October 9, 2014

Seventh Time’s the Charm

After having lost to Georgia Tech six times, Duke aims to reclaim its offense and emerge victorious Saturday. | Page 5

“Smartest Dog in the World” Duke graduate works with Chaser, who has learned to recognize more than 1,000 objects | Page 2

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

ONE HUNDRED AND TENTH YEAR, ISSUE 31

University goes day by day in time of student grief Gautam Hathi Health & Science Editor

Anthony Alvernaz | The Chronicle Construction continued on the West Union, with the laying of the foundation this week. The three year project has led to the closure of the Bryan Center Plaza and will result in a transformed Union with more dining options and student space.

After the deaths of Alexander Rickabaugh and Kaila Brown Sept. 21, the University has reached out to those potentially affected by the tragedy while deferring a campus-wide discussion of the issues surrounding those events.

Many elements of the student life team— including Counseling and Psychological Services and DukeReach—have sought to inform students about the availability of their services. These organizations have also worked to identify individual students who may have been affected by the deaths and offer them ongoing support. But the University has thus far decided against translating this support into a campus-wide opportunity to discuss psychological issues affecting students who may be mourning, despite lingering concerns about the ability to effectively reach students potentially in need of psychological resources. A cause of death has not yet been announced for either Brown or Rickabaugh.

“When we have an incident on campus…we try to identify which students might be affected by that particular incident and we try to figure out how to best reach out to those students and offer them See Discussion on Page 3

Student Health works to bridge communication gap Students criticize the clinic’s hours and location as cold and flu season sets in

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Neelesh Moorthy The Chronicle This winter will mark Duke’s first cold and flu season since the 1990s with all student health services in one location—and some students are expressing concern about whether Student Health can accommodate everyone.

Duke closed its East Campus Student Health location after the Fall 2013 semester, bringing its services to the West Campus location. As more students seek out medical care at the clinic as autumn sets in, some have expressed dissatisfaction with appointment scheduling. The Student Health clinic’s location in the Davi-

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son building and limited hours have also phone was just frustrating,” said freshman elicited criticism. John Vaughn, director of Amon Williams. “We kept getting transStudent Health, acknowledged issues with ferred to a machine instead of a real perthe current system but emphasized that son.” the clinic does its best to The clinic’s locaaccommodate student tion—off of Flowers t’s impossible to even needs.

Drive, across from the “I’m confident in saySarah P. Duke Gardens— find the place. It’s ing this: if someone is can be a deterrent to sick, if someone wakes counterintuitive and it runs students, said freshman up with a high fever, if against the principles of the Parmida Mostafavi. you need to be seen, you institution. It kind of defeats “It’s impossible to will be seen,” Vaughn even find the place,” Mosaid. “We’re here for the the purpose when you’re stafavi said. “It’s counstudents.” terintuitive and it runs already sick, already not Some students ex- performing [at] 100 percent. against the principles of pressed frustration at the the institution. It kind inaccessibility of the clin— Parmida Mostafvi of defeats the purpose ic. A number of students when you’re already sick, recalled encountering busy phone lines or already not performing [at] 100 percent.” voicemail when they attempted to contact Students have also criticized the hours Student Health.

See Student Health on Page 4 “Getting in touch with them on the

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Darbi Griffith | The Chronicle Duke Student Health has been criticized for its hours and location.

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Duke graduate helps train Clinical Research Center sheds “smartest dog in the world” light on oft-overlooked fibroids Rebecca Chen The Chronicle The Duke Clinical Research Institute is involved in a project that has received $20 million to determine the effectiveness of various uterine fibroid treatments.

Researchers will follow patients receiving a wide range of fibroid treatments at those sites and track their courses of treatment. Fibroids, the most common tumors in women, impact over half of all women. Currently, fibroids cost the United States healthcare system more money than Type II diabetes, said Dr. Phyllis Leppert, professor emeritus of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“We’ve never, ever in the country looked at the various ways to treat fibroids—how effective they are, what the outcomes are [and] what happens after treatment in terms of pregnancy,” Leppert said.

The project will help patients make decisions about which treatments would be best for them given their individual characteristics, said Dr. Evan Myers, head of the study and chief of clinical and epidemiologic research.

Nine different clinical centers across the country are involved, a significant sample size and geographic distribution compared to previous studies.

Myers said he also wants to examine which Special to The Chronicle treatments are most effective in the long run, John Pilley, professor of psychology at Wofford College, trained his dog, Chaser, to recognize since symptoms often recur with treatments the names of more than 1,000 objects. other than hysterectomy.

Abigail Xie The Chronicle The “smartest dog in the world” has captured the spotlight of 60 Minutes and the centerpiece of research by a Duke graduate.

Chaser, a 10-year-old Border Collie, recognizes the names of over 1,000 objects—making her vocabulary range three times that of an average two-year old human. John Pilley, Chaser’s owner and professor of psychology at Wofford College, spent four to five hours per day extensively teaching Chaser—following research on a dog in Germany who understood the names of over 200 objects.

Pilley and Alliston Reid, Graduate School ‘81 and Reeves Family Professor of Psychology at Wofford, determined that Chaser could learn names using associative learning techniques and also differentiate between these names and orders to fetch them.

“Starting off, Chaser was probably no more intelligent than other border collies,” Reid said. “She learned how to learn, which is more a characteristic of her experience than her genetics or her natural intelligence.”

Chaser’s ability to learn and remember the names of these proper nouns reveals her capacity to relate both auditory and visual stimuli through an efficient memory system and extensive vocabulary. She also knows the difference between nouns and verbs and can perform a task that Dr. Reid calls learning by exclusion. During this task, an object, whose name Chaser does not know, is placed in a pile of objects with familiar names. When asked to retrieve the object with the foreign name, Chaser can rule out the objects she recognizes, successfully match the unknown object with the unknown name and retrieve it.

“The experiments we published demonstrate that Chaser understands a lot more than we thought,” Reid said. “That’s helped create some experimental designs that other people can go back and replicate with their own dogs.”

Pilley and Reid’s study aims to understand both how extensive training can impact a dog’s vocabulary and what dogs actually understand when humans communicate with See Smart Dog on Page 4

Funding for this project will be provided by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Researchers on the project submitted an application that the two foundations sent out Sateria Venable for the grant.

“It would be really great to say to a woman, ‘You have this kind of a fibroid, and we think the best treatment for you would be xyz,’” Leppert said. “Right now that’s not true. I know people who’ve had three myomectomies [surgeries to remove fibroids] and the fibroids recur, and that’s kind of a tragedy.”

The emphasis on patient feedback distinguishes this study from others, said Sateria Venable, the patient representative for the study registry’s Steering Committee.

“Often, research efforts are focused on the results or outcomes only,” Venable said. “Treatment of any health concern should be a collaboration between the patient and physician, and so I would hope [this study] encourages more dialogue.”

Leppert said she hopes the findings from this study will highlight gaps in knowledge and further areas of research.

“There’s still a lot of basic research that has to be done…to understand these tumors and develop even more therapies than we have today,” Leppert said.

A Look into the Future

Sophia Durand | The Chronicle The Class of 2015 commemorated their four years on campus by placing items representing their Duke experience into a time capsule.

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DISCUSSION continued from page 1

support,” Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek said.

The University reaches out Following the loss of Brown—a fifth-year graduate student in English—and Rickabaugh—a sophomore in the Pratt School of Engineering—the University has identified students who may be affected through a wide-ranging network which includes student wellness organizations, University staff, fellow students and other community members.

Though wellness staff have been careful to avoid intruding unnecessarily into the lives of students, they have reached out to individuals who may have been affected by the deaths of Brown and Rickabaugh, Wasiolek said.

“People observe and notice different things about students in different aspects of their experience here at Duke,” Wasiolek said.

“Unless folks are communicating with each other and staying connected with each other, then we’re really not in the best position to truly support students in the way that we could and we should.”

Student wellness organizations have also tried to create environments where students can help each other and community members can seek help for students who may be in distress. CAPS has held events throughout the past several weeks with mental health professionals on hand to help students. More than 100 people attended a memorial event held

by CAPS in Kilgo Quad immediately following the announcements of the losses.

