07.05.2014 Nerd Nite Berlin #19
Ben Morgan: Popular Music as Cultural Change Agent
Can a song significantly change people’s values or beliefs, can it fundamentally alter society? Most of us would say “Yes, of course, haven’t you heard [insert their favorite song from when they were 18]”? But can music with specific calculated intervention agendas effectively push this message out to a target audience without seeming like propaganda or advertising? We will look at some failures and success stories.
Ben Morgan is studying at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy, who are going to be giving him a master’s degree in International Economics and Cultural Diplomacy in conjunction with the University of Babeș-Bolyai for talking about the role culture can play in politics and development. He was once the boss of Nerd Nite Liberia.
Hans Strömsdörfer: Rentnersprache
„Hallo, wie geht’s?“ – „Muss ja!“ Alte Menschen sagen oft komische Dinge. Und sie sagen sie immer wieder. Doch welchen Sinn erfüllen die redundanten Sprüche, die schalen Witze? Funktionieren sie nach bestimmten Regeln? Dürfen wir uns darüber lustig machen? Müssen wir uns gar darüber lustig machen? Ein Ausflug in die Abstellkammer der Linguistik – „Rentnersprache“.
Hans Strömsdörfer studierte in Potsdam und geht in Berlin einem seriösen Beruf nach. Besser als anders herum.
Sam Loewenberg: A drop in a bucket – the search for solutions to water & sanitation problems. Lessons and questions from Kenya and Uganda
The talk will focus on the relationship between water and hunger, and concretely about specific interventions and what can – and isn’t – being done. Sam Loewenberg will share his findings, in words and pictures, from his four week journey through Kenya’s arid northern regions and urban slums, to look at the challenges they face and to assess a variety of innovative solutions.
Sam Loewenberg: Journalist, Nieman Global Health Reporting Fellow at Harvard University, class of 2012.
Musik:
Acero Rojo, spanish for red iron, will make all of your wildest dreams come true. If you’re like most people I know, your dreams include an multi-national alternative bluegrass trio and a fully stocked bar. Carlos Alarcon (mandolin/fiddle) Nashville Nick Gloeckner (upright bass) and Jeremy Fitzkee (guitar/banjo) play original heart felt compositions with a couple bluegrass standards thrown in for authenticity’s sake. Although the vibe is incredibly laid back, Acero Rojo remains as tight as a roosters egg hole. Close your eyes and you’ll think you’ve wandered into the back woods of West Virginy minus the inherent dangers. (see Deliverance, 1972) So what’s the difference between alternative and regular bluegrass you ask? Alternative bluegrass is played by guys who grow up listening to rock and can’t quite come to terms with the the ‘hee-haw’ aspect that repels most urban hipsters from fully embracing the genre. Real bluegrass is way harder to play.More at: www.acerorojo.de
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