Lecture Series Brings Prominent Writers, Activists to Campus

A spring lecture series featuring war photographer James Nachtwey ’70, Booker Prize winner John Berger, and South African anti-apartheid activist Denis Goldberg kicks off April 10 at Dartmouth.

The series, “Times of Crisis,” is hosted by the Gender Research Institute at Dartmouth (GRID) and will feature talks from distinguished writers, activists, and scholars in seven events during April and May.

“We expect students, faculty, staff, and other community members to be exhilarated to hear our guests speak about the struggles of social change,” says Annabel Martín, director of the Gender Research Institute and an associate professor of women’s and gender studies, Spanish, and comparative literature.

The series, which is free and open to the public, begins on April 10 with a panel discussion with three Dartmouth alumni activists, Javed Jaghai ’12, Danielle Coleman ’12, and Susan Struble ’93, followed by a lecture from Goldberg.

Goldberg, who was a close friend of the late Nelson Mandela, is known for his activism against the apartheid regime in South Africa. Goldberg served more than two decades in prison for his role in the anti-apartheid movement.

This is the second lecture series hosted by GRID; last year the Seeds of Change series featured several talks, including one from prominent intellectual and activist Cornel West. The Times of Crisis series is part of the GRID seminar program, which brings together 28 fellows, made up of faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate students, to research and debate the topic of gender and social activism. The fellows will attend the “Times of Crisis” series and will meet on a weekly basis throughout the term.

One of the fellows, Jennifer Gargano ’14, says she is looking forward to thought-provoking conversations.

“I have the unique pleasure of not only getting to participate in the GRID series through Professor Martín’s Women and Gender Studies course, but I also get to work behind-the-scenes and help out with various aspects of GRID,” Gargano says. “I think that we’re in for an incredible series this term.”

Martín agrees. “We expect Times of Crisis to be a series of lessons in democracy that will intellectually stimulate us all for months to come,” she says.

Here is a look at the events:

• Thursday, April 10: An alumni activist panel featuring Javed Jagai ’12, Danielle Coleman ’12, and Susan Struble ’93 will take place at 3 p.m. in Haldeman 41, followed by a lecture from South African activist Denis Goldberg at 4:15 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 22: A text recorded for this event by writer, activist, and Booker Prize winner John Berger will be presented at 4:15 p.m. in Loew Auditorium of the Black Family Visual Arts Center. The event will also feature a virtual conversation with Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT.
• Tuesday, April 29: Award-winning photographer James Nachtwey ’71 will speak at 4:15 p.m. in the Loew Auditorium of the Black Family Visual Arts Center.
• Friday, May 2: Investigative journalist Amy Goodman will speak at 5 p.m. in Moore B03.
• Thursday, May 8: Nancy Fraser, the Henry A. and Louise Loeb Professor of Political and Social Science at The New School of Social Research, will speak at 4 pm in Haldeman 41.
• Monday, May 12: Jennifer Klugman, the director of Gender and Development at the World Bank, will speak at 4 p.m. on campus at a location that is still be decided.
• Friday, May 16: Angela Davis, activist and Distinguished Professor Emerita of Feminist Studies and of the History of Consciousness at the University of California, Santa Cruz, will speak at 4 p.m. in Moore Hall’s Filene Auditorium.