“We just created a space,” said Gary Glass, associate director for outreach and developmental programming at CAPS. “We’re delivering a message to students that you should allow yourself to be impacted by this, giving

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a little bit of education of normal reaction to something like this, and of course letting them know about all the resources.”

DukeReach, which provides a way for community members to identify students who are in distress and have professionals reach out to them, has also increased awareness of its services in response to the tragedy.

Despite the impact of the deaths and the ongoing outreach efforts, neither CAPS nor DukeReach has seen an uptick in caseload beyond what might normally occur during midterm weeks.

“Right now, before midterms, is always the time of year that we can naturally see an uptick in services and outreach,” Director of DukeReach Amy Powell said. “Students have a lot of stress around this time of year.”

A deferred conversation Although student wellness organizations will continue outreach efforts through fall break, the University has so far decided against a broader response to the deaths of Rickabaugh and Brown, Wasiolek said. This decision may change in the future, but there is no current plan to encourage a campus-wide discussion of grieving, mental health or psychological resources in the wake of the recent tragedies.

“It’s yet to be determined exactly whether there will be some kind of broader conversation,” Wasiolek said. “From our standpoint, we’re doing this work on a daily basis.”

Other than an initial email announcing the deaths to the undergraduate and graduate student bodies, the University has refrained from discussing the incidents through campus-wide communication channels. Instead, Duke has opted for a more targeted approach, with wellness organizations reaching out to specific students.

“We’ve just continued to communicate to folks that we’re here,” Wasiolek explained. “I don’t think that this has involved a mass communication to the whole campus. I think that

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 | 3

pus of highly competitive people who always feel like they need to have it together, and that’s a challenge,” Glass said. “When you’re in an environment that’s highly competitive, strength gets defined very narrowly and the taboo on struggle is greater.”

Glass explained that he sometimes sees students who have come to CAPS for help with depression, anxiety or self-harm issues but appear to be completely composed on the outside.

“They look like they’re ready to give a job Lingering concerns interview,” Glass said. “Even when they’re in Student wellness organizations do, how- pain, they remain very impressive.” ever, remain concerned about the lack of With the deaths of Rickabaugh and Brown, awareness and communication with regards these concerns have become even more acute to mental health awareness on campus—as a for student life staff members and the mental reaction to grieving the deaths of Brown and health professionals at CAPS. Glass said that Rickabaugh, but also more generally among the University could do more to address the the student body. broader issues of mental health within the Duke community and the Glass and CAPS Director Wanda Collins noted questions that have been t’s yet to be deterraised following the two that they continue to mined exactly whether student deaths. work on increasing the emotional openness of there will be some kind “The general culprit Duke students and reduc- of broader conversation. in so many, if not most, ing the stigma surroundDuke students’ struggles From our standpoint, we’re is how hard it is for them ing vulnerability.

“There’s a level of doing this work on a daily to deal with unpredictcontainment. The anxi- basis. ability and uncertainty,” ety is very contained. If Glass said. “I think that someone is struggling, my — Sue Wasiolek [we should] as an eduimpression is that they’re cational institution help less likely to seem emostudents learn to manage tionally distraught in a visible way than you the emotional impact of that even before a tragedy happens.” might see on other campuses,” Collins said.

Wasiolek agreed that the recent deaths This makes identifying students who may be in distress increasingly difficult, even for may raise questions about the campus enviclose friends or University staff that a student ronment that need to be answered. may regularly interact with. This is especially “Two deaths are tragic beyond belief and true given that University officials have to not only tragic and sad but certainly potenstrike a balance between ensuring student tially frightening and question-raising,” Wawellness and becoming an intrusion into the siolek said. “We would invite conversations lives of individual students. about concerns about those two deaths and “The warning signs are invisible on a cam- about anything else on campus.”

it’s been more of a grassroots kind of effort.”

Administrators have deferred comment on the details of the deaths until the release of the medical examiner’s reports, which are currently pending. In North Carolina, county medical examiners have up to 14 days to create a report and send it to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to the administrative code of the N.C. OCME. The report then undergoes processing by the OCME, which can take days or weeks.

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STUDENT HEALTH

support.

“After hours, we contract with UNC HealthLink, a nurse line, so if you call at six when the clinic is closed, you can continued from page 1 speak to a real-life nurse, and if need be, [be] connected to the on-call doctor,” Vaughn said.

Student Health keeps during the school week—from 8:30 Vaughn recognized that communication between Stua.m. to 5 p.m. on all days except for Wednesday, when the dent Health and the student body has not always been clinic opens at 9:30 a.m.—in addition to effective. Student Health is currently 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. hours on Saturday. taking steps to improve its outreach, he tried to call them mul- said, adding that he recently met with “I was pretty sick with a sore throat that I was scared it could have been strep tiple times at 5:50 p.m. Duke Student Government representalast week, and I tried to call them mul- on a Tuesday and 9:24 a.m. tives. tiple times at 5:50 p.m. on a Tuesday and “That’s something we’re working 9:24 a.m. on a Wednesday,” said fresh- on a Wednesday. Those are on, our communication with students,” man Alex Doan. “Those are not absurd not absurd hours to expect Vaughn said, noting that Student Health hours to expect a clinic to be open.” is in the process of launching the Healthy a clinic to be open.

The clinic tries to be flexible in alDevil online magazine, a new communilotting appointment slots to students — Alex Doan cation initiative that would educate stuin need, regardless of whether they are dents on how to stay healthy. walking or calling in, Vaughn said.

“Wash your hands, carry hand sanitizer, cough into your Although the clinic is appointment-based, it also pro- sleeves and don’t share cups or utensils,” Vaughn advised. vides care to walk-in patients. Depending on the time of “It really comes down to the simple stuff.” day, however, patients who walk in might have longer wait times than they may have anticipated, which is why the clinic recommends scheduling ahead of time, said JJ Gleim, a clinic service representative at the front desk. He noted, continued from page 2 however, that call-ins do not take precedence over walk-ins.

“An appointment is an appointment for every student,” Gleim said. “It’s first-come first-serve. By calling ahead, stu- them through language. dents can avoid being told they have to come back in an“I think it’s really useful for all of us to get some idea of how much a dog understands when we talk to them,” Reid said. other two hours once they’re already here.”

Even when appointments are filled for the day, walk- “Every dog owner has wondered that.” in students will always be seen by a triage nurse, who will He added that the study can shed light on the implications evaluate their condition and decide whether their ailment of human language as well. is serious enough to be seen that day or wait for a later date.

“When you ask a nonhuman to respond to these sounds, ‘“The nurses may go ‘we have more pressing patients we have to ask, what is a word?” Reid said. “They’re just sounds with fevers of 104 [degrees],’ and might recommend some that achieve meaning through practice, and Chaser learned home remedies,” Vaughn said. “[They might] ask you to through practice.” come back in a few days if you’re not feeling better, but you Although Chaser exhibits remarkable abilities, research is will have been clinically evaluated.” beginning to show that canine intelligence and cognition is The clinic offers additional services in an attempt to not unique to her. reach as many students as possible—such as a separate “Humans and animals have lots of cognitive abilities, innurse triage line, which guarantees a call back by the end cluding actual reason, which has not been tested in the realm of the day, and a partnership with the University of North of language,” Reid said. “It’d be very useful to find out what Carolina at Chapel Hill’s HealthLink service for after-hours sort of reasoning a dog can do.”

A Hunger Strike for Kobani

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SMART DOG

Darbi Griffith | The Chronicle Duke students enrolled in PhD programs are on a hunger strike, hoping to raise awareness about Kobani, an area at the border of Turkey and Syria that is currently being targeted by ISIS.

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VOLUME 16, ISSUE 7

OCTOBER 9, 2014

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R recess editors

Goin’ to Starbucks ...

Katie Fernelius.........gingerbread latte Gary Hoffman......................... dunkin’ Drew Haskins ...caramel macchiatto soy Stephanie Wu............................water Izzi Clark ...................... iced chai latte Sid Gopinath ................ caribou coffee

“What’s that?” he wondered out loud to his friend. Unintentionally within eavesdropping distance behind the two students walking before me, I followed their gaze and likewise directed my attention to a small tent situated on the lawn near the West Campus bus stop. Four people were sitting next to the tent, which prominently bore a sign that read in bold letters, “Hunger Strike.”

