Themes

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Program is Part of the Dialogues Across Differences Project 

Open Inquiry and the Collegiate Mission

Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill, Director of the Campus Free Expression Project, Council of Independent Colleges

Free expression, open inquiry, and civil discourse are threatened values in our country. Higher education institutions have an essential role in addressing this crisis and raising the bar for public discourse—but many colleges have themselves struggled to uphold these values at this time of polarization and disagreement over national and international events. A national expert on college speech and academic freedom, Dr. Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill will share her observations from campuses across the country—and how these concerns relate to Dickinson College founder Benjamin Rush’s vision for higher education in uniting a divided democracy.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and is part of the Dialogues Across Differences Project, which is funded by a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. This program is part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series.

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Headshot of Jacqueline Pfeffer MerrillJacqueline Pfeffer Merrill is director of the Campus Free Expression Project, a project she launched at the Bipartisan Read more

Monday, April 7, 2025

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

The Revitalization of the American Indian Food System

Michael Kotutwa Johnson, Assistant Professor of Indigenous Resilience at the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment

Since time immemorial, Indigenous people, like those in the United States, gathered and hunted their own food unimpeded. The crops they grew and wild plants they collected were vital to their survival in the many places where they resided. However, through various federal policies, most American Indian tribes no longer have access to traditional foods and have become almost entirely dependent on federal food programs. As a result, you have higher than usual rates of diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. For example, a tribe in Arizona has been documented to have the highest rate of diabetes in the Globe. My talk will focus on my research to help develop solutions to the lack of traditional foods by calling for the Revitalization of the American Indian Food System. I will also lay out the cultural aspects demonstrating that these foods are not just viewed as commodities for Indigenous people but an integral part of who they are and the places where they are from. In Read more

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Poster to advertise Juliana Tafur's programAnita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Program is Part of the Dialogues Across Differences Initiative

Bridging Differences in Difficult Times: A Science-Based Approach

Juliana Tafur, Director of the Bridging Differences program at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center 

Over the past two decades, Americans have grown increasingly isolated and divided, fueling a loneliness epidemic and deepening distrust between groups. This social fragmentation threatens our emotional well-being, breeds prejudice, and even undermines the foundations of our democracy. Yet, despite these challenges, a majority of Americans long for unity: 7 in 10 say they feel a responsibility to connect with people who have different backgrounds and viewpoints, and when asked to imagine an ideal future, most envision a more united nation.

In this talk, Juliana Tafur, Bridging Differences Program Director at the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley will introduce science-backed strategies for fostering connection. Rather than focusing solely on direct dialogue, she will highlight practical approaches—such as finding shared goals—that help people build bridges in ways that feel safe, meaningful, and effective. Grounded in research, this interactive session will translate theory into practice, allowing participants to not only understand but also experience the power of these strategies firsthand.

At a Read more

Monday, February 10, 2025

Poster to advertise Phil Klay's programAnita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Citizenship in an Age of Perpetual Conflict

Phil Klay, Marine Corps Veteran & Author

Though the war in Afghanistan ended in failure and the war in Iraq wound down to a small troop presence, America remains enmeshed in military conflicts around the world. From Africa to the Middle East, we have troops directly in harm’s way, while in countries like Ukraine and Israel we provide support of various kinds, from munitions to critical intelligence.  How should we think about our role as citizens of a country so deeply involved in warfare, and how might literature help us better understand the stakes of the killing done in our name?  A book signing will follow the presentation. Books are available for purchase at the college bookstore.

The program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the Mellon Higher Education Grant “Beyond the New Normal” and by the Middle East Studies Program, the departments of women’s, gender & sexuality studies, English, and military science, and the Women’s & Gender Resource Center.  This program is part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series and its annual theme, Alternative Models Read more

Monday, November 18, 2024

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Livestream Link

Reinventing Germany, Again and Again

Janine Ludwig, cultural historian of East Germany
Anne Rabe, playwright and novelist
Matthias Rogg, historian and colonel in the German army
Antje Pfannkuchen (moderator), co-director, Clarke Forum

The history of modern Germany has forced continuous reorientations. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Federal Republic of Germany and the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall the panelists will discuss today’s Germany and its global position.

