Upcoming

Drawing the Line: What to Do With the Work of Immoral Artists From Museums to the Movies

Recent years have been punctuated by revelations and reminders that popular artists (musicians, directors, actors, comedians, painters) have committed a range of morally condemnable acts. What should we do, think, and feel in response to these actions? Does it affect the aesthetic quality of the work these artists have produced? Is it morally permissible for us to engage with or enjoy that work? Should such work even be available for consumption, or should it be “canceled”? In short, can we separate the art from the artist? In Drawing the Line, I argue that it doesn’t matter whether we can separate the art from the artist, because we shouldn’t. Taking both art and morality seriously requires grappling with them together. Recognizing the moral and aesthetic relationships between art and artist is essential to determining when and where we should draw the line when good artists do bad things.

Watch your inbox for a Zoom invite to this lecture by Erich Hatala Matthes, Associate Professor of Philosophy.

We are in the midst of an epoch paradigm shift from inequality to solidarity, according to Professor Matthaei. Capitalism is a hybrid system, caught in between the two.  It was built on a foundation of hierarchy and domination, but also on a commitment to equal rights and the opportunity to advance. Professor Matthaei will describe multiple ways that each of us can participate in this epoch shift.

Watch your inbox for a Zoom invite to the lecture.

In the past couple of years, the Club has supported "pop-up" events which the board hoped would interest alums in the area. Since these events are not possible at the moment, we have held one online program, given by Martha Hanner on her early years at the Jet Propulsion Lab in California. This worked out well and the board has decided to facilitate Zoom pop-ups and would be happy to receive proposals from you. 

Please fill out this online form to submit your ideas. 

Thank you for your participation as presenter or viewer!

Gigi Barnhill, Margot Cleary, and Rachel Wang 
Zoom Pop-up Program Coordinators

You may have read her articles on cooking, identity, and memory; soon our club member Nina Scott '59 will share her earlier findings on how the pineapple traveled across continents and oceans in an intriguing chapter of food history.

Alicia Lopez Nieto '91 will host this delectable and fascinating conversation over Zoom on Sunday, October 18, 3:00-4:00pm.

Here is a taste of Nina's writing during the pandemic, courtesy of the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

We hope to see you for this Sunday afternoon teatime pop-up!

Speaker bio: After graduating from Wellesley in 1959, Nina earned her Ph.D. from Stanford in 1968, then served as Faculty (Spanish and Portuguese) at UMass, receiving the UMass Distinguished Teaching Award in 1996-7. After retiring from UMass in 2002, she was Interim Department Head at Mt. Holyoke in 2006-7 and Department Chair and Professor at Amherst from 2010-12. Nina has published many articles on food and culture, and is active in Five College Learning in Retirement.

Watch your email for an invitation for Nina's talk.

A conversation about food insecurity on our campuses and in our communities.  Hear from organizations such as the Food Bank of Western MA and brainstorm about how we can make a difference.  More details will follow closer to the event.