“I don’t know. It says ‘hunger strike’ and...something hashtag…,” she said as they continued to walk past, eyes fixated on the sign, but legs continuing to move forward, until eventually, they had left the area altogether. Highly reminiscent of the way people tend to walk past the painted pianos, rather than stopping to listen to the music, they made no effort to fulfill their curiosity or to gain a greater understanding of what it was they had just witnessed.

Why do people tend to shy away from art that is participatory—art that escapes the confines of a glass wall and wooden frame? Why do we not approach or engage with art that is right in front of us, the art that is pertinent to the here and now?

If one were to count the number of people who enter the Louvre every day in order to see Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, it would number in the thousands.

The unexpectedly small painting always boasts a robust crowd filled with avid visitors whose sole purpose in seeing the painting seems to be to take a selfie with the Mona Lisa. There is no shyness. It would not be difficult to imagine a scene of extensive pushing and shoving, so great is the desire of those who have come to see the painting that patience is secondary.

Why do people behave so differently toward art, based on whether the art piece is physically in our shared environment or whether it is physically removed from our environment, behind a piece of glass?

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More Online Check out the Recess online blog for reviews of the latest music and movies.

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There is no doubt that the Mona Lisa is a timeless, masterful painting, yet what I see beyond that enigmatic smile which has so captured the fascination of the world, is little if not anything more than a portrait of a woman who lived in the early 16th century. The viewer has no personal relationship with her, (aside from potential distant, unknown ancestors) yet this emotional and physical detachment which defines the relationship between her and the viewer conflicts with the viewer’s desire to create a relationship with her, and with the work of art.

Paradoxically, we attempt to give meaning to (through a kind of pilgrimage to Paris to see the Mona Lisa) works of art far removed from our lives and from the present, yet avoid those works which are most pertinent to our current situation.

The tent which screams “Hunger Strike” on the West Campus lawn, involves a group of students who stand in solidarity with those afflicted in Turkey, where assaults by the Islamic State and subsequent street violence has led to the death of at least 21 people. In this situation—the advancement of ISIS, the lack of Turkish government intervention on behalf of its people, the calls of the Kurds for aerial assistance and weaponry, the death of civilians—it cannot be ethically right to merely express curiosity without a desire to engage.

The performative nature of the piece lies in the dialogue it creates—not only between those actually immersed in the events unfolding in Turkey and the artist activists physically removed but emotionally immersed in the situation, but also between the artists and the onlookers. More so than any other form of art, performance art can exist fully only in the presence of witnesses and participants, because its intrinsic value lies in its creation of conversation and interaction, sometimes even action, on

the part of its witnesses. Performance art is based on actions of the human body, and through its direct portrayal of human experiences and states, engages viewers to connect with the artist’s performance on both a personal and universal level.

But if performance art stimulates an immediacy of experience involving greater human engagement, then why do we persist in walking away?

This is a question of safety, of personal safety. Art behind a piece of glass cannot hurt us; it cannot prod us with a stick and activate our behavior or thinking in one way or another. But art in the real world can and does. When art escapes the confines of the wall, ignoring the physical limits historically imposed by a frame, it imposes itself onto our environment and onto us.

Our environment becomes one that we share with art, and our environment no longer feels safe. Whereas we traditionally were able to maintain a distance between works of art and ourselves, this becomes no longer possible with performance art, as with the tent. It’s uncomfortable.

Art that calls for the active engagement of the “viewer” (perhaps a more apt term would be “participant”) in taking on something more than just seeing and observing, knows no bounds. This kind of art, which has thrown off the chains that link it to the gallery wall, is exhilarating and enticing. Yet our fear of its encroachment into the physical world has limited its impact, and has prevented us from becoming fully aware of the power of performance art and its ability to question our ethics and beliefs. Our fear of actively engaging with art in an extremely human dimension is something that we must strive to overcome if we want to experience art in its fullness.

- Stephanie Wu

D U K E P E RFORMA N C ES

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Robert Rauschenberg, The Ancient Incident (Kabal American Zephyr), 1981. Wood-and-metal stands and wood chairs, 86 1⁄2 x 92 x 20 inches (219.7 x 233.7 x 50.8 cm). © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation / Licensed by VAGA, New York, New York.

The exhibition Rauschenberg: Collecting and Connecting is made possible by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, New York. At the Nasher Museum, the exhibition is made possible by Trent Carmichael; David L. Paletz Innovative Teaching Funds; Office of Academic Affairs, Trinity College, Duke University; Parker and Otis; and Nancy A. Nasher and David Haemisegger.

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Recess visits Girls Rock North Carolina Rally

recess Annie Piotrowski The Chronicle The morning of the Girls Rock NC concert as I ate breakfast in Au Bon Pain, I sleepily half-watched an infomercial for a “wheelbarrow for women.”

“It’s the easiest way for women to move heavy material!” a man said.

“We don’t need men anymore!” His wife smiles, baring pearly white teeth. “Well, we still need them for some things…”

I feel the rising panic of someone uncertain of if they’re observing a satirical commentary.

Yet, when I think about the ridiculous indignity of fobbing off a poorly designed wheelbarrow on women, it becomes only one of those minor provocations dissected in Jezebel and Buzzfeed articles; an alarm buzzer that screams “misogyny!” for us without ever addressing the real issues.

I can write endless articles on microaggressions: on those Bic pens for women, “Science with a Sparkle” workshops for Girl Scouts, and the fact that every time I ride the C-1, I sit across from a Blue Rose Society sign that legitimately tells me “An intelligent man will open your mind. However, only a gentleman will open your heart.” In fact, I can give you a ten minute monologue on this sign alone, and you might leave with the impression that feminism only seeks to unveil a series of “haha, how ridiculous” moments, that we possess the ability to eliminate misogyny by dissecting it into laughter.

However, fear, not laughter, is the true antithesis to my Girls Rock experience. Fear is why I remain silent when I want to scream as loud as possible. Fear is why women still aren’t given enough platforms to express any anger, much less anger at the real, pervasive issues.

And so, I am watching as high school-age Girls Rock alums take the stage at the Carrboro ArtsCenter and Cat’s Cradle, playing songs–loud, fast, angry and confrontational–about their lives, and I am screaming along in the front row. It’s finally an atmosphere free from fear–not because we’ve pushed it to the side with jokes and evasions, but rather because we’ve screamed about it into a microphone. The atmosphere is absolutely thrilling.

Not every song, however, deals with serious issues.

There’s room for being young and in love with pop culture, and for songs that are perfect in their specificity.

For example, at the Alumni Showcase, the announcer screams into the microphone, “I am so psyched for this!”

“Yeah, so this is a song about Adventure Time!” the front-woman screams back.

Special to the Chronicle

On the wall of the Cat’s Cradle, there’s a series of screen-printed posters of musicians. It’s difficult to tell exactly which male rock stars they are (glasses=John Lennon?) yet when compared to the crowd of teenage rockers with electric guitars and pride pins, they’re outnumbered and silent. “Revolution Grrrl Style Now!”, the rallying cry of the early 90’s riot grrrl movement, is everywhere in the packed concert hall: from Girls Rock NC! alums Cosmic Punk, a trio of high school students, to Shirlette Ammons and her niece Anansi, who rap together while their family members (and the audience in general) screams out the chorus.

By the end of evening, every performer, from Heather McEntire (front-woman of Mount Moriah) to the first band who played, goes wild as Kathleen Hanna grabs the microphone. In front of me, a mother and daughter, dressed in matching bowler hats and suits (yes, this really happened) dance together as Hanna tears through songs from her

current band, The Julie Ruin, as well as classics dating to the the beginning of the riot grrrl movement.

Beginning in 1990 Hanna fronted the punk band Bikini Kill in Olympia, Washington. She was famous for using the rallying cry “Girls to the front,” to make literal space for women in music during a time when punk rock wasn’t safe for women in an extremely visceral way: not only from the inability to be at the mosh pits at the front of the stage, but also to a harshly misogynistic environment that often spilled over into violence. Yet, the blood and guts determination of Hanna and her cohort inspired a countercurrent to punk rock that embraced its DIY ethos while screaming as loud as possible for a voice, a presence in the world.

