SVSU’S 2012 FALL FOCUS SERIES CENTERS ON WORLD’S DIFFICULT DECISIONS On Oct. 25, 2012, in the ninth annual James E. O’Neill Jr. Memorial Lecture, writer Robert Edsel will tell the story of the Monuments Men – a group of art lovers who chased down great works stolen by the Nazis during World War II and saved them from ultimate destruction. Edsel’s presentation is part of the 2012 Fall Focus series at SVSU. This year’s
series – titled “Roles and Responsibilities: Ethical Responses to Revolutionary Change” – examines the sometimes blurred moral lines impacting society’s most vital decisions, in fields from global affairs and genetic engineering to economic revitalization. During the series, renowned thinkers examine how to wisely respond to difficult issues in times of great uncertainty. Eight
speakers – leaders, experts and authors – frame complex issues with unique perspectives and explore world problems through a lens of ethics and consequence. Presentations include talks from Dow Visiting Scholars and Artists, the Edwards Lecture, the O’Neill Memorial Lecture and the 10th annual Hoffman-Willertz Lecture. Below are descriptions of those still to come.
UPCOMING LECTURES
Monday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. Kwame Anthony Appiah — “The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen” Rhea Miller Recital Hall
Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. Carma Hinton — “History in Images: The Making of ‘Gate of Heavenly Peace’” Rhea Miller Recital Hall
What does it take to transform moral understanding into moral behavior? That’s the question being posed by one of America’s leading intellectuals, Princeton University professor Kwame Anthony Appiah. In his talk, Appiah explores the mysteries of moral revolution and the power of two forces: honor and shame. As president of the PEN American Center, the internationally acclaimed literary and human rights association, Appiah was awarded a National Humanities Medal by the White House in 2012. Having earned a Ph.D. in philosophy at Cambridge, England, he has been called one of Foreign Policy’s top 100 global thinkers and taught at Harvard and Yale, among other universities.
Award-winning director Carma Hinton will recount one of her most challenging projects: a film about the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. With clips and outtakes from the finished product, Hinton will discuss the difficulties of choosing which material to keep and which to discard, along with the ethics and craft of nonfiction film. Born in Beijing, Hinton completed a Ph.D. in art history at Harvard University and has directed 15 documentary films. Her work has been shown at festivals and on television programs worldwide, winning two Peabody Awards, the American Historical Association’s O’Connor Film Award, and both the International Critics Prize and the Best Social and Political Documentary award at the Banff Television Festival.
Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. Jules Gehrke — “The Dilemmas of a New Era: Collectivism and Individualism in the Victorian City” Founders Hall To conclude the series, SVSU associate professor of history Jules Gehrke will give the 10th annual Hoffman-Willertz Lecture. Gehrke will explore one moment at the turn of the 20th century in Britain and will examine its lessons for the political and economic situation faced by the United States today. Gehrke, who joined SVSU in 2007, specializes in late 19th and early 20th century British reformist political movements. A resident of Midland, he teaches classes in both world and modern European history while also serving as the special assistant to the provost for programs of distinction. The Hoffman-Wilertz Memorial Lecture is named for the late Bill Hoffman and John Willertz, founding members of the history department at SVSU, and who together accounted for more than 60 years of dedicated service.
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