Do Dead White Males Matter? and More

Posted: August 28, 2007

Professor of economics and director of the first-year seminar program James Hartley has established a new speaking series this year to supplement the program for new students, which is now in its sixth year.

The "First-Year Seminar Lecture Series" will draw on members of the Mount Holyoke community to address subjects that illustrate this community's passions and interests, from Confucius to the global impact of women's colleges to the continued relevance of dead white males. Kicking off with Vinnie Ferraro, Ruth Lawson Professor of Politics, speaking on "The Melian Dialogue: How Does One Determine What Justice Is?" the series will touch on a range of topics in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.

"To my mind," Hartley said, "the goal of the first-year seminar program should be to introduce students to the breadth of learning in college not only through courses which are more than narrowly defined introductions to a subject, but through external lectures designed to demonstrate the coherence of the liberal arts. To that end, we are very fortunate that some of the most accomplished members of our faculty have agreed to speak this year in our first-ever first-year lecture series."

Hartley, in his first year running the program, has lined up 11 members of the faculty to speak at the Monday afternoon series in Hooker Auditorium. Each lecture will take place from 4 to 5 pm.

Schedule

September 17
Vinnie Ferraro, Ruth Lawson Professor of Politics, "The Melian Dialogue: How Does One Determine What Justice Is?"

September 24
Joseph Ellis, Professor of History on the Ford Foundation, "Why Dead White Males Matter"

October 1
Eleanor Townsley, associate professor of sociology and gender studies, TBA

October 15
Jonathan Lipman, Felicia Gressitt Bock Professor of Asian Studies and Professor of History, "Confucius: A Man of His Time or a Sage for the Ages?"

October 22
Stan Rachootin, professor of biological sciences, "Biology and the Other Humanities: Darwin as a Case Study"

October 29
Fred McGinness, professor of history, "Christians, Jews, and Muslims Making Martyrs and Making History"

November 5
Penny Gill, Mary Lyon Professor of Humanities, "What's Stashed in Your Shadow? An Introduction to C.G. Jung"

November 12
John Varriano, Idella Plimpton Kendall Professor of Art, "Caravaggio and Violence"

November 19
Joanne Creighton, President, "The Role of Women's Colleges in Women's Education Worldwide"

November 26
John Grayson, Professor of Religion on the Alumnae Foundation, TBA

December 3
Chris Benfey, Mellon Professor of English, "Emily Dickinson's Mount Holyoke"

Related Links:

The First-Year Seminar Program

James Hartley - Faculty Bio

This notice expired on December 3, 2007.

Permanent link to this story: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/news/story/5429895

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