“I know a lot of you wish you were alive in the 90s, that you feel like you missed out on something,” Hanna said. “ But wait: You’re lucky to be alive now. You’re lucky that this is your time.” For the girls and women crowding Cat’s Cradle, Hanna’s words couldn’t be more true.

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Duke Performances presents Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwalli Christina Lan The Chronicle It’s rare in modern day’s rapidly paced environment to engage in a heightened mental and spiritual awareness that has been an ancient practice in numerous cultures.

On Oct. 9, Duke Performances will provide listeners an opportunity to partake in this kind of extraordinary experience with a performance by the musical group, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali.

In the tradition of Indo-Persian culture, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali is a family legacy of Qawwali music (a form of Indo-Persian Sufi devotional music), spanning over five centuries and headed by the two nephews of one of the greatest Pakistani Qawwali singers, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Nephews Rizwan and Muazzam, along with five backup singers, two harmonium players and one tabla player, have been performing together as a group since the late 20th century.

“Qawwali music, such as articulated by the Rizwan-Muazzam ensemble, is fundamentally a rich, ecstatic and devotional genre of music that brings together the love of God, devotion to the Prophet Muhammad and emulation of the great mystical teachers of Islam. It’s also a thoroughly cosmopolitan genre of music, which typically involves chants in Arabic, poetry written in elegant Persian, and vernacular Urdu and Punjabi poems,” wrote Omid Safi, Director of Duke’s Islamic Studies Center (DISC) in an email.

What characterizes Qawwali most immediately is the robust vocal style, sung in soaring incantations and backed sparsely by

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instrumentals. While Qawwali follows basic musical structures, much of the singing is improvised, dependent on the emotional elation achieved in the present by both the musicians and the audience.

Essentially, Qawwali allows musicians to attain an open and euphoric mentality

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that brings them closer to God. This strengthened connection is physically represented by sitting on the ground, a tradition that members of Rizwan-Muazzam believe consummate the sanctity of the moment.

“It’s not very often that you get to hear

a really great Qawwali group,” said Aaron Greenwald, director of Duke Performances.

“At first, it’s kind of off-the-wall, but...it’s very beautiful, and very moving.”

The music certainly is a testament to the beauty in exalting God, and that devotion is further accentuated by the songs’ content.

With Persian poetry, the lyrics are sung to the divine, but often come in the form of a love poem and seem overtly hedonistic.

“It’s almost carnal in nature but the space between spirituality and romantic love is less defined than Western concepts of love and the divine,” commented Greenwald.

Love, in Qawwali music, is the “primary means of expressing God,” according to Safi.

“Love is not here merely a sentiment, but the very unleashing of God on to this realm.

It is through love that God creates, through love that God sustains, and through love that God ultimately redeems and delivers us back home.”

In the fullest expression of Qawwali, performances last for about 10 hours, and although the performance by RizwanMuazzam Qawwali will be much shorter, the emotions invoked will strive to induce a state of hypnosis.

From Safi, the performance would not so much be one that “one would clap after, but a sacred experience more akin to the ecstatic experience of African-American gospel tradition.”

Whether one is well-versed in IndoPersian culture or types of ‘world-music,’ Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali is an experience that not only instantly mesmerizes, but also one that invites audiences to witness a rich and magical resurgence of the past.

According to Greenwald, it’s an experience that is unparalleled: a “totally remarkable kind of happening.”

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 | 95

A Night with Bo Burnham from my perspective Dillon Fernando The Chronicle

Burnham satirizes societal taboos like race, sex, gender and religion with his comedic videos, songs and stand-up tours.

If there was anything that Bo Burnham wanted to be remembered for during his performance at the Reynolds Industries Theatre on Oct. 2 as sponsored by the Duke University Union, it was he would be willing to perform sexual favors for Coach K. This blunt, crass and altogether hilarious remark reflects the overall tone of his performance last Friday night.

The burgeoning young comedian achieved fame when his early comedic YouTube videos gained a massive popular following. To this day, over 124 million viewers have watched Burnham satirize societal taboos like race, sex, gender and religion with his comedic videos, songs, and stand-up tours.

After a Burnham-themed improv session

by Duke University Improv, Burnham casually took the stage in a white T-shirt and jeans and began his caustic craft. He performed many of his classic sardonic songs from his repertoire like “Art is Dead” and “From God’s Perspective” to treat long time fans, while still managing to sneak in a few new songs throughout the set.

Burnham succeeded in connecting with the audience. Whether it be messing around with the two security guards or giving audience members in the first row a hard time, Burnham fed off of the dynamic of the room. Unlike other comedians who mostly perform a set routine and deal occasionally with hecklers, Burnham went out of his way to make the audience a part of the comedic

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Roshan Yadama | The Chronicle

experience. It’s not so much that these people were punch lines or objects of mockery, but instead, it’s Burnham’s way of breaking the fourth wall (or, as he did in the show, enter a passcode to literally move past it).

Nevertheless, Burnham’s arrogant, judgmental,and crass persona is what made the show.

Much of his comedy is less refined, like that of Bill Cosby’s, but Burnham’s comedy is saturated with an immature yet outrageously funny wit–and this wit has a telling purpose.

From his fairly accurate representation of the shallow way women are represented in hip-hop songs to the fact that country artists can be hypocritical and perpetuate “hickish” stereotypes, Burnham commented on many societal ironies. He basically said what everyone else was thinking but didn’t have the guts to say.

Even more so, the comedian did not shy away from poking fun at Duke. Besides making sexual comments towards Coach K, Burnham also targeted the Duke lacrosse scandal and the student adult film actress, both sensitive issues that have been in the spotlight recently.

However, the Burnham song that demoralized suicide left the audience feeling uncomfortable, especially in light of recent events in the news.

Under the guise of satire, a comedian can say virtually anything without feeling guilty because it is done under the pretense of humor. Satire is meant to offend, critique and conflict, but unless there is a valid social critique, the satire falls flat. Nevertheless, Bo Burnham’s act was hilarious overall. His mix of wit and pure critique made for an enjoyable night that left the entire audience wanting more, and in Burnham’s case, wanting a little bit more of Coach K.

The Chronicle

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10 | THURSDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER9,9,2014 2014 6 | THURSDAY,

Recess interviews comedian Hannibal Burress Drew Haskins Local Arts Editor Buress plays Lincoln on Comedy Central’s hit show ‘Broad City,’ which comes back for its second season in 2015. He is also the co-host of Adult Swim’s ‘The Eric Andre Show,’ which returns in November for its third season. He will perform at the Duke Energy Center on Oct. 19.

TC: You got your start in the writer’s room at places like SNL and 30 Rock, but now most of your work is in front of the camera. How is that transition, and what are the differences between the two?

HB: You get way more [women], man. Being on camera?

Way more [women]. As a writer, it’s real cool. It’s a good time and you get to be creative, you know, be the voice behind your shows. On camera, it’s just more [women].

TC: Do you feel you are more successful in front of the camera or as a w? I know that when you were at Saturday Night Live, you only had one or two of your sketches actually air. Is the process still a good formative one?

HB: Yeah! I mean, you feel more successful on camera because it’s easier to [hook up] from being on camera, you know? As a writer, it’s tougher to prove that you wrote something, but as a performer on camera you can show that easier and you get to [hook up].

TC: Right. So 2014 has been a very busy year for you with the second season of The Eric Andre Show, Broad City debuted and you were in Neighbors, too. How was it like working on all three?

HB: It was good! It’s just been good to work. They’ve just been good projects. It’s helped my standup, and it’s

meet tom

TC: To be honest, Broad City has been my favorite new show of the year so far. How much of that is scripted, and how much of it is improvised? The dialogue seems so natural.

HB: 87% scripted. 13% improvised. We ran some of our episodes through an equation, and that’s what we got.

87%. It’s just in the software that can formulate scripted versus improvise. You can stay to the script a lot, or you can improvise. Just be loose, and improvise and say different stuff, so that’s what we did, man. That’s what we did. We get loose, man. You have to get loose. You can’t always stick to the script.

When we improvise, we try to inspire people to get in touch with their own vibes. We can’t stick to the script all the time.

It’s good to break off and do something different and try to teach the world.

