New ‘Maine Heritage Project’ Showcases Maine-Oriented Scholarship
Contact: Jeff Hecker, 581-1954; George Manlove, 581-3756
ORONO — The University of Maine’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is launching a new initiative this week — the Maine Heritage Project — to showcase some of the research and scholarship by college faculty members into the culture, traditions and history of Maine.
The kick-off event is a lecture by James Acheson, professor of anthropology and marine sciences, Thursday, Nov. 6. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of his book The Lobster Gangs of Maine, which chronicles the successful — and unusual — self-management practices of the lobster fishing industry in Maine. The lecture, at 3 p.m. in the Buchanan Alumni House, will be followed by a reception. The public is invited to the free event.
The Maine Heritage Project will include other activities to illuminate Maine research and scholarship, according to College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Jeff Hecker. The project will help people in the community understand how the University of Maine serves Maine in a variety of ways, many of which rarely garner much public attention.
“We need to do a better job of letting the public know about the work that we do,” he says. “One of our goals is to raise the visibility of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.”
The project puts a frame around the college’s research and other scholarship directly related to Maine.
Annual lectures by UMaine researchers discussing their work and its significance, with a reception, will be the main pillar of the project. Symposia with faculty members discussing, for instance, what “sense of place” is in Maine and what “Maine culture” means are being considered as possible future events, Hecker says.
Participating in the organizational stages of the project are the Canadian-American Center, departments of Anthropology, English, History, Modern Languages and Classics, along with Fogler Library’s Special Collections, Franco-American Studies, Maine Folklife Center, Maine Studies and Native American Studies.
“By bringing people together, there is a synergy and you discover new ways to collaborate to reach your goals,” Hecker says.
Encouraging public attendance at the lectures and events presented through the Maine Heritage Project will provide area residents a chance to enjoy relevant lectures about Maine and its culture and traditions.
Acheson’s inaugural lecture and reception this week is being underwritten by TD Banknorth.
“They liked the idea and were interested in supporting it,” Hecker says. The project will continue to be privately funded as it proceeds.