Emory Williams Lectures in the Liberal Arts

The Voluntary Core Curriculum, a new initiative at Emory University under the aegis of the Program in Democracy and Citizenship, offers a coherent and linked group of courses on the Western tradition, which address a series of major questions that have traditionally been at the center of a liberal arts education. In addition to taking Great Works courses, students who participate in the program also have access to a guest lecture series featuring distinguished outside experts and writers as well as Emory faculty. These lectures have been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University).

On the Parthenon

Joan Connelly, Professor of Classics at Bryn Mawr College, gives a talk entitled "On the Parthenon" (October 28, 2015). Connelly was awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship for her work in Greek art, myth, and religion. Her new book, "The Parthenon Enigma," won the Phi Beta Kappa Society’s Ralph Waldo Emerson Award for 2015. It was named a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times Book Review, one of the year’s Top Ten Works of Nonfiction by the Daily Beast, and one of the Best Books in Architecture and Design by Metropolis Magazine. Her "Portrait of a Priestess: Women and Ritual in Ancient Greece," was also named a Notable Books of the Year by the New York Times.

10-30
56:30

Shakespeare and the Problem of Heroism

Marc Conner, Jo M. and James Ballengee Professor of English at Washington and Lee University, gives a talk to undergraduates entitled "Shakespeare and the Problem of Heroism" (October 21, 2015). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

10-24
48:04

Music as a Mirror

Robert Greenberg, Music Historian-In-Residence, San Francisco Performances, gives a talk and performance entitled "Music as a Mirror" (October 7, 2015). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University).

10-08
54:40

The Bible and Plagiarism: Repurposing the Stories of Old

Cynthia Chapman, Johnston & Frank Associate Professor of Religion at Oberlin College, gives a talk to undergraduates entitled "The Bible and Plagiarism: Repurposing the Stories of Old" (September 30, 2015). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University).

10-06
44:47

The Bible and Plagiarism: Repurposing the Stories of Old

Cynthia Chapman, Johnston & Frank Associate Professor of Religion at Oberlin College, gives a talk to undergraduates entitled "The Bible and Plagiarism: Repurposing the Stories of Old" (September 30, 2015). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

10-05
44:47

Did America's Founding Fathers Intend to Separate Church from State?

Vincent Phillip Munoz, Tocqueville Associate Professor of Religion and Public Life in the Department of Political Science and Concurrent Associate Professor of Law at The University of Notre Dame, gives a talk to undergraduates entitled "Did America's Founding Fathers Intend to Separate Church from State?" (September 9, 2015). Dr. Muñoz writes and teaches across the fields of political philosophy, constitutional studies, and American politics. His recent research has focused on the theme of religious liberty and the American Constitution. His first book, "God and the Founders: Madison, Washington, and Jefferson" (Cambridge University Press, 2009), won the Hubert Morken Award from the American Political Science Association for the best publication on religion and politics in 2009 and 2010. His First Amendment church-state casebook, "Religious Liberty and the American Supreme Court: The Essential Cases and Documents," was published in 2013 and is being used at Notre Dame and other leading universities. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University).

09-26
49:46

'Goodness Gracious! Anybody Hurt?' How a Great Work Can Be a Time Bomb in Your Life

James Tatum, Aaron Lawrence Professor of Classics, Emeritus, Dartmouth College, gives a talk entitled "'Goodness Gracious! Anybody Hurt?' How a Great Work Can Be a Time Bomb in Your Life. "(April 8, 2015) The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

04-11
48:01

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks: Reading History and Machiavelli's Prince in Middle Age

Vickie Sullivan, Professor of Political Science at Tufts University, gives a talk entitled "Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks: Reading History and Machiavelli's Prince in Middle Age" (March 18, 2015). At Tufts, she maintains teaching and research interests in a new subfield of political science, politics and literature. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

03-23
32:54

Thomas Hobbes and the State of Nature

Professor Stauffer talks about English philosopher and author of "Leviathan," Thomas Hobbes (March 4, 2015). He specializes in classical and early modern political philosophy. Most of his research has focused on classical thought, but his current work also examines the origins of liberalism, the theoretical foundations of modernity, and the divide between ancient and modern political thought. He is the author of "Plato's Introduction to the Question of Justice" (SUNY, 2001), coauthor and cotranslator of "Empire and the Ends of Politics: Plato's Menexenus and Pericles' Funeral Oration" (Focus Philosophical Library, 1999), and author of "The Unity of Plato's Gorgias: Rhetoric, Justice, and the Philosophic Life" (Cambridge, 2006). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

03-09
47:52

My Great Books

Salman Rushdie, Emory University Distinguished Professor, talks about the great books in his life (Feb. 18, 2015). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/ http://www.salman-rushdie.com/

