University Forum is a free public lecture series sponsored by the UNLV College of Liberal Arts and underwritten by The Jerry Kalafatis Lodge Charitable Foundation and the UNLV Foundation. Unless otherwise noted, the following lectures will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History, located on the UNLV campus. The lectures are free and open to the public.
Nov. 3
"Living Tao: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living"
Chungliang Al Huang, philosopher, artist, author, and world-renowned Tia Ji master, will discuss the process of living Tao and how it can lead to a life of long-lasting balance, harmony, and self-cultivation. Huang has authored numerous books on Tai Ji, mind-body-spirit integration, and Taoism as it relates to business, performance and daily life, including "Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain: The Essence of Tai Ji," which has been translated into twelve languages. He is a member of the World Academy of Art and Science, and has received the Republic of China's Gold Medal of Education.
Nov. 4
"The Meaning of Freedom in American History"
Eric Foner, DeWitt-Clinton Professor of History at Columbia University, will trace the idea of freedom throughout American history. From the Revolutionary era, through the Civil War, and now in the wake of September 11, 2001, Foner will discuss how the interpretation of freedom has been and continues to be refined and redefined. Foner has written numerous award-winningbooks, was named Scholar of the Year by the New York Council for the Humanities in 1995, and is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the British Academy. He has also written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, London Review of Books.
Nov. 10
"Jane Austen and the Spectral Event"
New York University humanities professor Mary Poovey will offer a new interpretation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." Poovey argues that Austen translated monetary value into aesthetic terms in order to use a story of romantic love to address one of the most troubling economic issues of her generation. The author of several books, including "The Proper Lady and the Woman Writer: Ideology as Style in the Works of Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, and Jane Austen," Poovey has been awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship, the American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, and the prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship.
Nov. 17
"Magnetic Rhythm and Colorful Lightning: Jazz as Idea and Object in 1920's Prague"
Derek Katz, associate professor of music at the University of California, Santa Barbara, will explore the ideas of the Devetsil, a group of avant-garde artists that claimed poetry should serve the needs of the people and should be devoted to revolution in art, life, and politics. This group associated jazz with other emblems of American popular culture, including the growing notoriety of circuses and Charlie Chaplin; and emblems of the machine age, such as railways. Katz has written articles and essays for a variety of publications, including program essays for the San Francisco Opera, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Aspen Music Festival.
Nov. 30
"The Emperor Has No Clothes: Why the U.S. is No Longer the Leader of the Free World"
UNLV political science professor John Mehrtens will examine the way in which recent world events have caused a severe rift between the United States and many long-standing allies. Though the United States sees itself leading the global push toward democracy and human rights, the rift may grow as Americans display a notion of human rights increasingly out-of-step with global opinion. Mahrtens will argue that the corresponding loss of legitimacy has potentially severe consequences for our country's long-term interests.
