Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity marks 10th anniversary
The Center for the Comparative Study of Race Ethnicity (CCSRE) will mark the 10th anniversary of its founding at Connecticut College with events focused on this year’s theme, “Capitalism.” The three public events include a debate, a talk by artist Steve Lambert, and a lecture by author and public intellectual Cornel West. See below for details on all events.
Schedule of Events
Day 1: April 26 - Inequality Matters
Blaustein Humanities Center, Ernst Common Room, 4:30-7 p.m.
Open to the Public
The anniversary celebration starts with a debate, “Inequality, Capitalism, and Racial Justice,” featuring professors from Trinity College and Connecticut College. Participants include Edward Stringham, Edward McKenna and Courtney Baker.
Edward Stringham, the Davis Professor of Economic Organizations and Innovation at Trinity College, is the author of “Private Governance,” which argues that private governance is a far more common source of order than most people realize.
A professor of economics at Connecticut College, Ed McKenna’s work lies at the intersection of economics and philosophy. He is particularly interested in the relationship between philosophical conceptions of justice and fairness and economic theories that explain the distribution of income.
Courtney Baker, associate professor of English and director of the Africana Studies program at Connecticut College, is the author of "Humane Insight: Looking at Images of African-American Suffering and Death.” The book examines how looking at suffering African-American bodies has shaped the modern discourse on black humanity and justice. The debate begins at 4:30 p.m.
Following the debate at 5:45 p.m. is an artist’s talk, “Capitalism Works for Me,” with Steve Lambert. Artist, creative activist, co-founder of the Center for Artistic Activism, and associate professor at SUNY Purchase, Lambert created an installation of the same name, “Capitalism Works for Me," which has toured major U.S. cities and abroad. The interactive piece is on display in front of the College Center at Crozier-Williams. Created to look like an old-fashioned neon sign, viewers are able to vote “True” or “False” in response to the question of whether or not capitalism works for them. The work is open for voting by the college community on designated days in April. The results will be reported at the artist’s talk.
Day 2: April 27 – Race Matters
Campus Community Only
The CCSRE will sponsor a campus-wide lunch to enable the College community to engage in “critical conversations” about specific questions, issues, themes and campus initiatives. The aim is to have each table offer concrete learning outcomes or suggestions for new or revised policies and/or practices. At an afternoon student teach-in, “Identity, Race, and Pop Culture: Acquiring the Skills and (In)Formation to Develop Cultural Competency,” students will facilitate “competency workshops” that examine the nexus between pop culture and stereotypes, exploring the ways in which they the impact academic and social life. A private dinner that evening will include discussion on the past, present and future of race relations at the College.
Day 3: April 28 - Justice Matters
Palmer Auditorium, 4:15-7 p.m.
Open to the public
Cornel West, who served as the keynote speaker at the inauguration of the CCSRE 10 years ago, returns to Connecticut College to give the keynote address, “Race and Justice Matters.” West is professor of philosophy and Christian practice at Union Theological Seminary and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, and has also taught at Yale, Harvard and the University of Paris. He has written more than 20 books and has edited another 13 including: “Race Matters and Democracy Matters,” “Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud,” “Black Prophetic Fire” and “Radical King.” West is also a frequent guest on the Bill Maher Show, Colbert Report, CNN, C-Span and Democracy Now. He made his film debut in “The Matrix” and has appeared in more than 25 documentaries and films including “Examined Life,” “Call & Response,” “Sidewalk” and “Stand.”
For more information on all of these events contact Jennifer Bonnano, jbonnano@conncoll.edu.
April 15, 2016