…and we, the intellectually curious student body at Skidmore College, benefit immeasurably. This is going to be one of those posts where I eagerly tell you about some upcoming lectures on campus. Read on amigo!
American Freak Out: Christian Nationalism and the Tea Party
8pm April 6th @ Davis (fbook)
Daily Beast columnist and the author of New York Times bestseller Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, Michelle Goldberg, will be on campus talking about the politico-religious fundamentalism that blossomed under the Bush Administration and found a new home and eager media representation in the town hall catcalling and poorly spelled protest signs of the ongoing Obama years. Goldberg has written several books and has had work appear in The Nation, The New Republic, Glamour, Newsweek, The Guardian and many other impress and smart place.
The Business of Conservation: A Conversation with Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF-US
8pm April 6th @ Gannett
Carter Roberts, The President and CEO of the Washington-based World Wildlife Fund, will present Skidmore’s inaugural Carr Residency Lecture, a new lecture series that aims to bring distinguished policymakers and other leaders in civic, nonprofit, and public-service endeavors to campus. At WWF Roberts has been a serious driving force behind the group’s global and national efforts to help set new industry standards for resource efficiency, raise public awareness of corporate sustainability, design and implement innovative land-use programs, and improve livelihoods in critical landscapes around the world.
The View from Pakistan
4pm April 7th @ Davis
Faqir S. Asif Hussain, consul general of Pakistan, will be speaking and answering questions about the current political climate in Pakistan and the growing role of Pakistan in global politcs. Sumita Pahwa from the Government dept. will moderate the discussion. Asif has worked as a diplomat in Afghanistan, New York, Egypt, Bahrain, and Washington D.C. and probably has more frequent flyer miles than you.
Race and Democracy in the Age of Obama with Dr. Cornel West
6pm April 7th @ Zankel (fbook)
I’ll be writing more about why this is exciting later but you should know that the activist public intellectual, seasoned lecturer, widely published author of countless essential reads and active twitter user Cornel West will be on campus to bring the formal discussion segment of The College’s Intersections Panel Series to a close with his keynote address. West’s work illuminates the often obfuscated connections of race, class, gender and privileged and will be an exciting capstone to the series.
BARE Presents: Sally Williams of Planned Parenthood
6pm April 8th @ Gannett (fbook)
Annie Auchincloss ’13 and BARE bring us the fantastic opportunity to hear Sally Williams, the Director of Public Relations for Planned Parenthood in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, speak about the history of woman’s reproductive rights, Title X and the current legislation blacklash Planned Parenthood is facing. Personally, I am surprised and grateful that Williams was willing to take some time away from what must be an incredibly exhausting, hate filled and challenging job to speak with us. Having her on campus should be great.
Author Virginia Scharff Presents The College’s Annual Kuroda Lecture
7pm April 8th @ Davis
Scharff will be talking about her recently published book The Women Jefferson Loved, the first major investigation into the president’s female kin and intimate companions. This looks interesting because, as you probably already know, Jefferson fucked his slaves and this book tells the story of both his slave and free families. Writing about the book in The New York Times Book Review Andrea Wulf extolled “Scharff’s approach to Jefferson allows her to paint a portrait of a man who was passionate, vulnerable and charming but also hypocritical, difficult and demanding.” Copies of the book will be available to be signed after the talk.