This Clarke Forum event represents our Germany on Campus program, co-sponsored by the German Embassy Washington DC, the Max Kade Foundation, and the Department of German. In addition, it is part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series which is supported by the Churchill Fund and it’s annual theme, Alternative Models.

Topic overview written by Noah Salsich ’25

Biographies (provided by the speakers)

Janine Ludwig photoJanine Ludwig is a literary scholar, also Vice Head of the Institute for Cultural German Studies (ifkud), and Chairwoman of the International Heiner Müller Society. Ludwig studied Contemporary German Literature, Philosophy, and Theater Studies/Cultural Communication. She is an expert on East German and post-war literature, but also an academic Read more

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – The Morgan Lecture

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 6 p.m.

The Morgan Lecture

The Black Birthing Crisis: Why Understanding Slavery & Gynecology Helps Us All

Deirdre Cooper Owens,  associate professor of history and Africana studies at the University of Connecticut

For decades, the United States has been the most dangerous high-income earning nation for pregnant Black women and birthing people. The current birthing crisis didn’t originate in a vacuum. With roots in colonial America, medical doctors and surgeons exceptionalized Black women’s medical experiences and lives throughout slavery and Jim Crow. Cooper Owens will present on the layered history of American slavery, the birth of gynecology, and the current U.S. birthing crisis offering insights and possible solutions to end this state of emergency. A book sale and signing will follow the presentation.

The program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the departments of Africana studies, history, women’s, gender & sexuality studies and the Women’s & Gender Resource Center. This program was initiated by the Clarke Forum’s student project managers. It is also part of the Clarke Forum’s annual theme, Alternative Models.

Topic overview written by Shayna Herzfeld ’25

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Deirdre Cooper Owens is an Read more

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Livestream Link

Program is Part of the Dialogues Across Differences Project 

A New Divide – The Possibility for Dialogue

Manu Meel, CEO of BridgeUSA

Since its founding in 2018, BridgeUSA has become the largest and fastest growing student movement in the country empowering young people to engage in constructive dialogue and healthy disagreement to improve our democracy. With over 60 college and 20 high school chapters and a network engaging 10,000 students, the journey of building BridgeUSA has led Manu to uncover some hidden truths about the possibility for constructive dialogue at one of the most divided times in American history.

This lecture will outline how students, faculty, and administrators can leverage BridgeUSA’s learnings to facilitate constructive dialogue and difficult conversations on campus. The possibility for a more pluralistic and open-minded future is strong- this lecture will posit how Dickinson College can help lead the way.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and is part of the Dialogues Across Differences Project, which is funded by a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. In addition, it is part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series Read more

Tuesday, September 17, 2024 – Winfield C. Cook Constitution Day Conversation

Picturing the Constitution PosterAnita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Light refreshments available in the lobby prior to the program from 6 – 6:50 p.m.

Livestream Link

Winfield C. Cook Constitution Day Conversation

Picturing the Constitution: Curators, Artists and Scholars in Conversation

Katherine Gressel, Curator
Bang Geul Han, Artist
Steven Mazie, Constitutional Expert

How can artists help enhance our understanding of the United States Constitution, its interpretations throughout history, and our own political participation? Join Katherine Gressel, curator of the 2023 Picturing the Constitution exhibition at the Old Stone House in Brooklyn, participating artist Bang Geul Han, and Supreme Court correspondent and political scientist Steven Mazie for a joint presentation and panel discussion focused on artists’ responses to the United States Constitution, including its origins, contents, and interpretations. All artists are engaged in interpreting the world around them. This panel will explore the value of creatively applying interpretive tools to the Constitution as a document of ever-evolving meaning. 

