Florida International University Fall December 11,2012 Commencement Ceremony Session 5

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony December 11,2012 at US Century Bank Arena ( Session 5) Colleges graduated: College of Engineering and Computing

Florida International University Fall December 11,2012 Commencement Ceremony Session 4

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony December 11,2012 at US Century Bank Arena ( Session 4) Colleges graduated: College of Education Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Florida International University Summer August 6, 2013 Commencement Ceremony Session 6

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony August 6,2013 at US Century Bank Arena ( Session 6) Colleges graduated: College of Buiness

Florida International University Summer August 6, 2013 Commencement Ceremony Session 5

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony August 6,2013 at US Century Bank Arena ( Session 5) Colleges graduated: College of Buiness

Florida International University Summer August 5,2013 Commencement Ceremony Session 3

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony August 5,,2013 at US Century Bank Arena ( Session 3) Colleges graduated: College of Journalism and Mass Communication College of Arts and Sciences School of Hospitality Management and Tourism

Florida International University Fall December 13,2011 Commencement Ceremony Session 6

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony December 13,2011 at US Century Bank Arena (Session 6) Colleges graduated: College of Architecture + The Arts School of Journalism & Mass Communication College of Business Administration – Chapman Graduate School of Business

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony Summer August 14,2012 Session 2

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony August 14th,2012 US Century Bank Arena, Session 2

Ribbon-cutting ceremony

Inscription: Verso: Ribbon-cutting at dedication ceremony of Women's Rights National Historical Park.

Reaccreditation ceremony of the career of Library and Documentation of the National University

This section presents information on the delivery ceremony of the official certificate of reaccreditation, by the SINAES, to the career of Diploma, Bachelor (with the following two emphases: Information Management, Information Technology and Communication) and Bachelor of Library and Documentation, held last March 3, 2011. It includes some of the speeches delivered that night, and several photographs illustrating such an important event for both the School of Library and to the university community.

Franchise nations : the future of nations?

In this paper, I extend the notion of franchise nations, borrowed from Neal Stephenson’s cyberpunk novel Snow Crash (1993), in order to employ it as a device for thinking about the future of the nation. I argue the concept to be particularly well suited for such contemplation because of its sound grounding in the historical intermesh of economic, political and cultural motivations intrinsic to the concept as well as lived experience of the nation. I illustrate this very briefly by casting (mainland) China as the master franchisor and the overseas Chinese as franchisees. Specifically, I discuss the media events concerning China that took place during 2008, such as the protests and counter-protests that occurred at various legs of the Olympic Torch Relay, the Sichuan earthquake of 12 May and the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on 8 August, and reactions to these happenings from overseas Chinese located variously in Australia, Canada and the United States. I argue that employing the notion of franchise nations lays bare the commercial and political instrumentalism behind the promotion and courtship of diasporas by home nations but, crucially, also aids in the understanding of the reciprocal processes by which franchisees are fashioned out of these communities. Finally, I suggest that, aside from China, franchise nations may also be a useful approach for thinking about how nations like India and Singapore are expanded, exported and explained into the future.

Re-imagining China's future : soft power, cultural presence and the East Asian media market

As various contributors to this volume suggest, the term soft power is multifaceted. In 2002 Joseph Nye, the political scientist who coined the term more than a decade previously, noted that the soft power of a country rests on three resources: a country’s culture, its political values, and its foreign policies (Nye 2002). However, several factors can be drawn together to explain China’s adoption of this concept. First, China’s economic influence has precipitated a groundswell of nationalism, which reached its apex at the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This global media event provided an international platform to demonstrate China’s new found self-confidence. Second, cultural diplomacy and foreign aid, particularly through Third World channels is seen by the Chinese Communist Party leadership as an appropriate way to extend Chinese influence globally (Kurlantzick 2007). Third, education in Chinese culture through globally dispersed Confucius Institutes is charged with improving international understanding of Chinese culture and values, and in the process renovating negative images of China. Fourth, the influence of Japanese and Korean popular culture on China’s youth cultures in recent years has caused acute discomfit to cultural nationalists. Many contend it is time to stem the tide. Fifth, the past few years have witnessed a series of lively debates about the importance of industries such as design, advertising, animation and fashion, resulting in the construction of hundreds of creative clusters, animation centres, film backlots, cultural precincts, design centres and artist lofts.

Spatial Sciences Student Awards Recognition : News from School of Urban Development, QUT

Summary of Spatial Sciences (Surveying) Student Prize Ceremony were recently held at The Old Government House - QUT Cultural Precinct. This short industry article briefly outlines the 15 student award descriptions and some photos of 2011 recipients and thanks industry sponsors.