories Matter: The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children’s Literature.” She says teachers and parents can use books as a means to explore complex social issues and teach young people how to “empathize with others, be sensitive to others and how to imagine a different way of life.” Contact Fox at 404/651-4050 or dfox@gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

Documentary looks at branding of ‘knock offs’
   Georgia State University and IMAGE Film & Video Center present a screening of “Knock Off: Revenge on the Logo” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Georgia State Student Center Speaker’s Auditorium in association with the exhibition Strange Planet. The 2004 documentary by Anette Baldauf and Katharina Weingartner takes a look at New York City’s Chinatown, examining an underground economy of people who resist the globalized culture of brand-name labels by using the science of branding against itself. Viewers are invited to dress in “knock off” style and attend a post-screening party in the Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design Gallery immediately following the film. For more information, contact Cathy Byrd, gallery director, at 404/651-0489 or cathybyrd@gsu.edu.

Composer John Harbison in residence at Georgia State Oct. 25-26
   The School of Music welcomes renowned American composer John Harbison for a two-day residency at Georgia State University, culminating in a free concert featuring works by the composer and performed by guest artist Rose Mary Harbison, violin, and School of Music faculty performers and ensembles. John Harbison will deliver the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Lecture, “Aspects of Composition,” at noon Oct. 25 in the Florence Kopleff Recital Hall. The concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. While in residence, Harbison will also coach School of Music ensembles and participate in a composer’s seminar. For more information, contact Helene Erenberg at 404/651-1326 or herenberg@gsu.edu.

Ramatou Diakite in concert at Rialto
   The 2004-2005 Rialto Series continues with a concert from Ramatou Diakite at 8 p.m. Oct. 24 in the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. Diakite grew up in one of West Africa's richest musical environments, the Wassoulou region of southern Mali. Renowned for its ancient spiritual traditions, magic and hunters' lore, Wassoulou has in recent years produced some of the funkiest pop music in contemporary Mali. A soulful, standout singer, Diakite is poised to share her path-breaking music with a worldwide audience. Tickets are $26-52 and may be purchased at www.rialtocenter.org or by calling 404/651-4727.

‘Putumayo Presents Latinas: Women of Latin America’
   Putumayo World Music presents a concert celebration of the soulful and inspirational music of Latin American women with its tour of “Putumayo Presents Latinas: Women of Latin America” at 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. Featuring three extraordinary divas — Colombia’s dynamic cumbia queen Totó La Momposina, Chile’s folk legend Mariana Montalvo and Brazil’s pop sensation Belô Velloso — “Latinas” represents an exhilarating cross-section of contemporary and traditional Latin American music. Tickets are $26-52 and may be purchased at www.rialtocenter.org or by calling 404/651-4727.

Diversity education scholar to speak at annual Mays lecture
   Teacher educator and diversity-education scholar Joyce King will give the keynote address, “A Call for Human Excellence in the New Century,” during the 16th annual Benjamin E. Mays Lecture/College of Education Speaker Series at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 in the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. A reception precedes the program at 6 p.m. in the Rialto lobby. King, former provost and professor of education at Spelman College, was recently appointed the Benjamin E. Mays Chair of Urban Teaching, Learning and Leadership at Georgia State University. The lecture is sponsored by Georgia State’s College of Education and Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the College of Education at 404/651-2525.

Georgia State Leads is a biweekly e-mail publication from the Department of University Relations. For more information about the publication or to sign up to receive Georgia State Leads, contact Beth Flannigan at 404/651-3576 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

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