Picturing the Constitution featured artists’ responses to the United States Constitution, including its origins, contents, and interpretations. Installations, workshops and performances in diverse media by 17 artists and art teams asked: to what extent do these founding documents still serve us (equitably)? What could we add Read more

Monday, April 8, 2024

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Livestream Link

Glass Walls: A Fireside Chat with Author Amy Diehl

Amy Diehl,  Chief Information Officer at Wilson College
Jill Forrester, Chief Information Officer and VP of Information and Technology Services at Dickinson College

Wilson College CIO and Author Dr. Amy Diehl will join Dickinson College CIO and Vice President of Information and Technology Services Jill Forrester for a fireside chat to discuss Diehl’s new book Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work. They will talk about real examples of the “glass walls” women encounter at work and how leaders, allies and individual women can overcome them. A  book sale and signing will follow the presentation.

This event is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by Information and Technology Services, the Quantitative Reasoning Center, the Women’s & Gender Resource Center, and the departments of data analytics, geosciences, international business & management, mathematics & computer science, psychology, physics & astronomy, and women’s, gender & sexuality studies.

Topic overview written by Phuong Hoang ’26

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Photo of Amy DiehlAmy Diehl, Ph.D., is an award-winning information technology leader, currently serving as chief Read more

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Stern Center, Great Room, 7 p.m.

 

Gender Week Keynote

Breaking Barriers: A Journey of Empowering Women through Self-Discovery, Equality, and Resilience

Hagir Elsheikh,  author and entrepreneur

Gender inequality is not an isolated phenomenon; we need to analyze the social, cultural, and political factors that contribute to the subsequent oppression of women’s rights and, in turn, affect how women view, interact with, and love themselves and the world around them. It calls for the recognition of women’s rights as human rights and challenges the pervasive societal belief that women are to be regulated and kept under men’s supervision, perpetuated through politics, education, and cultural norms. The interconnected challenges of gender equality, feminist movements, patriarchy, authoritarian regimes, and reproductive rights are highlighted, urging a directional shift in societal progress. A book sale and signing will follow the presentation.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the Women’s & Gender Resource Center, the Middle East Studies Program and the Department of Africana Studies. It is also part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series.

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Photo of Hagir ElsheikhHagir Elsheikh, is chairwoman and CEO of Hagir Network, serial entrepreneur, Read more

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Black History Month Keynote

The Ethics of Anti-Racism

Eddie Glaude Jr., James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University

What does it mean to commit oneself to deconstructing the idea of whiteness and the way in which it determines the distribution of advantage and disadvantage? How does one do that when the language of racism comes to us as naturally as language itself? For Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr., anti-racism isn’t about making a list of action items and then checking off some boxes. It is a highly ethical position — the reflection of a committed, moral choice to reject the idea that some people should be valued more than others. Calling on audiences to engage in an ongoing critique of racism’s manifestations, he challenges all of us to work together to create the conditions for people to think more carefully and systematically about the issues that we confront. As James Baldwin wrote in 1962: “The trouble is deeper than we think, because the trouble is in us.” According to Glaude, eliminating racism will take a lot more work than checking off some boxes. It’s going to take nothing less than a moral reckoning. Read more

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium – 7 p.m.

 

Gender Based Violence and Women’s Education

Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, Sewing Hope Foundation

Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe will speak on the effects of gender-based violence and how she uses “Learn and Earn” to help her students overcome the trauma they’ve suffered in the violent civil wars of Northern Uganda and South Sudan. Amidst the war, armed with sewing machines and love, Sister Rosemary provided a safe place for women and children fleeing and recovering from the war. Join Sister Rosemary, named one of Time Magazine’s most 100 influential people, as she discusses her work with St. Monica’s Girls’ Tailoring Center and the Sewing Hope Foundation, and how we can find hope amid trauma and pain.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by Dickinson Catholic Campus Ministry (a Senate sponsored club), Saint Patrick Church, Office of the President, the Center for Civic Learning & Action, the Popel Shaw Center for Race & Ethnicity,  the Center for Spirituality & Social Justice, and the departments of Africana studies, history, religion, women’s, gender & sexuality studies, and educational studies. This program was initiated by the Clarke Forum’s student project managers. It Read more

