The unexamined life is not worth living. – Socrates, from Plato’s Apology (38a)
An ethical life begins with a clear-eyed look at ourselves. Our institutions – the places and communities that we call home – also benefit from careful consideration. This series introduces key questions about the choices and values that shape MIT. How can understanding our Institute’s historic ties and current relationships help us think about its future? To promote an open and informal dialogue, this in-person program is limited to 15 participants. EACH SESSION REQUIRES REGISTRATION and MIT AFFILIATION.
November 9: Land Grant Universities: Who Benefits and At What Cost?
LOCATION: STUDENT CENTER; Room 400: REGISTRATION REQUIRED with MIT AFFILIATION
MIT is a Land Grant University. Where did the land come from that enabled the founding of MIT, and what does that history mean for us today? This session will be led by Professor David Shane Lowry BS '03 (’07), Distinguished Fellow in Native American Studies.
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2) Universities and Slavery: Why Dig Up the Past?
Wednesday, November 17th; 12noon-1pm
LOCATION: Building W11-Main Dining Room: REGISTRATION REQUIRED with MIT AFFILIATION
How do universities use investigations into the history of slavery to promote -- or avoid –conversations about race and inequality on campus. This conversation will be led by Professor Craig S. Wilder (History), the author of Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities. This is the first in a series, The Examined University.
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3) Universities and Real Estate: Doing Good for the Neighborhood?
Monday, November 29 at 12noon-1pm in W11-Main Dining Room
REGISTRATION and MIT AFFILIATION REQUIRED.
Join us for a conversation with O. Robert Simha, Senior Lecturer in MIT's Department of Urban Planning. Mr. Simha served as the Director of Planning for MIT from 1960 to 2000. We will explore MIT's role in the transformatiion of the neighborhoods surrounding the campus and how that transformation has been both beneficial and detrimental. In addition to his role of Director of Planning at MIT, Mr. Simha served as a member of the Cambridge Planning Board for a five year term in the 1960’s and has been a board member of many service organizations in Cambridge over the years. He is currently the Vice President of the East Cambridge Planning Team.
This is the third program in our series, "The Examined University".
To be announced: Conversations about MIT’s ties to the defense industry, the Institute’s impact on local housing markets, and an exploration of MIT’s relationships with people, corporations, and states.
