Community Lecture Series
2015 Flagler College Community Lecture Series
This year marks the 450th year of our city’s official founding. As such, it seems an appropriate time to examine what was occurring in our city and world 450 years ago through present day. Perhaps unrealized at the time by the involved societal members, rebirth and new beginnings, innovation, courage, experimentation, ethical questioning and entrepreneurship would all become characteristics of the beginnings of a modern civilization as a result of exploration. This year’s presenters will be lecturers and scholars with particular expertise on these themes who will aid us to focus on Exploration: Passions, Implications and Reflections.
Dr. Edward McGinley
March 17, 2015
"Fishing and the New World: An examination of how fish helped the exploration, colonization, and growth of America"
As Europeans were exploring new lands during the 1500s and onward, new fishing grounds served not only as a resource to be exploited, but also allowed for the development of outposts and colonies in the New World. Indeed, the ocean resources were so vast at this time, they seemed inexhaustible to early Americans, often in direct contrast to what they were familiar with in their home countries. The practice of fishing became ingrained in early Americans and helped this country to develop. This talk will look at how specific species of fish helped to build this country, as well as the current status of these iconic fish.
April 14, 2015
"The Steel Crown: Indigenous Responses to Exploration"
Exploration involves the investigation of unknown regions. Unknown, that is, to explorers. Yet most of these regions were both known and inhabited by indigenous peoples. Exploration resulted in various scales of interaction between Western and indigenous peoples. This lecture will examine indigenous responses to exploration at varying scales by drawing on case studies from North America, Africa, and South America.
Previous Community Lecture Series:
Dr. Art Vanden Houten
February 17, 2015
“In the beginning, all the world was America . . . . “
For thousands of years, Europeans had thought and written about human nature, the origin of societies, and the nature of just political and social institutions. These reflections had always been rooted in the experience of particular thinkers, their own cultural landscape and what little they knew about other societies. When Europeans first encountered what they called, “the New World,” the foundations of much of their political philosophy were deeply shaken and unsettled. What followed was an effort lasting more than two centuries that strove to make sense of and often draw profound and revolutionary implications from this discovery. This talk attempts to chronicle and explain the ways different Europeans tried to integrate the encounter with the indigenous peoples and their societies into their own theoretical reflections on social and political life.
Dr. Brenda Kauffman
January 20, 2015
“The Outbound Voyage: Sailing Ships to Commercial Spaceflight”
From the age of massive state sponsored naval expeditions like China’s Zheng He or the Spanish Crown’s Columbian voyages to America’s capsules capable of carrying humans to the moon breakthroughs in technology and a spirit of exploration have spread humans to all points of the planet and beyond. Much can be learned from exploring the history of discovery including the desire for adventure and the remarkable courage it takes as well as the costs and consequences. The great human journey is exciting and captivating as well as tragic and challenging. This lecture will explore the political economic history of the seafarers and imagine the future of the starfarers.
Space Chronicles Facing the Ultimate Frontier by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
“The Tricky Ethics of Intergalactic Colonization” by Charles Mann
“The Theory of Interstellar Trade” Paul Krugman
Christopher Columbus, Letter to the Sovereigns, 4 March 1493
“China has an Ancient Mariner to Tell You About” by Joseph Kahn
Tickets and Event Information
Tickets are $5 per person for a single lecture, or $15 for four lectures. Active military personnel may attend at no charge. Lectures begin at 10 a.m. in the Ponce Hall Solarium at Flagler College, 74 King St. Reservations are required, but space is limited. The lecture will last approximately one hour and will be followed by a coffee and pastry reception.
Call (904) 826-8617 for reservations or more information.
About the Community Lecture Series
The Flagler College Community Lecture Series was established in 2007 to expose the St. Augustine community to select topics from local experts and Flagler faculty. Previous topics covered:
- Examining Religion and Culture
- Global Perspectives
- Intriguing Careers
- The Hotel Ponce de Leon: From Architectural Marvel to Higher Education