no such thing as breathing room

This semester has been one thing after another and thus, I've neglected the heck out of writing anything on this page. I'm writing now with the hope of correcting that, however briefly.

That said, there's some fun things coming up this week that I am tremendously exciting about.
First, BSU is hosting a point of view conference on HUMAN RIGHTS!!!! Click on the subject heading for the schedule. The events that I'm planning on attending for sure are:
“Human Rights Definition” with sociology professor Virginia Husting. 1-1:50 p.m., Student Union Farnsworth Room. “The Hague War Crimes Tribunal” with history professor Nick Miller. 9-9:50 p.m., Student Union Bishop Barnwell Room.“The Environment and Human Rights,” with anthropology professor John Ziker and history professor Lisa Brady. 2:40-3:30 p.m., Student Union Farnsworth Room.• “Understanding Globalization: Pros/Cons,” with the Boise State Talkin’ Broncos Debate Team. 4:10-5 p.m., Student Union Farnsworth Room.

Beyond this, I've spent many many hours in the past week researching graduate programs and trying to narrow down an academic career path I truly wish to pursue. My choices, beyond the specific disciplines of English, History or Sociology, are human rights studies (of which, the graduate program choices are QUITE limited) and American Studies. After having researched both hrs and american studies, I'm actually leaning towards Human Rights Studies OR International Relations with a specific emphasis on Human Rights. I want to understand America in a global context and Human Rights in its global applicability. I've spent days now going through various human rights journals, human rights syllabi, graduate programs here and abroad and faculty bios to weigh my options. Graduate Programs in Human Rights include the University of Denver's , Columbia University's MA in Human Rights Studies and a plethora of degrees/programs in places such as Ottawa and Oxford among others. Graduate/PhD programs abound in International Relations however and many of the Universities that I'm seriously considering have both faculty and research fascilities/programs/journals dedicated to Human Rights Studies. I've come across some wonderful human rights journals in this "scavanger hunt" that make me excited about the idea of being a scholar in this field.
Here are the links to those:
Human Rights Dialogue
http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/listpublications.php/prmPubTypeID/39

Ethics and International Affairs Journal http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/listpublications.php/prmPubTypeID/37

Harvard Human Rights Journal
http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/hrj/

From this research, I've had the pleasure of trying to figure who can be called "Experts" in the field of Human Rights. I have favorite authors and books, certainly, but trying to narrow done particular theorists, theoretical approaches, renowned scholars and academic contributions has proved quite challenging.

I'm also being interviewed this week for the "Women Making History" award at BSU, submitting poems for publication, researching for my senior honors thesis prospectus, researching for my McNair's project, taking a workshop on Understanding Trauma and attending a parent-teacher conference. Researching the professor bios and especially their academic publications is also incredibly exciting, as the idea unfolds: I could work with these people someday. I could have these discussions, review books such as these, publish my own research. I am not ruling out American studies either, just trying to decide on a graduate program that will allow the challenge, freedom and experience to do the kind of work I want to do. More to come later. ~peace~