2011-2012 Arlington Schedule
The Auditorium at Founders Hall
Women Waging War and Peace:
A Gendered Challenge to Structural Violence
Sandra Cheldelin
Vernon M. and Minnie I. Lynch Professor,
School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 7 p.m.
Traditionally, women play one paramount role in the story of war—that of victim. However, the ways in which women wage war and peace beg a reconsideration of the current dominant narrative about how violence and protracted conflict are gendered. This narrative contains limitations and misconceptions; chief among them is the idea that women are limited to it. The narrative ignores the change in women’s lives resulting from war, as well as the creative strategies women employ to survive. A compilation of actual stories of women’s movements across the globe—as active agents of change in more than 16 countries—demonstrates the richness of women’s experiences during wartime and post-war reconstruction and highlights the wide repertoire of activities in which women engage. The lessons learned are essential for those involved in conflict resolution, development and peace building in our too-violent world.
Why Creationism and Intelligent Design Should Not Be Taught in the Public Schools
James Trefil
Robinson Professor, Physics
Monday, March 5, 2012 at 7 p.m.
Attempts to introduce Creationism into public school science curricula have been a constant feature of American life since early in the twentieth century. These attempts raise two different kinds of issues. One of these is legal and concerns the question of whether or not they violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. The second is scientific, and concerns the question of whether Creationism and Intelligent Design constitute sound science. Starting with the Scopes ‘Monkey Trial’ in 1925, there has been a long series of court cases that have progressively restricted the kind of counter-evolutionary materials that can be presented in the public schools. At the same time, evidence for evolution has become much stronger with the incorporation of data based on modern molecular genetics as well as with important new fossil discoveries. In this talk, Prof. Trefil will weave together the legal and scientific arguments that have developed in recent years to bolster the scientific understanding of evolution, and will talk about how these arguments can be used to counter the increased pressure from creationists.