Past Programs

The Roberts Court: The Past as Prologue to the Future

Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Roberts Court: The Past as Prologue to the Future
Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

Roberts Court
Issue in Context
Constitutional law focuses predominantly on conflicts surrounding peoples’ individual rights. The issues of abortion and gay marriage are particularly fervent disputes today. However, our Constitution affects far more than social issues. The changing politics, strategies, and technology of warfare, especially since the attacks of September 11, 2001 have greatly affected how our Constitution is interpreted, and perhaps more importantly, how the rest of the world follows this interpretation. As soldiers, or rather “enemy combatants,” are captured, situations may and have arisen in which our Constitutional rights apply to them, especially if they are citizens of the U.S. Although some believe that members of the Supreme Court should act mechanically in their interpretation of the law, the idea of a mechanical interpretation is impossible as interpretation is not based on facts. Thus, the members of the Court will always affect the decision reached.
About the Speaker
Professor Fried was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1935 and became a United States citizen in 1948. He served as a law clerk to Justice John Marshall Harlan, as a special assistant Read more

Mideast in Crisis: Israel and Lebanon

Thursday, September 7, 2006
Mideast in Crisis: Israel and Lebanon
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

Mideast in Crisis
Fawaz A. Gerges, professor International and Middle Eastern Studies, Sarah Lawrence College; Larry P. Goodson, professor of Middle East studies, United States Army War College. A discussion of the recent and historical conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, its effects on Lebanon and its implications for United States policy.
Co-sponsored by the Asbell Center for Jewish Life and the United States Army War College. Read more

The Making of Memories

Thursday, March 27, 2006
Common Hour
The Making of Memories
Weiss Center, Rubendall Recital Hall, 12:00 p.m.

Issue in Context
Memory is an essential quality of being human. Our individual and collective sense of identity depends on the workings of memory. Until recently, memory was studied largely as an aspect of philosophy. Modern technological advances make it possible for neurologists to examine memory’s biological operations, including long-term potentiation, (LTP). LTP occurs when one nerve cell stimulated by another, remembers the stimulation, and forms a cellular bond. This transformation of the nerve cell is essential to the storage of memory. The brain contains over 100 billion nerve cells, each with thousands of synapses. Whenever a memory is formed, some of these synapses change. As they are continually stimulated their surfaces are permanently altered forming connection points with other nerve cells. These contact points are the foundation for the contact and chemical alterations in the nerve cells that serve as memory units.

Cultural memory is a facet of every society. It is passed down collectively through generations, preserved in forms such as theatre, arts, literature, music and ritual. As an illustration of cultural memory, this event presents music and text from a Read more

Here, Bullet

Monday, April 10, 2006
Here, Bullet
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

Here Bullet
Issue in Context
A majority of the poems in Here, Bullet were written during Turner’s one-year tour in Iraq and reflect the struggle to understand his place in the War and the world. This first-hand account of the War in Iraq stands as a powerful witness to the actual events of the War. The poems are neither politically skewed nor do they make moral assumptions. Instead, they leave the reader to draw conclusions and feel the poetry.

The first and only of Brian Turner’s published books to date, Here, Bullet has garnered national acclaim. Both author and poetry have been featured in many publications and radio broadcasts, including Maine Things Considered and NPR. Here, Bullet is the recipient of the 2005 Alice James Books’ Beatrice Hawley Award.

Reviews of Here, Bullet

• “The day of the first moonwalk, my father’s college literature professor told his class, ‘Someday they’ll send a poet, and we’ll find out what it’s really like.’ Turner has sent back a dispatch from a place arguably more incomprehensible than the moon—the war in Iraq —and deserves our thanks…”
– The New York Times Book Review Read more

Lincoln and Civil Liberties in the Light of 9/11

Thursday, March 30, 2006
Lincoln and Civil Liberties in the Light of 9/11
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 PM

