Grawemeyer celebration tackles weighty topics, invites public to join discussion
Race, corruption, peace, human intelligence—discussion topics planned for the University of Louisville’s 30th anniversary celebration of the Grawemeyer Awards read like themes from an epic movie or novel.
“Those topics are very intentional,” said Charles Leonard, the award program’s executive director. “The Grawemeyer Awards were created to celebrate ideas, and great ideas usually begin with great conversations.”
Leonard says he hopes the public will take part in the conversations, which begin Sept. 29 and continue into mid-November. Most of the talks feature past Grawemeyer Award winners. The discussions are free and open to the public and include:
- Sept. 29, “Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences,” an examination of Howard Gardner’s 1983 book of the same title. Gardner was awarded the 1990 Grawemeyer Award in Education and will join the conversation via Skype, 5 p.m., Ekstrom Library, Room W104.
- Oct. 12 – 13, the Black Church Studies program of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary presents “Race, Faith & Community,” an exploration of religion and race in America with presentations by two Grawemeyer Award in Religion winners and two prominent activists. Detailed information, an event schedule and registration is available at lpts.edu. Registration is required by Oct. 2 for the Oct. 13 program.
- Oct. 15, innovative approaches to education will be explored as former Grawemeyer Award in Education winners Carol Gilligan, Pasi Sahlberg and Vanessa Siddle Walker—all internationally renowned experts—come together to share their thoughts, ideas and research. UofL alumnus and journalist Bob Edwards will moderate the symposium that begins at 5 p.m., Comstock Hall, School of Music.
- Oct. 20, “The Death and Life of the American School System,” takes a look at how testing and choice are undermining education. Based on Diane Ravitch’s 2010 book of the same name that earned her the 2014 Grawemeyer Award in Education, she will join the talk via Skype, 5 p.m. Ekstrom Library, Room W104.
- Oct. 27, “Mysteries of Human Memory” features presentations and a panel discussion with former Grawemeyer Award in Psychology winners and prominent scientists Elizabeth Loftus, James McGaugh and Lynn Nadel. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Bomhard Theater at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts.
- Oct. 29, “Why Civil Resistance Works,” is a conversation with 2013 Grawemeyer Award for Improving World Order co-winners Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan whose research found that non-violent campaigns to affect change were much more successful than violent campaigns. The program runs from 10 a.m. to noon in the Ekstrom Library’s Chao Auditorium.
- Oct. 29, “Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the U.S.,” a 2007 book by Trita Parsi that earned him the 2010 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order, will be discussed. Parsi will attend the event, 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the Ekstrom Library’s Chao Auditorium.
- Oct. 30, “Insights into Corruption,” will examine the different forms of corruption depending on a country’s political and economic pattern. The talk is based on Michael Johnston’s 2005 book “Syndromes of Corruption: Wealth, Power and Democracy,” which earned him the 2009 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order, 10 a.m. to noon, Ekstrom Library’s Chao Auditorium.
The university recently marked the 30th anniversary of the program by awarding the inaugural Grawemeyer Spirit Award to Muhammad Ali on Sept. 17.