TC: You were just cast in the Angry Birds movie. Can you give me some details about that?

@duke (durham campus)

>> learn more about the duke marine lab while on campus in durham <<

recess

TOM SCHULTZ

just been a real exciting time. You meet people who like my standup, and they like what I’m doing on camera for different projects. The Eric Andre Show has been a lot of fun, and Broad City has hit in a way that I didn’t expect. Neighbors was a really big movie, and I had a small role in that, so it’s been cool to have these things that have been a ton of fun. It’s been incredible, man.

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HB: Not really, no. It comes out in July 2016, which is a long time from now. It’s weird doing stuff that comes out almost two years from now. We could die between now and then! That’s what I’m going to keep not doing. I’m going to try to not die so I can see it when it comes out. I want to finish my role in it. I haven’t really looked at a script! Jason Sudeikis is in it. I have some interactions with his character. It should be fun! Doing animated stuff, you know, putting your voice to something, seeing how it comes together later…you really don’t know. In this case, you don’t really record with other people. You record just on your own, and then they put it together, so it’s exciting to see how it all comes together. It’s a lot of people working on it vocally and behind the scenes in the animation. It’s a tough project to pull off, but I’m excited to see what the final product looks like.

TC: What drew you to the project in the first place?

HB: Well, they said, “Do you want to work?” And I said, “Sure. What is it?” They said, “It’s a movie! It might be big!”

And I said, “Alright. Tell me what I have to do.” They said, “You just have to go to a studio for a couple of hours, talk into a microphone,” and I said, “Sure. That sounds cool.” I said, “When does it come out?” July 2016…and I said, “Wow! I’ll die before it comes out,” and they said, “Yeah, yeah, we know.”

I said, “Whatever, man, OK,” and that’s pretty much it.

TC: What’s it like balancing TV, movies and standup? The schedule must be hectic.

Duke They’re your dining points.

Give them extra f lavor.

HB: It’s cool. I’ve been able to figure out a schedule where I’ve been able to do most of the things I want to do.

Sometimes I do The Eric Andre Show, and then Broad City comes up, and then I’m touring. But you figure it out…it’s good to do different things and be active and reenergize my mind in different ways. That’s how I’m able to be creative and get to do what I love.

TC: When you do standup, what kind of topics do you like talking about?

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HB: I talk a lot about college life. I talk about in college, how people are able to recreate themselves and become a totally different person. You put a show up on campus, but eventually your old self becomes revealed. I talk about hazing and how that’s weird that fraternities haze each other and paddle each other and make each other drink weird things.

I talk about why college costs so much in America…why does private college in America cost so much? I discuss old money…old money and entitlement…old rich people. Old rich people and entitlement.

More Online Students always welcome • Dining Plan Points accepted • Reservations recommended for Fairview • Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Publication: Chronicle Size: 6.625” x 5.125” Job Number: 864-4012 Run Date: September 2, 2014 Dana Communications 609.466.9187

Check out the Recess online blog for the rest of the interview.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 | 11

THE BLUE ZONE

BEHIND ENEMY LINES: GEORGIA TECH

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

Football

Blue Devils look to knock off undefeated Yellow Jackets Nick Martin Sports Editor Seventh time’s the charm. At least that’s what Duke head coach David Cutcliffe and his squad are hoping will be the case Saturday.

Coming off a much-needed bye week, the Blue Devils will make the trip down Duke to the Peach State vs. to take on No. 22 No. 22 Georgia Tech at Georgia 12:30 p.m. at Bobby Tech Dodd Stadium.

SATURDAY, 12:30 p.m.

After Duke’s last trip Bobby Dodd Stadium to Atlanta ended in heartbreak at the hands of Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M in the ChickFil-A Bowl, the Blue Devils will try to leave Atlanta with a better memory in mind this time around. To do so, Duke will have to take down the dreaded spread-option attack employed by a Yellow Jacket squad it has yet to defeat in Cutcliffe’s tenure. “[Head coach Paul] Johnson is the best in the business at designing and running and managing calling this offense,” Cutcliffe said. “They have really good players. They have speed. They have got an offensive line that comes off the football and they know what they are doing.”

When the Blue Devils (4-1, 0-1 in the ACC) take the field Saturday, they will

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Darbi Griffith | The Chronicle Senior wide reciever Jamison Crowder will look to find the end zone for the first time since the season opener against Georgia Tech this Saturday.

look to move past their 22-10 loss at Miami Sept. 27.

Against the Hurricanes, redshirt senior quarterback Anthony Boone had his worst showing since last year’s fourinterception performance at Virginia Tech. The Monroe, N.C., native went 22-of-51 for 179 yards and a pair of interceptions. But the blame was not to be placed squarely on the signal caller’s shoulders.

“We had three turnovers. We had three botched snaps and 29 incompletions.

I was pretty happy that with all that, we scored ten,” Cutcliffe said. “We’ve never had anything like that happen to us before.”

Duke converted just 2-of-16 third downs against Miami, something it will not be able to afford against the Yellow Jackets (5-0, 2-0). In last weekend’s Miami-Georgia Tech contest, the Hurricanes were faced with five third downs and converted only one. If the Blue Devils want to have any success on offense, they will have to take advantage

of every opportunity Saturday.

“It’s always an emphasis on the offense to go out there and execute on [third down],” redshirt senior right guard Laken Tomlinson said. “We want to move the chains. That’s just part of our offense.

We throw the ball, we run the ball and we do whatever it takes to stay on the field.

Obviously what happened last week, the little things we did wrong stopped drives and prevented us from scoring points.

We did a good job last week—the bye week—of preparing and training for Georgia Tech.”

The Yellow Jackets dominated the time of possession against Miami, holding onto the ball for a full 21:30 more than the Hurricanes. After a quick 14 points put up the first quarter, Miami was held to three points in the next four quarters, running only 44 plays throughout the duration of the contest. The Blue Devils took notice of this throughout their various film sessions this week and will look to come out with a sense of urgency early Saturday.

“We definitely know that our possessions are at a premium,” senior wide receiver Jamison Crowder said.

“We have to execute each possession... because we know with their offense, they’re going to work the clock and limit our possessions. Your mindset definitely See Football on Page 7

Field Hockey

Duke set to host No. 16 Boston College, Liberty Ryan Hoecker Staff Writer After a tough pair of road losses last weekend, the Blue Devils will look to regain their footing at home.

No. 11 Duke will No. 16 face No. 16 Boston BC College Friday at vs.

6:00 p.m. before No. 11 taking on Liberty Duke Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

FRIDAY, 6 p.m. at Jack Katz Stadium.

Jack Katz Stadium Both the Blue Devils and the Eagles intend to bounce Liberty back after a string vs. of losses, and the No. 11 Flames will attempt Duke to stretch their current seven-game SUNDAY, 1 p.m. winning streak one Jack Katz Stadium further.

“This [past] weekend was a huge learning experience for us, and this is going to be a defining weekend,” senior forward Jessica

Buttinger said. “Just setting the tone for this week, there is already a different vibe and we are ready to attack things. I think that it’s just going to be motivation for this coming weekend.”

The matchup against Boston College (8-4, 1-2 in the ACC) will be the fourth conference game for Duke (8-3, 1-2) this year. The two teams will vie to move up in the rankings, as they are currently back-to-back in the ACC standings. The Blue Devils sit at No. 4 in the conference after falling to Virginia last Friday and the Eagles rank fifth after dropping a home matchup against Wake Forest.

“For every team in our conference right now it’s a battle, head coach Pam Bustin said. “Boston College is having another great year… so for us it’s just going to be about gutting it out for the full amount of time that it takes. [We need] to really just lock in and grind it out, sticking to our game.”

Boston College is an annual matchup for Duke, and it has proven to be a very worthy opponent—throughout the past four years, the teams have split their games 2-2. After a 2-1 overtime win last year, the Blue Devils will

look to break the back-and-forth trend with a victory for the second year in a row.

“They are very skilled—individually, I know a bunch of them are very good,” junior midfielder Aileen Johnson said. “And they’re scrappy, so you can’t really take them for granted because you never know when they might score.”

