Arts and Humanities lecture series topics announced

The College of Arts and Humanities, along with several departments and groups, will present three lectures in November and December as part of the Intellectual and Artistic Exploration Lecture series. All three events are free and open to the public.

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Dr. Toni Wein, assistant professor of English at Fresno State, will speak on the “Fanning Desire: Culture and Advertising, Then and Now.” The lecture will be held in the Music Building Concert Hall from 7-8 p.m.

In 18th century Britain, producers trumpeted extravagant claims for the novelty, spectacle and entertainment value of their wares, while simultaneously asserting the moral and educational purposes of culture. This talk considers the surprising resemblances between their practices and ours, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that our modes of culture have so multiplied.

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, Dr. Marie Galanti will speak on “How the French Media Portray the United States.” The program is in collaboration with The Alliance Francaise de Fresno, Inc. and the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures. The lecture will be in the Smittcamp Alumni House from 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Galanti, is a noted author of textbooks on contemporary French civilization and a publisher of the French language newspaper with the largest circulation in the U.S., the “Journal Français d'Amérique.” Galanti is a keen observer of evolving French and American relations as noted in her editorials in the “Journal Français.” The government of Quebec recognized her contributions to the promotion of French language and culture with its highest award.

“Beyond Vocational Training: Liberal Arts as a Lifetime Degree” will be the topic of Dr. Robert L. Patten, a professor in humanities at Rice University on Thursday, Dec. 1.  The Phi Beta Kappa Society Couper Scholar Program, in partnership with the Department of English and with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will host program from 7-8 p.m. in the Alice Peters Auditorium of the Business Building.

Patten says education has often been conceived for a lifetime, not just a job. The idea of a liberal education developed in the 19th century. He will recount the history of liberal learning and engage with the audience in a discussion about how such an education could be of value today.