Redefining the American Identity:
A Student Conference on Ethnic Diversity
Selected Papers
We are pleased to present several papers that Washington College students gave at the student research confer-ence sponsored by Washington College and Goucher College on March 28, 2002 on our campus. Inspired by the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the conference served as a forum for the discussion and exploration of issues that celebrate or challenge the diversity of the United States and the unifying forces of democracy that hold our nation together. As evidenced by the subsequent events-the terrorist attacks, the backlash against Arab-Americans, the rallying of national pride and identity-one characteristic of America that is unique and that should be a source of strength and pride is its diverse communities.
This student research conference, a first in the College's history, was organized by Professor Bonnie Ryan, Jesse Ball Dupont Minority Scholar and Lecturer in Anthropology. Professor Ryan is currently Associate Director of Washington College's African American Archaeology Project and Field Director of the Field School in Archaeology. With others, she is investigating Harriet Tubman's birthplace in Bucktown, Maryland. Professor Leslie Brown, Jesse Ball Dupont Minority Scholar at Goucher Scholar assisted.
A number of other Washington College professors helped to organize the conference and choose the papers to be presented: Donald McColl (Art), Tahir Shad (Political Science), Jeanette Sherbondy (Anthropology), Ruth Shoge (Librarian), Janet Sorrentino (History), and Ted Widmer (Center for the Study of the American Experience). Melissa Deckman (Political Science), Jacquelyn Jones (English), and Leah Newell (Director of International Students and Programs) also collaborated.
Opening the conference with a keynote address Dr. Seble Dawit, Director of Peace Studies at Goucher College, strongly urged everyone to work for conflict resolution locally and throughout the world. Twelve Washington College students were the presenters in two sessions. In this volume of the Washington College Review we publish the papers that William Smiley, Emanuel Simmons, and Yukiko Omagari presented in the first session, titled "Where Self-Identity and National Identity Meet: Looking at Solutions to Conflict," and the papers that Justin Mills and Paula Persoleo gave in the second session, "El Pluribus Unum: Making It Work." They are printed here in the same order in which they were given in the conference, from William Smiley's wry commentary and Emanuel Simmons' emotional cry to Yukiko Omagari's plan for solving global conflict in the first session, and in the second session from Justin Mills' thoughtful comments on identity to Paula Persoleo's ethnographic take on events.
Jeanette E. Sherbondy
Editor