Later this weekend, Liberty (8-4) will travel to Durham for a nonconference game, as the Flames look to knock off the Blue Devils and continue their rampage of the Big South. Led by junior forward Sarah Gipe—who has eight goals on the season—Liberty will look to put pressure on the Duke defense.

The Flames have scored 44 total goals this year, more than double the amount of their opponents, who have only netted 19. Junior forward Ashlee Krulock leads the team in points with 19. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Lauren Blazing and the Duke defense will have to buckle down defensively in order to slow down Liberty.

“If we can just lock in to what it is we have See Field Hockey on Page 4

Izzi Clark | The Chronicle Senior Jessica Buttinger and the Blue Devils will try to get back on track this weekend against No. 16 Boston College and Liberty.

12| THURSDAY, 6 | THURSDAY,OCTOBER OCTOBER9,9,2014 2014

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Women’s Soccer

Duke offense hopes to explode against No. 22 Clemson Ryan Neu Beat Writer The emphasis has been on the defense so far throughout conference play for Duke, but the offense will have to come alive this weekend.

The Blue Devils head south to face No. 22 Clemson at Historic Riggs Field Duke Thursday at 7 p.m. vs. before returning home to square off No. 22 Clemson with in-state rival Wake Forest Sunday THURSDAY, 7 p.m. at 3 p.m. The good Historic Riggs Field news for the Blue Devils is that they Wake have only lost one Forest game on the road vs. this season and are Duke 3-0-1 at home. The bad news is that the SUNDAY, 3 p.m. one loss and one tie Koskinen Stadium came in their most recent contests.

Duke (6-5-1, 2-1-1 in the ACC) has been mired in a scoring slump throughout the past month, registering multiple goals in a match only once when the Blue Devils trounced Pittsburgh 3-0 Sept. 19. Since then, Duke has managed just one goal in three games and has been held scoreless for the past 286 minutes.

“You don’t sleep [because of this scoring issue],” head coach Robbie Church said. “That’s probably the most disappointing thing with this season is that some of the [problems] that were happening early in the year are still happening in October and that’s disappointing.

The offensive struggles are an issue that the Blue Devils and Church have been working on all season. Although

Brianna Siracuse | The Chronicle Freshman Morgan Reid has been a key piece in the Blue Devils’ young but talented back line and will look to lead the Duke defense against No. 22 Clemson Thursday.

Duke currently sits fourth in the ACC in total shots at 231, it is ranked eighth in goals scored with 17, resulting in a 7.4 percent shot success rate—dead last in the ACC. “It’s not a lack of effort, it’s not a lack of trying… we’re getting a little jumpy and now it starts to snowball a bit,” Church said. “But you have to still believe in your kids and you have to believe that what you’re doing is the right thing.”

The defense, on the other hand, especially the back line, has established itself as the team’s strength in the second half of the season despite its inexperience. True freshmen Morgan Reid and Schuyler DeBree, sophomore Lizzy Raben and junior Kara Wilson— who is playing her first season at center back—make up the back line and have

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continued to develop and improve throughout the year.

In conference play, Duke has allowed only two goals in four games. Both of the goals came against then-No. 2 Virginia Tech—the ACC’s leading scorer—and one of the two was scored late in the match when Duke had substituted defenders for forwards and moved its back line up in an attempt to draw level.

The Blue Devil defense has tightened the screws against conference opponents, holding ACC opponents to 0.5 goals per game compared to their season average of 1.0 goals allowed per game.

“We’re team defending better than we have been earlier in the year,” Church said. “But if you’re talking about our back four—again you’ve got two freshmen, a junior who hasn’t ever played there, and a sophomore—we had a really young group, number one, and a very inexperienced group, number two, and for us to only give up 12 goals, with the schedule we’ve played and with the teams we’ve played has been phenomenal.”

The back line will be tested against Clemson (8-2-2, 1-2-1) Thursday night.

The Lady Tigers have taken less shots than Duke on the season with 207 but

have converted on more of their chances with 27 goals scored this season—fourth in the conference. Clemson has been led on offense by its young, quick forwards. Freshman Salma Anastasio and sophomores Catrina Atanda and Tori Andreski have combined for 13 of the Lady Tigers’ 27 goals.

Wake Forest (3-6-2, 1-2-1), on the other hand, could provide the Blue Devils with a slight reprieve from their incredibly difficult conference schedule.

The Demon Deacons have scored only 11 goals this season and have allowed 19— both good for 12th in the conference.

The Blue Devils will need to earn as many points as possible this weekend, as they face the top three teams in the ACC during the final four games remaining on their regular season schedule. After Wake Forest, Duke will host No. 7 North Carolina, No. 4 Virginia and Boston College before ending the season on the road against No. 3 Florida State.

“It’s a big weekend for us and I don’t think anybody can hide that fact,” Church said. “We need to get wins and we need to continue to get points in the ACC…. We’re capable of beating both of these teams… and I still really believe in this team.”

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FOOTBALL

role in the conference title race, as the Yellow Jackets will take on solid ACC opponents in Pittsburgh, Virginia and Clemson in the coming weeks. With its one loss, Duke will need to pick up as many victories as possible in a Coastal Division race that has seen the emergence of preseason dark horse candidates such as the Cavaliers.

A win against Georgia Tech would put the Blue Devils back on track to make back-to-back trips to the ACC championship game and give them much-needed momentum heading into next week’s matchup against Virginia.

continued from page 5

has to go up a level.”

Crowder is still searching for a breakout performance, as he has yet to find the end zone since Duke’s week-one victory against Elon. He has racked up 13 catches for 166 yards in his past two games, but the Blue Devils will need for the explosive speedster to find the endzone against the Yellow Jackets if they hope to prevent a repeat performance like the one they had last year, in which Duke put up only 254 total offensive yards.

Despite the recent offensive dysfunction, Duke’s defense as a whole has been solid all season, holding opponents to an average of 13.2 points per game.

The Blue Devils may be tested this week, continued from page 5 however, as they will be tasked with slowing down a potent Yellow Jacket rushing attack to do and do it with authority, we are going to that is averaging 297.2 yards per game, the put ourselves in positions to win the game,” 11th-best mark in the nation.

Bustin said. “We have to respect their scoring Last year, Georgia Tech ran for 344 ability, obviously, and they are very resilient yards and one score, as the other four in their game plan. We have to be ready to go touchdowns came through the air. With a the distance, however long it takes.” solid pass defense in place to slow down Fans attending this weekend’s games Yellow Jacket signal caller Justin Thomas, will have the opportunity to witness the it will be up to the Blue Devil rush defense debut of the first Division I athletic venue to employ a bend-but-don’t-break policy to use LED stadium lights. The Blue this weekend.

Devils look forward to playing a weekend “It’s going to be physical. You have to at home under the lights as they look to be patient. You have to be tough. Any team bounce back from last weekend’s letdown that’s committed to running the football and regain their footing in the ACC. like they have been and like they are, it’s “We’re hitting kind of the gritty part of the way they are built,” Cutcliffe said. the year…it’s [time to] refocus,” Buttinger “You’ve got to know in your mind, you’re said. “It’s one of those where we just stress getting ready for a long, physical, tough [that]you can’t judge anything. We just have to stick to our game and take care afternoon and embrace the challenge.” sudoku_437B Looking at the big picture, this week’s of what we can, and then see how things fall out.” by Will Shortz tilt could end up playing a monumental Created by Peter Ritmeester/Presented

FIELD HOCKEY

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THURSDAY, THURSDAY, OCTOBER OCTOBER 9, 2014 9, 201| 13 |7

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T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y

The Chronicle

“

Politicking politics “North Carolina is this year’s ground zero in American politics,” Dan Balz of the Washington Post said. With less than a month before Election Day, political gurus across the country are tuning in to the U.S. Senate race in North Carolina, where Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan and Republican

Editorial challenger Thom Tillis, current Speaker of the N.C. House, are locked in a tight race. According to a USA Today and Suffolk University poll released Wednesday, Hagan leads Tillis 46.8 percent to 45.4 percent—less than two percentage points.

The results in North Carolina could rebalance the partisan majority in the Senate, and students should tune in and engage as the candidates sprint towards the November 2 finish line.