Thursday, November 30, 2023 – The President’s Award and Celebration

Poster Advertising Lives of Leadership event Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

The President’s Award and Celebration

Lives of Leadership: A Conversation with David Petraeus P’04 and Holly Petraeus ’74, P’04

The Dickinson College President’s Award is a symbol of excellence and distinction. The award is bestowed by President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11, to individuals who lead lives of service, forge new paths in their respective fields, contribute meaningfully to the betterment of the world and inspire future generations. The inaugural recipients of the President’s Award are David Petraeus P’04 and Holly Petraeus ’74, P’04, in recognition of their exemplary lives of service, both to their nation and to their community. This conversation will be facilitated by President Jones.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues, the Office of the President and the Churchill Fund. It is also part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series.

Biographies (provided by the speakers)

David Petraeus HeadshotGeneral David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.) P’04 is one of the leading battlefield commanders and strategists of our time.  He served over 37 years in the US military culminating his career with six consecutive commands as a general officer, five of which were in combat, Read more

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2023 (Postponed from Wednesday, November 8) – The Glover Memorial Lecture

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Livestream Link

The Glover Memorial Lecture

Uncertainty in Climate Change Research:  An Integrated Approach

Linda Mearns,  Senior Scientist in the Research Applications Lab of the National Center for Atmospheric Research

Uncertainty is a factor in all phases of climate change research regarding the future from projections of regional climate change, to the various impacts of climate change, through the economics of climate change. All these uncertainties need to be considered when approaching the complete problem of climate change. We start from the consideration of decision making under uncertainty, and then consider the nature of uncertainty in the different parts of the problem.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and the Glover Memorial Lecture Fund and co-sponsored by the Department of Physics & Astronomy,  the Center for Sustainability Education, and the Churchill Fund. It is also part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series.

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Linda Mearns PhotoLinda O. Mearns is a senior scientist in the Research Applications Lab of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado. She previously served as director of the Weather and Climate Impacts Assessment Science Program (WCIASP) for Read more

Monday, October 30, 2023

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.


Program is Part of the Dialogues Across Differences Project 

Creating a Calling In Culture within the Reproductive Health, Human Rights, and Justice Movements

Loretta Ross, Smith College

Professor Ross will speak on transforming the Calling Out Culture into a Calling In Culture within the Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice movements. She is committed to changing our national dialogue and improving our work on human rights by inviting us to deeply explore how we can most effectively affect change in our society to protect women’s human rights.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and is part of the Dialogues Across Differences Project, which is funded by a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations. The program is also co-sponsored by the Women’s & Gender Resource Center, the Department of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies, and the Churchill Fund.  In addition, it is part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series.

Topic overview written by Phuong Hoang ’26, Clarke Forum Student Project Manager

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Loretta J. Ross is an Associate Professor at Smith College. As a 2022 recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Read more

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m.

Video of the Presentation is Available on House Divided’s YouTube Channel

The Beirut Barracks Bombing of 1983: The Stories that America Needs to Hear

Panelists

James Breckenridge, U.S. Army War College
Michael Gaines, Beirut Veterans of America
Mireille Rebeiz, Dickinson College

In 1975, civil war erupted in Lebanon and opposed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Muslim fighters to Lebanese Christian militias. The PLO was launching military attacks on Israel from Lebanese soil. On June 6, 1982, Israel Defense Forces, under the orders of the Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, launched Operation Peace for Galilee and invaded Lebanon to end these attacks and eliminate the PLO. Upon Lebanese request, a Multinational Peacekeeping Force (MNF) was created to oversee the departure of the PLO from Lebanon. The MNF was composed of American, French, Italian, and British military. Iran responded to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and the MNF’s arrival by training Shiite fighters whose immediate goal was to expel all foreign forces out of Lebanon.

On October 23, 1983, witnesses reported seeing a yellow Mercedes speeding toward the barracks. Loaded with over ten thousand pounds of explosives, it flattened a concrete building that housed American troops. Two Read more

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 – “Joseph Priestley Award Celebration Lecture”

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium – 7 p.m.