Issue in Context
Throughout American history, the United States government has restricted certain civil liberties for the sake of national security in response to national crises. In light of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the problem of balancing national security with civil liberties has resurfaced as a widely debated issue in American politics. Political conflict inevitably ensues when governments increase security measures at the expense of personal freedoms. Such was the case during the Civil War when President Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus to imprison and exile Confederate sympathizers whom he deemed detrimental to the Union and the future of the country. Many argue that President Lincoln’s actions during the Civil War should serve as an instructive precedent for America in a post 9/11 world. As the nation is currently immersed in the war on terror, the American government is attempting once again to balance the civil liberties Americans have traditionally enjoyed with deadly threats from terrorist networks around the globe. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 have not only changed Americans’ present views concerning civil liberties and security, but Read more

Genetic Influences on Addictions

March 7, 2006
Genetic Influences on Addictions
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

Genetic AddictionsIssue in Context
Drug abuse and addiction are persistent problems in the United States. While environment plays a significant factor, genetics predetermines susceptibility to the development of addiction. A predisposition to addiction is evidently controlled by several different genes, allowing for a complex range of addictive traits. Though a large number of genes are involved in addictions, it is important to realize that the presence of these genes does not guarantee addiction; genotype does not dictate phenotype.

For example, one study estimated that 40 to 60 percent of cases of alcoholism stem from genetically influenced addiction. Other significant factors include environment, gender, age and ethnic group.

Due to the multifaceted manifestations addiction takes, there is no single medication that can be used to treat the disorders. Pharmacogenetics, the study of genetic factors that influence how a patient reacts to certain treatments, allows researchers and doctors to better choose the most effective treatment available for each patient. Every day new advances are made in the development of such methods.

About the Speaker
After graduating cum laude from Dickinson College in 1973, Dr. Wade H. Berrettini received his M.D. Read more

Understanding Cancer

Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Understanding Cancer Symposium

Part I: What is Cancer?
Stern Center Great Room 12:00 p.m.

About the Speaker
Mike Roberts has been a professor of biology at Dickinson College since 1992. He is currently studying the regulation of gene expression in human leukemia cells during differentiation. This utilizes methods of recombinant DNA and molecular biology.

He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Interdisciplinary Committee on Medical and Health Related Issues, and he has received a number of funding awards including the NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award and the Mellon Fund Summer Student/Faculty Research Award. He has published articles in the Journal of Environmental Law and Policy and the Journal of Cell Biology.

In 2003 he was given the Ganoe Award for Inspirational Teaching. He received his B.A. from Colgate University , his M.S. from Miami University , and his Ph.D. from Yale University.

Part II:  Healthcare Policies and Economics
Stern Center Great Room 3:00 p.m.

About the Speaker
David Sarcone has been a professor of international business and management at Dickinson College since 2001. He has held senior management roles in leading regional healthcare systems and specialty provider organizations. Professor Sarcone is currently a doctoral Read more

Code of the Street: Violence and the Inner City Poor

Thursday, March 23, 2006
Code of the Street: Violence and the Inner City Poor
Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

Code of the Street
Issue in Context
In an attempt to explain why many urban youths are prone to commit acts of violence and aggression, Dr. Anderson has identified a common set of street mores, termed the “code of the street.” Often termed “street justice,” the code allows individuals to command respect in society and alleviates the problems of inner city violence by relying on a strategy of deterrence. Often, the threat of implied violence is used to avoid the use of actual violence

The code reaches beyond the limits of the law, and helps residents gain a sense of security and belonging. The concept of “street justice” provides an alternative method for afflicted inner-city areas to manage their own problems in the face of an increasingly ineffectual police force.

About the Speaker
Elijah Anderson is the Charles and William L. Day Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences and a professor of sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the director for the Philadelphia Ethnography Project, associate editor of Qualitative Sociology, and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy Read more

International Women's Day: Perspectives on Progress and Challenges

Wednesday, March 8th, 2006
International Women’s Day: Perspectives on Progress and Challenges
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.Womens Day

Issue in Context
International Women’s Day takes place on March 8th of each year. The celebration was created by German Socialist Klara Zetkin in 1911. On International Women’s Day in 1917, Russian women were inspired to protest the rising costs and shortages of food, the world war, and their increased suffering. After 1917, March 8 became the official date for the celebration. When feminism surged in the 1960’s, interest in the holiday revived, and in 1975 the United Nations begun to sponsor International Women’s Day. In 1981, in Santa Rosa California a National Women’s History Week was spearheaded to bring international women together. In 1987 the week was expanded to an entire month, making March National Women’s History Month. Today, women from all over the world come together annually to celebrate peace, equality, and justice. This evening’s panel will discuss progress on women’s issues as well as persistent challenges regarding women’s rights.