A recent Chronicle article reported that international affairs and national defense rank as the most important issues for the state’s electorate this election cycle. As the situation with ISIS continues to escalate in the Middle East, those on the political right criticize Hagan for her inaction and failure to voice dissent against

President Barack Obama. Yet, foreign policy is only one of several divisive issues galvanizing the debate. On education, Hagan has criticized Tillis for opposing a bill that would allow students to refinance loans, while Tillis emphasizes job creation for recent graduates. Healthcare is another contentious topic, with Tillis opposing and Hagan supporting the Affordable Care Act. Yet, for all the debate on these policies, the increasingly partisan political climate has shifted focus away from the issues. Election campaigns have become more about politicking than about ideas; more about the letter “D” or “R” beside the name on the ballot rather than the name itself.

In this partisan climate, a check at the ballot box is not so much a choice between Hagan and Tillis as it is a vote for a potential Democrat or Republican majority in the Senate.

Recent campaign attack ads have further fueled partisanship and redirected focus away from the important, relevant issues. On one hand, these ads often present numbers and facts out of context in a deceptive way. A recent ad paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, for example, accused Tillis of cutting nearly $500 million from the state’s public education system. Yet,

onlinecomment It seems as though Duke has been disproportionately affected by the drop in NIH funding. Perhaps that is because it has devolved into an institution that prioritizes athletics over serious research.

LETTERS POLICY The Chronicle welcomes submissions in the form of letters to the editor or guest columns. Submissions must include the author’s name, signature, department or class, and for purposes of identification, phone number and local address.

Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns.

The Chronicle will not publish anonymous or form letters or letters that are promotional in nature. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, clarity and style and the right to withhold letters based on the discretion of the editorial page editor.

Direct submissions to: E-mail: chronicleletters@duke.edu Editorial Page Department The Chronicle Box 90858, Durham, NC 27708

Brandon Choi OVERWHELMING THOUGHTS

Inc. 1993

CARLEIGH STIEHM, Editor MOUSA ALSHANTEER, Managing Editor EMMA BACCELLIERI, News Editor GEORGIA PARKE, Executive Digital Editor NICK MARTIN, Sports Editor DARBI GRIFFITH, Photography Editor ELIZABETH DJINIS, Editorial Page Editor TIFFANY LIEU, Editorial Board Chair MICHAEL LAI, Director of Online Development TYLER NISONOFF, Director of Online Operations CHRISSY BECK, General Manager RACHEL CHASON, University Editor ALEENA KAREDIYA, Local & National Editor GAUTAM HATHI, Health & Science Editor EMMA LOEWE, News Photography Editor KATIE FERNELIUS, Recess Editor IZZY CLARK, Recess Photography Editor MICHELLE MENCHACA, Editorial Page Managing Editor DANIEL CARP, Towerview Editor ELYSIA SU, Towerview Photography Editor MARGOT TUCHLER, Social Media Editor PATTON CALLAWAY, Senior Editor RAISA CHOWDHURY, News Blog Editor SHANEN GANAPATHEE, Multimedia Editor SOPHIA DURAND, Recruitment Chair MEGAN HAVEN, Advertising Director BARBARA STARBUCK, Creative Director

I

’ve come to a rather unsettling realization—I have no idea what I am doing.

Recently, for approximately the 26th time (give or take 5) since I’ve come to Duke, I have reconsidered my entire life—my major, what I want to do after college, where I want to live, and all those real life things that terrify us so much.

Now, as a mere sophomore, it feels awfully early to be having these near-panic attacks at all but it’s just that time of year. The frustration and the late nights spent studying for midterms have made me question my choice of major and the recent career fairs have made me feel rather unqualified for any jobs or even internships for the future.

One of the most common lines heard at Duke is the classic “So, what’s your major?” It’s pervasive

Phone: (919) 684-2663 Fax: (919) 684-4696

The Chronicle

KALI SHULKLAPPER, University Editor JENNA ZHANG, Local & National Editor GRACE WANG, Health & Science Editor BRIANNA SIRACUSE, Sports Photography Editor GARY HOFFMAN, Recess Managing Editor YUYI LI, Online Photo Editor RYAN HOERGER, Sports Managing Editor DANIELLE MUOIO, Towerview Editor ELIZA STRONG, Towerview Creative Director RYAN ZHANG, Special Projects Editor RITA LO, Executive Print Layout Editor IMANI MOISE, News Blog Editor KRISTIE KIM, Multimedia Editor ANDREW LUO, Recruitment Chair MEGAN MCGINITY, Digital Sales Manager MARY WEAVER, Operations Manager

The Chronicle is published by the Duke Student Publishing Company, Inc., a non-profit corporation independent of Duke University. The opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Duke University, its students, faculty, staff, administration or trustees. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board. Columns, letters and cartoons represent the views of the authors.

To reach the Editorial Office at 301 Flowers Building, call 684-2663 or fax 684-4696. To reach the Business Office at 2022 Campus Drive call 684-3811. To reach the Advertising Office at 2022 Campus Drive call 684-3811 @ 2014 Duke Student Publishing Company

Tillis’ campaign refuted these claims, explaining that, while the legislature did delay increases to the state’s public school budget, spending toward public education increased by $700 million over Tillis’ tenure. These ads appeal to voter’s emotions rather than tackle issues relevant to the US senatorial race.

Issues like state public education, for example, are largely dealt on the state rather than on the national level. Altogether, $11 million has been poured into TV ads from both sides. It is questionable how much such campaign ads affect Duke students, as most do not own or watch TV regularly. However, the increasing politicization of politics is problematic and should be judged critically.

As Election Day looms closer, here are some things to keep in mind before heading to the ballot box. First, reflect on what relevant issues are most important to you, and take the time to understand both sides thoroughly. Second, think about where you will cast your ballot. Voting absentee offers the ability to vote in local elections like mayoral races in your home state. Duke is a home away from home, but few stay in the state for more than four years.

This Friday is the last day to register to vote in North Carolina. Bring your ID, sign yourself up and get educated for the election season.

Undecided?

” edit pages

—“James F” commenting on the editorial “As NIH funding drops, faculty head to Capitol Hill”

Est. 1905

The Chronicle

www.dukechronicle.com commentary

14 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

throughout O-week, it’s a go-to question during rush, and it will unfortunately continue to haunt us practically whenever we meet someone new. Hell, it even comes up during your breaks and holidays when your family bombards you with such panicinducing questions. You manage to squeeze out a somewhat satisfactory answer and the even worse follow-up question of “What do you want to do with that?” inevitably pops up and stumps you.

I applied to Duke without a planned major. It seems to always shock people that I was bold enough to apply to a top tier university after essentially telling them, “Hey, I have no idea what I want to do but it’d be really nice if you accepted me.” Moreover, even after a year of switching around between neuroscience, public policy, global health, and anything else that even slightly perked my interest, I realize I am back at square one—undecided.

Many of you may be appalled at the mere sight of the word “undecided.” Duke students seem to be horrified of the unknown and not surprisingly so. We all got into Duke because we simply knew we wanted more. We knew we wanted a college education and we studied hard to know the right answers at school. We knew we wanted the vast

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opportunities available here and for many of us, we at least thought we knew what we wanted to study and become. Chances are that things have changed have for most of us, including myself. For others, maybe they haven’t yet, and for those select few, maybe they simply never will. Yet, as I join the majority of you and peer out onto the horizon to face a future shrouded in mystery, I cannot help but feel grateful to be able to do so from our beloved Gothic Wonderland.

Being at Duke is a privilege. I think so many of us lose sight of this due to the perpetual stress that accompanies our role as students. In addition, amidst the panic of not having our entire lives planned, we forget to look up and realize that we are at one of the most qualified environment to do just that—figure things out.

We are provided with unparalleled opportunities to pursue whatever our passions may be and more importantly, whatever they may transform to become during our time here.

So maybe you want to pursue a MD-PhD, maybe you want to go to law school, or maybe you will end up switching from one to the other. Based on what I’ve seen in the past, many of you probably want to go into consulting and if not, the rest of you can join me in figuring out what the hell consulting even means.

Whatever it is, I think it is absolutely amazing that some of us seem to know exactly what they want to do with their lives. For me, I’m still trying to figure that part out and I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking a bit more time to do so.

