The politics of Russia, Turkey and science; the intersection of race and pop culture; the possibility of other life-sustaining planets; and middle-aged mortality all are on the agenda for Northern Arizona University’s annual Summer Seminar Series.
The weekly seminars, which the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) host, allow for interested Flagstaff and NAU community members to hear from experts on a variety of topics, with opportunities for questions and discussion. Each seminar is from 5:30-7 p.m. every Thursday, starting June 8 and running through Aug. 17. The meetings are in Room 200 of the SBS West building.
The lineup for this year is:
- June 8: “Turkey and the AK Party era,” Brian Silverstein, director of the Arizona Center of Turkish Studies at the University of Arizona
- June 15: “What do the movies tell us about our race relations?,” Frederick Gooding Jr., assistant professor of ethnic studies at NAU
- June 22: “Europe has no Statue of Liberty: The EU’s response to Syrian refugees,” Paul Lenze Jr., senior lecturer of politics and international affairs at NAU
- June 29: “Civil religion and the 2016 presidential election,” Ben Krueger, lecturer of communication studies at NAU
- July 6: “Science and politics of policy: How can expert scientists regain the public trust,” Rod Parnell, professor of earth sciences and environmental sustainability at NAU
- July 13: “A galaxy of worlds: Hunting for earths with Lowell Observatory’s Discovery Channel Telescope,” Jeff Hall, CEO of Lowell Observatory
- July 20: “The Art of Conducting,” Daniel O’Bryant, director of orchestras at NAU
- July 27: “Russia in the world: Actions, motivations and consequences,” Gretchen Gee, senior lecturer of politics and international affairs at NAU
- Aug. 3: “An ethnographic case study of rising middle-age mortality in the U.S.,” Michelle Parson, assistant professor of anthropology at NAU
- Aug. 10: “The mapping of Islamist ideologies: Where do ISIS and al-Qaeda fall?,” Faten Ghosn, associate professor of international relations at the University of Arizona
- Aug. 17: “From campus free speech to ideological holy war and—perhaps—back again,” Jim Manley, Goldwater Institute
Free parking is available on south campus in parking lot P61, located just south of the SBS West Building, bldg. 70. Visit the event’s website for more information.