About the Speakers
Rae Yang is a professor of Chinese language and literature in the East Asian Studies Department at Dickinson College. She was born in China and held several Read more

Is the European Union Constitution Dead?

Thursday, March 2, 2006
Is the European Union Constitution Dead?
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

eu poster

Eurpoean Constitution

Issue in Context
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe is an international treaty commonly known as the European Constitution . The purpose of the Constitution is:

  • to bring together for the first time the many treaties and agreements on which the Union is based,
  • to classify human rights and democratic principles through the European Union (EU),
  • to define EU powers, stating when it can act and when the member states retain their rights of veto,
  • to identify the roles of the EU institutions,
  • and to make the decision-making process more efficient in what is currently a 25-member organization.

The Constitution’s effort to encapsulate all previous treaties enormously increased the document’s complexity and raised doubts about its effects in the diverse European setting. Furthermore, some countries saw it as instituting a European super-state, while other alleged it was establishing an ultra-liberal economic conglomerate. The constitution received additional criticism for extending the EU jurisdiction into areas of national strategy, such as immigration, asylum, and justice.

The treaty was signed in 2004 by the representatives of the member states of the Union and was later submitted Read more

Fatal Attraction: Fear of Death and Political Preferences

Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Fatal Attraction: Fear of Death and Political Preferences
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.
Fatal Attraction

Issue in Context
In the 2004 presidential election contest, George W. Bush emerged victorious by a substantial margin (two percent) of the popular vote—perhaps omit this part. Republican officials declared that Americans voted for Bush because he shared their traditional and moralistic values, and were generally satisfied with the President’s approach to the War on Terror. Others have argued that other factors contributed to Bush’s victory, including sub-conscious fears born from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the belief that the lives of Americans would be endangered by the election of Senator John Kerry.

One may posit that the combination of the fear of death arising from the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the belief that Senator Kerry would not keep Americans safe influenced the electorate, thus demonstrating that the fear of death influences political preferences. Sheldon Solomon will present research to support this view.

To catalog evidence of the correlation between the fear of death and political preferences, Sheldon Solomon and his colleagues asked students to think about their own death and had them read campaign statements of three hypothetical political Read more

The Way We Were? 'Memories' of Traditional Marriage and Family Life

February 23, 2006
COMMON HOUR
The Way We Were? ‘Memories’ of Traditional Marriage and Family Life
Weiss Center, Rubendall Recital Hall, 12:00 p.m.
The Way We Were

Issue in Context
During the 19th century, the age of sexual consent in some states was as low as nine or ten; alcoholism and drug abuse were more rampant than at present. During the “family-oriented” 1950s, teenage childbearing peaked. These facts belie the popular belief that traditional values of marriage and family thrived before recent times.

Through her research, Stephanie Coontz has revealed that the US is undergoing a “distressful and disorganizing social and economic transformation made all the more difficult by our romanticizing of a past that never existed as we choose to remember it. The so-called traditional family is no longer the norm and should not be made the ideal. Single-parent families cannot be considered abnormal anymore, and divorce is not an excuse for problematic children.”

Coontz believes that the ills of society most often receive the blame for the breakdown of the “traditional” marriage. She argues that the strengths of more diverse forms of family life must be recognized in order to solve these ills.

About the Speaker
Stephanie Coontz is currently a professor Read more

Avian Influenza and the Economics of Bio Security

Thursday, February 16, 2006
Avian Influenza and the Economics of Bio Security
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m. Issue in Context
A form of avian influenza, known as “fowl plague,” first appeared in Italy around 1878. It was first recognized in the United States in 1924, and occurred again in 1929. The disease was eradicated both times. In recent months, concern surrounding avian influenza has escalated. The latest cases lie along the migratory routes of birds, as in Turkey , where the H5N1 strain has taken several lives. The greatest fear, however stems from the possibility that H5N1 may evolve into a form of disease that will cause a virulent global human pandemic with a high mortality rate.