Therefore, for now, I’ll enjoy being at Duke for what it is—the people, the classes, and the nurturing atmosphere. For some, Duke may be a stepping stone towards whatever their goals may be. For others, it’s the perfect place to decide in which direction they want to even take their first step. Regardless, the next few years here will most definitely be an adventure so if you are also confused and nervous about your future, I urge you to join me. Let’s try new things, keep pursuing old things, and take advantage of everything Duke has to offer. It’ll be quite a journey but it’s certainly one not everyone has the opportunity to take.

Brandon Choi is a Trinity sophomore. His column runs every other Thursday.

The Chronicle @DukeChronicle

The Chronicle

www.dukechronicle.com commentary

An overdue thank you

“

I swear that if I could strangle you right now, I would…”

Although those words have replayed in my head repeatedly, I no longer lose sleep over them. I still get chills just thinking about everything you said in that final conversation. I’ll even start to panic whenever I pass by someone who looks like you—everything from that year suddenly rushes back, and I look for the closest escape until logic comes and reassures me that I’m safe because I’m far away from you.

Do you remember when you told me that my social awkwardness was too embarrassing for you to handle, that I should work on changing myself so that I won’t drive people away? Or when you said that I should get over myself and suck it up whenever you hurt me with your words or even when I was in physical pain, or how about when you and your friend were only bullying the awkwardness out of me? I remember. I remember

because we feel so pressured to find love and acceptance, and we’ll do almost anything to avoid ostracism and loneliness because other people may find our flaws too off-putting to handle. We express our vulnerability to others in hopes of acceptance, but far too often, we express it to those who take advantage of our openness. I think that it was only a matter of time before I met that person who would take advantage of my vulnerability. Not only did you do that, but you took my insecurities and reflected them back to me at every possible opportunity, demoralizing me to the point where I felt guilty for merely existing.

Maybe it was because of misguided anger at things beyond your control, so through manipulating me, you regained some of that control. Maybe I reminded you of some painful memory. For a long time, I’ve struggled to come up with a reason, but I’ll probably never know

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 | 15

Reservations about Emma Watson’s feminism

S

o-called “game-changers” rarely change the game.

On September 20, actress-turned-advocate Emma Watson gave a speech about feminism at the United Nations. Having recently been named a United Nations Women’s Goodwill Ambassador, Watson gave a speech introducing “HeForShe,” a UN campaign intending to call on men to advocate for gender equality.

The internet exploded. Online writers called the speech a “gamechanger” and “an epic win for feminism.” Watson was said to have “given feminism new life.”

I’m sympathetic with Watson’s intentions, but I have serious misgivings.

First, I wonder about the reasons Watson may have been chosen for this job. One of the most poignant parts of her speech was her talking about being sexualized by the media at a very young age. That said, given the goals of HeForShe (to attract men to feminism), I feel that her huge

Emily Randle

Katie Becker

GUEST COLUMN

OR NAH

spending countless hours trying to find ways to “fix” myself to meet your approval. Looking back, I realize that it should have been easy to predict that such an ending to our relationship was sure to happen because our so-called “relationship” only thrived from those “well-meaning” remarks.

Over time, I’ve shied away from telling the truth about what really happened that year. I remember always making excuses about why I could no longer be around our friends while you were there and why I wasn’t quite the same person anymore. Still under your control, I kept silent because you swore me to secrecy, and out of fear, I did what you wanted just like so many times before. But no longer will I keep silent, because I now understand that staying silent for so long can become very dangerous.

I refuse to be held by your threats of ostracism and violence any longer because you had already delivered in both promises at some point. I know now that my pain had nothing to do with my holding a grudge over the ending of our relationship, nor did I close myself off from everyone from fear of their criticisms. I wasn’t the same because I gave you the power to control me and determine my self-worth through your words. I allowed you to fashion me into a person constantly filled with self-pity and insecurities up to the point where I no longer thought that my life was worth anything to me, let alone anyone else.

So how did this all start—where was the point when things took such a drastic turn from a cute romance to a nightmare that wouldn’t end for over two years? I believe something like this goes back to our need to be accepted by others

your reasons, only that you were the cause of so much pain and mistrust that haunted me for a long time.

Does this mean that I’ve been bitterly cynical of life for the past three years and withdrawn from the people around me like you predicted? No. In fact, I’ve found kindred spirits here. Unfortunately, I still have a long way to go before I can fully accept myself, and yes, I probably will never be okay with how things ended. In fact, I can finally say that what you did to me was wrong because you showed me that verbal and emotional abuse is just as serious and devastating as physical abuse. But now I’m in a safe place surrounded by friends and armed with a better understanding of myself for now, and I’m healing.

So this letter is to thank you for showing me how dark the reality of human nature can become, but I would also like to thank you for the chance to test my resiliency. Through this, I realized that hope still exists even in what were my darkest moments. Thank you for teaching me to be cautious when sharing my vulnerability, but also not to give up on finding sanctuary in redeeming qualities of people through their kindness and empathy. Maybe you couldn’t find a place to express your pain at the time, but I hope that you will one day, if you haven’t already. Perhaps when that happens and our paths cross again, feelings of peace and respect will replace the fear and anger that once existed.

I can only hope for that.

edit pages

Emily Randle is a Trinity junior.

male fan base and position as a sort of sex object was instrumental in her being chosen for this role, over someone potentially more qualified.

This is not to suggest, of course, that Watson is not qualified above and beyond her sexuality—frankly, her sexuality shouldn’t be a factor.

However, it does seem that her conventional (white) beauty and sexual desirability are part of the strategy. That’s ironic.

Second, I resent the implication that feminism has made men feel unwelcome by not addressing their interests, or that we need Emma Watson to “invite” men to be feminists. I worry about framing men’s participation in feminism as self-serving, e.g., it will free men from their gender roles, they can protect their mothers/sisters/ daughters. Of course, we all stand to benefit from gender equality, but I question whether self-interest should be anyone’s foremost reason for identifying as a feminist.

And, third, I am uncomfortable with the very definition of feminism that Watson is using. While I love the idea of inspiring people around the world to think about these issues and ask tough questions, I worry that something is lost in oversimplification.

A close friend of mine once told me that he resists using the word “feminist” because “if feminism just refers to supporting gender equality, then of course I’m a feminist, but I don’t like to use that title because shouldn’t everyone be a feminist? It’s almost like asking, ‘Are you a feminist or not?’ makes it socially acceptable to not support basic human rights.”

At the time, I didn’t really have a good response for him, and I’m still not sure that I do.

Most people I associate with would agree that the sexes should be equal.

If feminism were simply an ideology, we would stop there. You believe the sexes should be equal? Good, you’re a feminist! Welcome to the club.

But feminism is more than a belief system. It’s a movement. If we want to bring about widespread social change, our definition of feminism isn’t sufficient. Feminism requires asking questions, making behavior changes and engaging in the community. It is not an easy identity.

Instead of simply asking, “Do you believe in the equality of men and women?” we must follow that question with, “Great, so what are you doing about it?”

In this way, feminism is reframed not just as an ideology, but a social movement. Looked at this way, the definition of feminism provided

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her TED talk “We Should All Be Feminists,” sampled in Beyoncé’s song “Flawless,” is insufficient. Adichie uses this definition—“feminist: A person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.” If feminism were simply a belief system, it would be sufficient to stop there.

But we’re never going to change the world with our beliefs—we change the world with our actions. Accordingly I propose that we reframe this definition—“feminist: a person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes, and actively tries to make that equality a reality.”

In saying this, I’m not trying to suggest that feminism must be some sort of exclusive club. All are welcome to ask these questions. But I also feel that feminism must be a claimed identity. Labeling people as “inadvertent feminists,” as Watson suggested we do, isn’t productive.

It’s all very well and good if every single person in the world—male and female—identifies as feminist, but it’s meaningless if we still can’t bring about widespread systemic change. I’m still waiting for plans or evidence that suggest that HeForShe will make those changes. Of course, public approval, of the sort I assume HeForShe is attempting to generate, is important for achieving this, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. I see a lot of value in what Emma Watson and HeForShe are trying to do, but I think it’s important to think carefully before embracing this as any sort of “game-changer.”

Katie Becker is a Trinity sophomore. Her column runs every other Thursday.

16 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

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