Joseph Priestley Award Celebration Lecture

Poster for John C. Mather program.Opening the Infrared Treasure Chest with the James Webb Space Telescope

John C. Mather, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, is NASA’s largest and most powerful space science telescope. Peering back in time, it probes the cosmos to uncover the history of the universe from the Big Bang to alien planet formation and beyond. 100 times more powerful than the celebrated Hubble Space Telescope, Webb can detect the heat signature of a bumblebee at the Earth-Moon distance.

The Joseph Priestley Award recipient is chosen by a different science department each year. The Department of Physics & Astronomy selected this year’s recipient. The event is supported by the Priestley Fund and is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the departments of biology, chemistry,  data analytics, earth sciences, environmental studies, mathematics & computer science, psychology, and physics & astronomy, and the Churchill Fund.  It is part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series.

Topic overview written by Natalia Fedorczak ’24.

Biography (provided by the speaker)

John Mather headshotDr. John C. Mather is a senior Read more

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Poster for Free Speech on Campus

Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium – 7 p.m.

Free Speech on Campus

Sigal Ben-Porath, Professor at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania

Free speech, a staple of modern democracy, has become the focal point for political and cultural forces impacting universities. Higher education is charged with the mandate to expand the boundaries of knowledge; to disseminate knowledge through teaching and other modes; and to serve the public by training citizens and leaders. To do so it must ensure that a broad range of views and approaches are discussed openly. But should all speech be protected in the name of free inquiry? Should the universities allow bigotry or exclusionary speech that targets specific groups? Should it make room for misinformation? Recent speech controversies around the globe expose the difficulty in carving a response in this polarized time. This struggle over the boundaries of speech is based in disagreement over core democratic principles. A democratic framework of inclusive freedom will be presented and defended. It reflects the values of protecting free thought, inquiry and expression, and maintaining a commitment to the dignity of all campus members.

This event is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and is Read more

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Poster for Journalism in Conflict programAnita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7 p.m

Livestream Link

Journalism in Conflict: Reporting from Ukraine and Beyond

Anthony Borden, Institute for War & Peace Reporting

Borden will discuss the work of the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), whose mission is to “empower local voices to drive change in countries in conflict, crisis, and transition.” He will discuss the role of IWPR and local journalists in the fight against hate speech and propaganda, and consider the importance of reliable information and public debate in global conflict zones, like Ukraine.

This event is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and co-sponsored by the Department of Military Science.  It is part of the Clarke Forum’s Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty Series.

Topic overview written by Natalia Fedorczak ’24

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Anthony Borden headshotAnthony Borden is the founder of the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR). He was editor of the highly regarded IWPR magazine War Report from 1991-98 and was commended for the “Best Online Journalism Service” in the 1999 NetMedia journalism awards, for IWPR’s reporting on the Kosovo crisis. He has worked with the UK’s Department for International Development assessing media programs in post-communist countries. Read more

Friday, October 7, 2022

Kaufman Hall, Room 178
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Let’s Talk Climate Series – Facilitated Discussion

Warming in the Arctic: Why Do We Need to Care?

Ben Edwards, Dickinson College

The Arctic is a critical area to understand as a first glimpse of changes that will be coming as global warming starts having a larger impact on driving climate change. If melting of the Greenland ice sheet causes too much freshening of North Atlantic waters, many bad things could follow ecologically and climatologically. The geopolitical realm of the Arctic is also moving to the global stage, in part as a result of Russia’s international ambitions and their impacts on current and future (Sweden and Finland) NATO members. We will pick out a few critical natural components of the Arctic in this session (sea ice, permafrost, glaciers), and discuss how they will have increasingly direct impacts on geopolitics in the near future.

This event is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and the Center for Sustainability Education.  It is also part of the Clarke Forum’s semester theme, The Arctic.

Visit Let’s Talk Climate for a full list of events in this series.

Biography (provided by the speaker)

Ben Edwards is Read more