The threat posed by avian influenza is causing growing fear and raising many questions: Is fear justified? What are the scenarios for public health, the economy, and society? What are the underlying driving forces of this disease, and what can and should be done in response?

About the Speaker
Stephen Aldrich is the founder and President of Bio Economic Research Associates (bio-era), a leading independent research and advisory firm providing insight into the future of living systems and the global bio economy. Read more

30 Years of Saving the Chesapeake Bay: Observations, Lessons and a Forecast for the Next 30

Tuesday, February 14, 2006
30 Years of Saving the Chesapeake Bay: Observations, Lessons and a Forecast for the Next 30
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

Chesapeake Bay

Issue in Context
In past few decades, the Chesapeake Bay – one of world’s most complex ecosystems – has faced serious decline due to pollution and other factors resulting from changes in surrounding landscape and modern times. Most scientists attribute these changes, at least indirectly, to ecological stress due to human activities, especially land use changes in the bay watershed related to deforestation, agriculture, use of fertilizers, and more recently, urbanization and sewage.

The physical processes that drive the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem sustain many habitats and organisms. Even the smallest of creatures plays a vital role in the overall health and production of the Bay. Therefore, measures are being taken to preserve and return the Chesapeake Bay to a condition that more closely resembles its original productivity. In order to do so, scientists and resource manager alike must first explore ways to improve water quality.

Tom Horton will discuss the efforts being taken in the restoration process and obstacles faced in such efforts.

About the Speaker
Tom Horton, environmental columnist, writes extensively on the Read more

It's a Gas! Petroleum and Energy Transitions in American Life

February 13, 2006
It’s a Gas! Petroleum and Energy Transitions in American Life
Stern Center, Great Room

It's a Gas
Issue in Context
The global petroleum industry was born in the Appalachian Basin in Titusville, Pennsylvania when the first well was drilled in the summer of 1859. At the time, nobody could have predicted that the discovery of this resource would result in an era of unparalleled growth and development. Since then, the use of petroleum as a source of energy has become a defining characteristic of the 20th century.

However, with the dawn of the 21st century some concern has begun to surface about surging oil prices. It is said that inexpensive energy fueled the “American century” of growth and development. With the end of the era of inexpensive energy, we face either a future of high cost energy or transition to more affordable energy sources.

Dr. Black examines where petroleum-based living has carried us during the 20th century and takes a glance towards the future to come to terms with our current petroleum conundrum.

About the Speaker
Brian Black teaches history and environmental studies at Pennsylvania State University, Altoona. His research emphasis is on the landscape and environmental history of North Read more

Women and Politics

Thursday, February 9, 2006
Running as a Woman: How Stereotypes Influence the Conduct and Consequences of Political Campaigns
Weiss Center, Rubendall Recital Hall, 12:00 PM

Women, Media and Politics
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 PM

Running as a Woman

Issue in Context
Throughout the course of history, women have been the subject of oppression and countless stereotypes. Over the past few decades, general views of women have begun to change drastically. Women now are able to hold professional positions and command respect in a manner they were not able to in the early part of the century. In regards to electoral politics, however, the success of women tends to be directly correlated to stereotypical images of female candidates and the prominent issues of the day. The manner in which the general public perceives the capabilities and liabilities of today’s female candidate can greatly affect the operation and outcome of a political campaign. Additionally, stereotypes have a tendency to influence such aspects of campaigns as media coverage, the candidates’ behavior, and voters’ opinions. They may also shape the electoral climate, providing women with an advantage in some settings and a disadvantage in others.

The recent elections of female candidates around the globe combined with the Read more

Indigenous Australia: A Contemporary Snapshot

Wednesday, February 8
Indigenous Australia: A Contemporary Snapshot
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

Australia Poster
Issue in Context
Indigenous Australians, commonly called Aborigines, form one of the oldest surviving cultures in the world. Native art, music, a strong faith, and family systems are key characteristics of the rich aboriginal culture, from the didgeridoo to dreamtime to fire-stick farming. Believed to have arrived in Australia about 40,000 years ago, there were 350-750 distinct groups with different dialects and languages when English colonists arrived in the eighteenth century.