02-23
57:44

Two Concepts of Dignity

Gilbert Meilaender, Professor Emeritus at Valparaiso University, gives a talk entitled "Two Concepts of Dignity" as part of the Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts (Nov. 12, 2014). His published work falls generally into the area of religious ethics. Most recently he has edited (together with William Werpehowski) "The Oxford Handbook of Theological Ethics" (2005). He has a special interest in bioethics, is a Fellow of the Hastings Center, and has been a member of the President's Council on Bioethics since its inception in January 2002. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

11-14
01:02:17

Greatness of Soul: Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas on the Virtue of Magnanimity

Mary Keys, is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, University of Notre Dame, gives a talk entitled "Greatness of Soul: Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas on the Virtue of Magnanimity" as part of the Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts (Oct. 22, 2014). Her research and teaching interests span a broad spectrum of political theory, with a special focus in Christianity, ethics, and political thought. She is the author of "Aquinas, Aristotle, and the Promise of the Common Good" (Cambridge University Press, 2006; paperback 2008). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

10-24
01:00:45

The Moral Economy of Guilt

BIll McClay, the G.T. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty at University of Oklahoma, gives a talk entitled "The Moral Economy of Guilt" as part of the Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts (Oct. 1, 2014). His book "The Masterless: Self and Society in Modern America" won the 1995 Merle Curti Award of the Organization of American Historians for the best book in American intellectual history. Among his other books are "The Student’s Guide to U.S. History," "Religion Returns to the Public Square: Faith and Policy in America," "Figures in the Carpet: Finding the Human Person in the American Past" and the forthcoming "Why Place Matters: Geography, Identity, and Public Life in Modern America." The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

10-24
01:06:34

Constitutional Structures and Civic Virtues

Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and professor of politics at Princeton University, gives a talk entitled "Constitutional Structures and Civic Virtues" to Emory undergraduates (Sept. 3, 2014). Professor George is a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics and formerly served as a presidential appointee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights and a Judicial Fellow at the Supreme Court of the United States. He is also the founder and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

09-07
01:09:05

How Painters Read the Classics

Walter Melion, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Art History and chair of the Art History Department, gives a talk to undergraduates entitled "How Painters Read the Classics" (April 9, 2014). Dr. Melion has published extensively on Dutch and Flemish art and art theory of the 16th and 17th centuries, on Jesuit image-theory, on the relation between theology and aesthetics in the early modern period, and on the artist Hendrick Goltzius. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

04-12
47:34

Frederick Douglass's Declarations of Independence

Nicholas Buccola, Linfield College, gives a talk entitled "Frederick Douglass's Declarations of Independence" to Emory undergraduates (April 2, 2014). Political science Professor Nicholas Buccola teaches and researches American politics, including contemporary issues such as same-sex marriage, social justice, contemporary moral controversies, and political liberals and conservatives. Other areas of expertise include the Supreme Court and constitutional law. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

04-05
41:49

Civic Freedom and Reverence for Law: The Legacy of Ancient Sparta

Susan Collins, University of Notre Dame, gives a talk to undergraduates entitled "Civic Freedom and Reverence for Law: The Legacy of Ancient Sparta" (March 19, 2014). Dr. Collins is Associate Professor of Political Science, specializing in Ancient Political Philosophy. Her most recent book is a translation of Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics," with Robert Bartlett (University of Chicago, 2011), including notes, glossary, and interpretive essay. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

03-24
43:32

The King James Bible

Russell Reno, editor of "First Things" magazine, gives a talk entitled "The King James Bible" to Emory undergraduates (March 5, 2014). Reno is the author of several books, including "Fighting the Noonday Devil", a theological commentary on the Book of Genesis in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible series for which he also serves as general editor, "In the Ruins of the Church", and "Redemptive Change: Atonement and the Cure of the Soul". He has also coauthored two books, "Heroism and The Christian Life" and "Sanctified Vision: An Introduction to Early Christian Interpretation of the Bible". His scholarly work ranges widely in systematic and moral theology, as well as in controverted questions of biblical interpretation. [Source: Wikipedia] The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

03-12
47:14

Liberal Education and Democratic Citizenship

Roosevelt Montas, Columbia University, gives a talk entitled "Liberal Education and Democratic Citizenship" to Emory undergraduates (February 26, 2014). Dr. Montás specializes in Antebellum American literature and culture, with a specific interest in citizenship and American national identity. He is also Director of Columbia's Center for the Core Curriculum, where he has taught both Literature Humanities and Contemporary Civilization. He is currently writing on the interrelated biographies Ralph Waldo Emerson, Frederick Douglass, and Charles Sumner. He also lectures and writes on the history and future of liberal arts education. The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University). http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/voluntary-core-program/lectures/

03-03
37:14

The Ancient Guide to Modern Life

Natalie Haynes, writer and critic, gives a talk entitled "The Ancient Guide to Modern Life" at Emory University (January 22, 2014). The Emory Williams Lecture Series in the Liberal Arts has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. Emory Williams (Emory College '32 and Trustee Emeritus, Emory University).

01-27
58:03

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