Several lecture series are being offered this semester on a broad range of topics which include religion, arms control, and ethical aspects of scientific inquiry. Many will start this month, and some will continue into the spring semester. Following is a brief description of five of those series.
Colloquium on early Christian and medieval art
The Institute of Sacred Music (ISM) at the Divinity School is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a fall and early winter colloquium series titled "Early Christian and Medieval Art and Architecture: Liturgical and Performative Contexts." An international roster of scholars will present, in layman's terms, their work on subjects such as period relics, liturgical drama and icons. With the exception of the first session, talks will be held in the Great Hall of the Institute, 409 Prospect St.
At the first session -- which will be held in the auditorium on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 3:30 p.m. -- Margot Fassler, ISM director, will discuss "The Jesse Tree Window at Chartres: Sermons-Chant and Liturgy-Drama and the Visual Arts," and Craig Wright, professor of music history, will examine "The Meaning of the Maze at the Cathedral of Chartres."
Before the session, at 1 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Institute, Helen Curry of the Labyrinth Project of Connecticut will conduct a "Walking the Maze" workshop, taking participants through a replica of the stone-floor maze in France's Chartres Cathedral. The maze is intended to help those who travel its course develop a greater sense of spiritual awareness.
Topics for upcoming sessions include "Reflections of Liturgical Drama in Medieval Scandinavian Art" (Sept. 24), "Before the Gates of Heaven: Relics and Their Setting in Early Medieval Rome" (Oct. 22), "The Life of the Ravenna Baptistry" (Nov. 5) and "Icon Processions in Byzantium and Venice" (Nov. 12). For a complete schedule or other information, call Laurie Holst at 432-5180.
Workshop series on religious institutions and society
A workshop series on the changing role of religion in public life will be offered this year at the Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS). Now in its fourth year, the "Workshop on Religious Institutions & Society" invites students, faculty and practitioners from Yale, other institutions and the community to address cutting-edge issues raised in new work by researchers from history, religious studies and the social and behavioral sciences. The workshop this year will cover a wide range of issues relating to the changing role of religion in public life.
The first workshop session will take place Friday, Sept. 19, noon-2 p.m., at the Program on Non-Profit Organizations (PONPO), 88 Trumbull St. Two papers will be presented: "Apples and Oranges: Definitional Dilemmas in Assessing the Place of Religion in the Organizational Universe" offers a contemporary view of the workshop topic, and "The Transformation of Humanitarianism, 1750-1997" gives an historical perspective. Both papers will be presented by Peter Dobkin Hall, research scientist and acting director of PONPO at ISPS.
The Sept. 19 session also will also be an organizational meeting to prioritize interests and schedule future presenters. Newcomers and scholars interested in presenting their research are welcome.
Upcoming sessions scheduled to date include "Renewing American Compassion" (Oct. 24), "Religious Organizations and Welfare Reform" (Nov. 21) and "Jewish Choices: Denominational Changes in American Judaism" (Dec. 12).
Space is limited, and those interested should call Karen Refsbeck at 432-2121. Also, copies of all papers may be obtained in advance by calling Ms. Refsbeck.
For more information about the series, contact Mr. Hall at 432-2121.
Works-in-progress on a variety of public issues will be discussed
A biweekly series sponsored by the Program on Non-Profit Organizations (PONPO) at the Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS), will feature works-in-progress on subjects dealing with philanthropy, voluntarism and nonprofit organizations. Current research presented by scholars, practitioners and policy makers will explore a variety of public issues from a range of disciplinary perspectives. Members of the Yale community and others interested in this particular area of social policy are invited to participate.
The series will be offered at PONPO, 88 Trumbull St., noon-1:30 p.m. beginning Tuesday, Sept. 23. The first session will feature Lisa R. Berlinger, a visiting fellow there, who will discuss "Perspectives on Evaluation: A Call for Cross-Discipline Research and Action." Ms. Berlinger will discuss challenges to accurately evaluating the success of public, private and nonprofit joint endeavors developed to address social and economic issues.
Other topics to be addressed in the series include "Implementing an Intermediate Sanctions Tax Risk Management Program -- Protecting Yourself and Your Board Members from Personal Tax Liability" (Oct. 7), "Sacred Companies: Organizational Aspects of Religion and Religious Aspects of Organizations" (Oct. 28), and "Right, Left and Center: Philanthropy, Public Welfare and the Politics of Knowledge in Contemporary America" (Nov. 4) and "Holding the Center: America's Nonprofit Sector at a Crossroads" (Dec. 10). The topic of a Nov. 18 session is yet to be announced.
Seating is limited, and it is requested that those interested in attending a session call 432-2121 no later than the Friday preceding the seminar.
Seminar on bioethics and public policy
The Institution for Social and Policy Studies (ISPS) and Yale Hillel are sponsoring a year-long seminar series on "Bioethics and Public Policy." The series will focus on different areas of bioethics, including medical, environmental and genetic aspects. The goal of the series is to enhance understanding of the complex ethical issues that are part of the increasingly scientific and technological environment in which we live.
Each speaker will conduct a 4 p.m. seminar at ISPS, 77 Prospect St. The speaker then will present a public lecture, followed by a 7:30 p.m. reception, at the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale, 80 Wall St.
The first speaker of the fall semester will be John Wargo, associate professor of environmental risk analysis and policy, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, who will present the Arthur and Dale Galston Lecture in Bioethics and Public Policy on Thursday, Sept. 25. Professor Wargo's topic will be "The Future of Children's Environmental Health." Other speakers include: Yale professors Dr. Sherwin B. Nuland and Arthur Galston, who will discuss "Death and Dying in America" on Wednesday, Nov. 12; and Professor Mark A. R. Kleiman of the University of California at Los Angeles, who will discuss "Rational Policies Toward Imperfectly Rational People: Getting Criminals Off Drugs" on Thursday, Dec. 11. For more information, contact Carol Pollard at 432-6188.
Series on arms control and international security
This colloquium series on the law and politics of arms control will examine issues associated with chemical and biological weapons; land mines; the international trafficking of small arms used in civil conflicts; nuclear proliferation; and the effects of a "small Star Wars" theater missile defense (THAAD) and a limited National Missile Defense. Other areas of exploration include a look at countries that have "turned back" from nuclear development, an examination of U.S.-Russian arms control negotiations in START II and III, and an assessment of nuclear weaponry in North Asia and the Middle East.
The colloquium is being convened by Ruth Wedgwood, professor of law. It will be held weekly in the Law School faculty dining room, 127 Wall St., 6:30-8:30 p.m. Most of the sessions will take place Mondays, with the exception of two sessions in October. Meeting dates are Sept. 22; Oct. 2 (Thursday), 6, 14 (Tuesday) and 20; Nov. 3, 10, 17 and 24; and Dec. 4.
The first speaker in the series is Philip Bobbitt, director of intelligence for the National Security Council, who will discuss "American Nuclear Doctrine" Sept. 22. Yale faculty member Paul Bracken will talk about "Military Command Structures" on Nov. 3. Other renowned speakers in the series include Admiral Stansfield Turner, former director of the CIA, and Rolf Ekeus, Swedish Ambassador to the United States. The colloquium is open to all interested members of the Yale community. Graduate students and Yale College seniors may participate for course credit, with a writing assignment.
For a complete schedule or more information, contact Professor Wedgwood at 432-4946 or Wedgwood@Yale.edu.