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2012 Annual Meeting
Mar. 29 - April 1
Marriott Minneapolis City Center
Marriott Minneapolis City Center 
TOURS & TOURISM
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2012 annual meeting
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Tours - Optional tours offered by MSS
Ten Things to Do in the Twin Cities
By Local Arrangements Chair Sue Smith-Cunnien
Most of us will spend our time at the 2012 MSS meetings in Minneapolis attending sessions, committee meetings and the great plenary sessions and MSS 75th anniversary events that are being planned. But at the end of the day some folks will want to head out and explore what makes the Twin Cities such a great place. While the possibilities are endless, here are ten things you might want to do. Some are free, some are pricey; some are family-friendly, some are for the “discerning sophisticate; some are close to our home base at the Marriott City Center and some are farther out in the metro area.
Walk around a lake or go to a park. We’re not called the Land of 10,000 Lakes for nothing. Even in downtown Minneapolis you can head to Loring Park and walk around a lake (okay, pond). Or head to the other side of downtown and stroll along the Mississippi River. Take a peek at a city map and you’ll find numerous lakes and parks, all with good walking and cycling paths. If you have only a few minutes, take a walk down Nicollet Mall or through the downtown skyways.
Visit the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. A 10 minute drive will get you to the MIA with its amazingly varied collections. The Institute has no admission fee but a $5 donation is encouraged.
Head to the Science Museum of Minnesota. Located along the Mississippi in downtown Saint Paul, this is always a winner with both kids and adults.
Enjoy a night out at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant. Come for the music and enjoy a great meal. Maybe you’ll be lucky and be here for one of their “Foodie Nights.”
Take in a play at the Guthrie Theater. Now located in downtown Minneapolis in the old mill district, there is always a full schedule of plays, concerts and other events at the Guthrie. Public tours are available at 10 a.m. on Fridays.
Go to the Walker Art Center. Internationally known for its contemporary art, you will find exhibitions, performing arts, films and more at the Walker. At the very least, take a stroll through the outdoor sculpture gardens. /
Rent a Segway. It may be chilly but it’s a great way to tour the Minneapolis riverfront or the Saint Paul Summit Avenue area.
Attend a concert. Classical music lovers might want to hear the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra at the Ordway Center in downtown Saint Paul, or the Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis.
For big concerts check out who’s playing at the Target Center in Minneapolis or the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul.
Check out Target Field. Minnesota’s major league ballpark is located in downtown Minneapolis and baseball fans can tour this new home for the Twins. Tours run Thursday through Sunday in March.
Take the Light Rail to the Mall of America. Love it or hate it, the Mall of America is not to be missed by a sociologist. With its umpteen million stores, restaurants, movie theaters, carnival rides and sea life aquarium, there is a lot to see and do.
See you in Minneapolis!
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Tourist Info
Restaurant guides by Sue Smith- Cunnien, Local Arrangements Chairby Jan MilnerTour 1
Food Spaces, Tradition, and Cultural Identity in the Twin Cities
Co-sponsored by MSWS.
Tour leader: Tracy E. Ore
Day, time: Thursday, March 29, 11:45 am - 2:30 pm
Fee $22 [Includes transportation only. Please bring money for lunch and other treats. Suggested: $15.]
Tour description
The Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul have long served as the home of many immigrant communities, most recently becoming the de facto capital of Hmong, Somali, and other refugee and immigrant peoples in North America. This tour will provide a sociological exploration of how markets, neighborhoods, community gardens, restaurants, etc. use food as a vehicle to maintain identity and traditions, bridge cultural differences and illustrate cultural commonalities. Our tour will center on neighborhoods in St. Paul and will include opportunities to visit businesses that serve as multi-dimensional sites of individual and community identity and empowerment. Participants will receive a map of locations that we visit as well as others of possible interest for further exploration. In addition, you will have the opportunity to consume some of the often hidden food treasures of the area. Bring some money for lunch and other treats (suggestion: $15).
Stops: Several, including one longer stop to have lunch. Limit: 20 people
About Tour Leader Tracy Ore
Dr. Tracy Ore is professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and Chair of the Department of Social Work at Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota. She is author of the popular McGraw-Hill text The Social Construction of Difference and Inequality: Race, Class Gender and Sexuality. Professor Ore is current President of Sociologists for Women in Society. Questions? Email Tracy.
Tour 2
Exploring Feminism and Identity through Minneapolis’s Vibrant Art Scene
Co-sponsored with MSWS.
Tour Leader: Trina Smith
Day, time: Friday, March 30, 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
Fee: $40 [Includes transportation and all admission fees.] Please bring money for snacks or beverages.
