UMaine’s “Great Conversations” Take Liberal Arts and Sciences into Community
Contact: Shannon Chisolm, (207) 581- 1954, George Manlove, (207) 581-3756
ORONO — Faculty in the University of Maine’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences teach and investigate issues that are both timely and timeless. Through its “Great Conversations” program, they will share their knowledge of a variety of topics with members of the Penobscot Valley Senior College and residents at the Dirigo Pines Retirement Community in Orono Wednesday, March 9.
Eleven faculty members will address subjects ranging from the pros and cons of Maine’s legislative term limits and the effects of the 2004 presidential elections to peace in a world with terrorists during the two-hour program.
Great Conversations, created for UMaine alumni during Homecoming Weekend last fall, proved so popular, according to college dean Ann Leffler, that the college decided to take the program off campus. A summer Great Conversations session, offered to the public at large, also is planned in August at the UMaine Hutchinson Center in Belfast.
“Nationally, the liberal arts and sciences are home to intriguing interests and questions that range from cutting-edge contemporary concerns to puzzles that endure over the centuries,” Leffler says. “At UMaine, the liberal arts and sciences are also home to talented and knowledgeable faculty who love sharing their passion for these issues.
Senior College, for its part, celebrates lifelong learning through classes, events and explorations that enrich its volunteer teachers and students.”
At Dirigo Pines, “we have a number of retired professors and a lot of retired professionals,” says Betty LaForge, activities director at Dirigo Pines. “It will be a good discussion.”
Great Conversations is from 2-4 p.m., with a welcome reception at 1:30 p.m. Dirigo Pines is located at 9 Alumni Drive off Kelly Road in Orono. The program for the afternoon includes:
“Traveling Through Ancient Peru, with Dan Sandweiss, associate professor of anthropology and quaternary studies, who has spent decades sifting through ancient archaeological sites in Peru seeking clues about prehistoric communities.
“Term Limits in Maine: Have They Worked?” with Richard Powell, assistant professor of political science, and co-author of the recently published book “Changing members: The Era of Term Limits in the Maine Legislature.”
“The Creative Economy and Liberal Arts,” with Tony Brinkley, associate professor of English and associate chair of the English Department, who will discuss the impact that cultural and liberal arts can have on a community’s ability to create a prosperous cultural and economic future.
“Can We Be Nonviolent in These Times of Terror and Terrorism?” with Doug Allen, philosophy professor. Allen asks whether violence has increased in the aftermath of 9/11 and the Iraq War, and whether proponents of non-violence like Mahatma Gandhi can offer effective alternative ways to analyze and deal with terror and terrorism.
“2004 Elections — a Fundamental Shift?” with John Mahon, professor of management and interim UMaine provost. He’ll discuss what some pundits view as a major shift in public opinion and how the nation views Republican and Democratic parties as a result of the last election.
“Will My Grandchild’s Best Friend be a Robot?” with Elise Turner, associate professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science, who asks if movies like “AI” and television shows like “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which portray humanlike robots, are a sign of what’s to come. If robots can become conscious, what should their status in society be?
“Infancy and Brain Development,” with Marie Hayes, associate professor of psychology, who will discuss the early stages of brain growth and development and how environment — pre and postnatal — affects a child’s psychology.
“Why the Criminal Justice System Can’t Work,” with Steven Barkan, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology, who argues that as a result of decades of research and government statistics indicating that a “get tough” approach to crime, which relies on arrest and imprisonment, ultimately is ineffective in reducing crime.
“The Role of Arts in Modern Society,” with Anatole Wieck, associate professor of music, who explains how the arts provide far more than entertainment.
“The Most Public Art: Film and American Identity,” with Michael Grillo, associate professor of art. Grillo observes that over the course of the 20th Century, movies have served to shape a common American identify understood as essential for a nation of immigrants. He’ll consider the most popular genres, from westerns to space empires, and ethnic comedies to nationalist epics, as he looks to how films created a sense of national belonging through a distinctly American mythology.
“Poetry as Prophecy and Consolation,” with Bert Hatlen, professor of English and director the UMaine-based National Poetry Foundation. Hatlen asks about the impulses that lead us toward religion, and whether poetry and the arts offer a way to fulfill these impulses without demanding belief in a system of religious dogma?