The Vision Series
2009-10 Schedule of Lectures
Global Warming: Science, Adaptation and Mitigation
Jagadish Shukla
Distinguished University Professor, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences
Monday, September 21, 2009 at 7 p.m.
The planet is getting warmer, the sea level is rising, and the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is increasing at an unprecedented rate. Yet, there continues to be skepticism, and in some sections of society outright hostility, towards the concept of global warming and its human origins. Dr. Shukla will show comprehensive evidence that global warming is real, and it is a clear and present danger. He will explain the facts behind the observed and projected trends for these unprecedented changes that implicate human activity—and for which no natural causes can possibly be responsible. Shukla will describe the projected climate changes in the twenty-first century for the world, the mid-Atlantic region, and for Virginia. He will conclude with suggestions for adaptation and mitigation strategies, and possible roles of individuals, institutions and governments in responding to the consequences of projected climate change.
How We Learn: Human Exceptionality and Cognition
Margo A. Mastropieri
Professor, College of Education and Human Development
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 7 p.m.
This presentation will describe how research with exceptional populations can advance our understanding of all human learning and cognition and may contribute to the development of a theory of learning and instruction. In this view, research on individuals with special learning needs can help uncover processes or skills overlooked by a solitary focus on more efficient learners. Mastropieri will discuss what her research has provided and how it informs us about learning. She will examine the future research directions to narrow the difference between what we have learned and what we could learn.
What Happens When Water Is Cleaner? Tracking Transitions in Global Health
Kathryn H. Jacobsen
Assistant Professor, Global & Community Health
Monday, November 9, 2009 at 7p.m.
Increasing access to clean drinking water is one of the most important ways to reduce child mortality and to promote population health, but it is not as easy as just drilling new wells. Clean water alone does not necessarily improve child health unless it is accompanied by other interventions. Over time clean water opens up a new set of health concerns as immunity to waterborne infections drops and the risk of outbreaks rises. Using waterborne disease as an example, Jacobsen will describe the shifting mix of threats to community health that are occurring with development and globalization and will raise important questions about planning now for appropriate responses to anticipated health transitions.
Racial Politics in a “Post Racial” America
Michael K. Fauntroy
Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 7 p.m.
Barack Obama’s election as President of the United States has had a profound impact on discussions of race and politics. Many on all sides of the ideological spectrum now conclude that America’s racial problems are in our collective rear view mirror and continuing to discuss them is merely beating a dead horse. Indeed, some contend that we are entering a new “post racial” America, one in which race is no longer a main issue of concern. Dr. Michael K. Fauntroy examines the concept of a “post racial” America — what it means and its potential impact on American politics.
Myths, Archetypes, Campbell and Jung: An Actor’s Tools in Creating the Arc of Character
Edward Gero
Associate Professor, Theater
Monday, January 25, 2010 at 7 p.m.
The processes and approaches to “becoming a character” for performance are myriad and can be even mysterious. Actor and professor, Edward Gero, explores an approach to interpreting and creating character inspired by Jungian archetypes and mythical storytelling patterns identified by Joseph Campbell in his seminal work “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.” Tracing his process in his performances in King Lear and portraying The Bastard in Shakespeare’s King John, as well as his current preparations for the title role of Sweeney Todd, professor Gero will discuss his personal approach to mining, identifying and incorporating mythical and archetypal patterns from the text that speak to audiences in both conscious and unconscious ways.
Location, Location, Location: Hot Spots of Crime and Crime Prevention
David L. Weisburd
Distinguished Professor, Administration of Justice
Monday, February 15, 2010 at 7 p.m.
Each year in a typical city only four percent of the street segments are home to 50 percent of the crimes. About a third of all officially recorded juvenile crimes in a city occur within 86 street segments. Crime at place is relatively stable across time. Good neighborhoods have crime hot spots, and problematic areas have many streets mostly free of crime. Focusing crime prevention on specific places does not cause crime to simply “move around the corner.” These are some of the empirical findings that have led Professor David Weisburd to focus on the concept of hot spots of crime. This lecture will focus on the implications of this research about decreasing crime in American communities. In particular, Weisburd will argue that place-based crime prevention is a good investment, and that it is likely to lead to more crime control with fewer people being processed by the criminal justice system.
The Financial Crisis: Where It Came From and Where We Are Headed
Tyler Cowen
Professor, Economics; General Director, Mercatus Center
Monday, March 29, 2010 at 7 p.m.
How—and when—did the present economic turbulence really begin? How do the actions of government, business, and the citizenry affect the larger economy for better or for worse? What do we mean when we talk about a global economy? What should we expect in the future, and how much should we actually expect to know? A noted economist (as well as food writer and art collector) offers a timely analysis of the current crisis and the possible paths forward.
Fire and Be Damned: The Militia in Nineteenth Century Riots
Zachary Schrag
Assistant Professor, History & Art History
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 7 p.m.
Americans may recall the outrage following the May 1970 killing of four students at Kent State University by members of the Ohio National Guard. Both the students and the guardsmen were heirs to an unpleasant American tradition: the use of lethal force against crowds by largely untrained, part-time soldiers. Historian Zachary Schrag will explore the origins of this tradition in the 19th century. Militia companies of the period functioned as social clubs. Yet in time of urban unrest, elected officials charged them with the grave responsibility of restoring order, using musketry if necessary. Schrag tells the story of specific riots, such as those in Baltimore in 1812, Philadelphia in 1844, and Pittsburgh in 1877, where militias fired into crowds, shedding blood that may have been spared had cities invested more in civilian police.