Tour description
In this tour we will explore feminism and identity through the thriving arts and/or music scene in the Twin Cities. The Walker and Prince have placed us on the map, yet there is so much more to explore in the area. From the galleries devoted to fiber arts, growing art districts, and music venues associated with rock, jazz, opera, and hip-hop, we are not an area devoid of arts and culture. We will visit some of these galleries, talk with artists and key people, and possibly end with listening to music at a local venue. Our focus will be on analyzing the intersections of gender, racial, class, nationality, and other facets of identity through art, music, and culture. Admissions fees are included, but bring additional money for snacks or beverages. Limit: 20
About Tour Leader Trina Smith
Dr. Trina Smith is an instructor of sociology at Hennepin County Community College and was recently elected secretary of Sociologists for Women in Society. Questions? Email Trina.
Tour 3
Hindu Temple of Minnesota
Tour leader: Temple members
Day, time: Saturday March 31, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Tour is one hour, with one hour travel each way.
Fee: $24 [Includes transportation to and from the Temple; and $5 admission donation.]
Tour Description
Situated in a farm field outside a northern suburb of the Twin Cities is a beautiful Hindu Mandir. The Hindu Society of Minnesota broke ground for this temple in 2003 and most of the 21 different shrines in the large Prayer Hall of the temple were consecrated by 2008. These shrines are stunning and varied, each one modeled after a different Temple in India and dedicated to a different representation of the deity. Come learn about this beautiful temple and the people who made it a reality. To make the most of this experience, we suggest that you read the about the temple's history beforehand. Limit: 25
Questions? Email Local Arrangements Chair Susan Smith-Cunnien.
Tour 4 OR 5
Resilient and Sustainable Twin Cities: A Two-Wheeled Exploration
Tour Leader: Lars D. Christiansen, Sociology and Metro-Urban Studies, Augsburg College
Day, time: Saturday, March 31, 12:30 – 3:30
TOUR 4 Fee: $11 (if you bring your own bike) OR TOUR 5 Fee: $50 (includes bicycle rental)
Everyone: On the road cash to bring: $15 – $40 (for coffee, treats, etc.)
Tour Description
Consistently ranked among the most livable cities in North America, the Twin Cities continues to lead by example in working toward creative and progressive urban policies. This tour offers a sociological exploration of various dimensions of urban resilience and sustainability in the Twin Cities from the perspective of the bicycle. Our tour will be focused primarily on Minneapolis -- ranked as a Gold-level city by the League of American Bicyclists, and designated last year as America’s top bicycling city by Bicycling magazine -- and will include explorations of community gardens, energy efficient buildings, street and infrastructure design, bicycle trails, Nice Ride (the bicycle sharing system), brownfield redevelopment, and green businesses. We will also examine the limits of the Twin Cities, where there is room for continuing improvement, and discuss what the immediate future holds. Participants will receive a map of the ride, guides to literature and resources on urban resilience and sustainability, a handout of key points made on the tour, and a perspective on the Twin Cities that they couldn’t get any other way!
Terrain and Speed: Appropriate for beginner bicyclists: Mostly flat, moving at a slow-moderate speed.
Stops: Several, including a coffee/treat stop.
Access to bicycles: Arranged in advance with Lars, who will handle bicycle rental. If you have your own bike, bring it! Lars will contact you in advance regarding appropriate tires, etc.
Weather contingency: We ride rain or shine or snow. We won’t ride if conditions are too icy or stormy. Lars will be in contact about appropriate riding clothing.
About Tour Leader Lars Christiansen
Lars’ teaching and scholarship focuses on urban sustainability, transportation systems, education, work and organizations, the philosophical tradition of American Pragmatism, social movements, and research methods. Among his courses are “Sustainable Cities in North America,” “Consumption of Food, Fuel and Media in Contemporary Culture,” and “Legacies of Chicago.” Lars is researching the semiotics of the bicycle helmet, and the social psychology of various modes of transportation, comparing identity construction, emotions, conceptual & rhetorical frameworks, and relational dynamics of people as bicyclists, motorists, and walkers. Lars serves on the board of directors of Nice Ride Minnesota (Minneapolis' bike sharing system), and St. Paul Smart Trips (mode shift advocacy). A resident of Saint Paul, Lars is a member of the Hamline-Midway Coalition, and serves on its transportation committee. In that capacity, he is chairing the Central Corridor Friendly Streets initiative. He is also a member of the Bicycle Association of Minnesota, the League of American Bicyclists, and Adventure Cycling. Lars enjoys bicycle touring and mountain centuries [100-mile rides], and commutes by bicycle in the Twin Cities year-round. Questions for Lars? Email him.