Settlers did not value the native customs and values and gradually forced simulation across the country. Massive dispossession of traditional lands, disease and direct violence caused a 90 percent population decrease of Aborigines between 1788 and 1900. The population plummet eventually leveled as communities developed resistance to diseases and adapted to their circumstances. However, many of the tribal cultures and languages had been lost. Their traditional nomadic lifestyle was no longer viable with the increase of appropriated land, and many Aborigines worked on farms, paid for their labor with food, clothing and other basic necessities. They were not legally Australian citizens, and could not vote. Further family and cultural damage occurred from the Australian government’s Read more

How to be a Peacemaker

Thursday, February 2
COMMON HOUR
How to be a Peacemaker
Weiss Center, Rubendall Recital Hall, 12:00 p.m.

Peacemaker
Issue in Context
If it is true that all governments claim they want peace for their citizens and for the international world, then why is it that we fail to teach our children peace in the classroom? In our modern society, there is very little focus on the study of non-violence, conflict resolution, pacifism, or the discipline of peace. Many famous philosophers have subscribed to this notion of nonviolence. Gandhi once famously said “Nonviolence is the weapon of the strong.” Einstein seemed to agree with this notion, writing “We must begin to inoculate our children against militarism by educating them in the spirit of pacifism. … I would teach peace rather than war, love rather than hate.”

People become violent because they are taught violence as children. This cycle of violence can be broken. Peacemaking can in fact be taught; the literature in this field is large and continues to grow. In 1970, only one college had a major in peace studies: Manchester College in Indiana . According to the Peace and Justice Studies Association, a national group based at Evergreen State College, Read more

AIDS: Lest We Forget

AIDS: Lest We Forget

A series of events to mark World AIDS Day. Co-sponsored by the Office of Campus Academic Life, Department of Biology and the Health and Wellness Committee.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Part I: 12:00 p.m. AIDS Quilt Opening Ceremony and Unveiling

Part II: 7:00 p.m. Film: And the Band Played On – A story of discovery of the AIDS virus. From the early days in 1978 when numerous San Francisco gays began dying from unknown causes, to the identification of the HIV Virus.

Thursday, December 1, 2005

Part III: 12:00 p.m. Common Hour Panel Discussion – The science and policies surrounding global and domestic AIDS.
James A. Hoxie, University of Pennsylvania, Phil Goropoulos, AIDS Community Alliance.

Special: 5:30 p.m . Bloodlines Viewing and Dinner Discussion – Heterosexual HIV
View Bloodlines – a 20 minute documentary developed by two young women who contracted AIDS followed by a discussion led by Philip Goropoulos ’97, CEO and president of AIDS Community Alliance.

Part IV: 7:00 p.m. Film: Silverlake Life: The View From Here – Winner of over 10 International Awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. An extraordinary video diary of living with AIDS. The film Read more

Liberal Arts Education, Leadership and Business Management

Tuesday, November 29, 2005
2005 Rush Award
Liberal Arts Education, Leadership and Business Management
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

Liberal Arts Education

Issue in Context
Marvin Suomi of the Kajima Corporation once said “Somehow we have failed miserably in communicating to students and parents the importance of a well-rounded education in the business world. Today, perhaps more than ever, we need the depth of perspective that a liberal arts education can bring to decision making, product development, leadership, and other dimensions of business.”

Based on Mr. Suomi’s statement, one can easily begin to understand how much the business world has evolved in just a few decades. In the past, there was a clear bias within firms where specialized education was strongly preferred to liberal arts education in terms of background for employment. However, as the job market has evolved, so have the criteria for employment. Increasingly, firms are looking for individuals who exhibit skills in problem solving, the capacity for cross-cultural understanding, and the ability to place key decisions in broader social and historical contexts.

As more corporations become multi-national, the demand for liberal arts educated analysts in the business world continues to soar. The value of better understanding of human nature Read more