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Racism, Islam, and Gun Myths at Fall 2016 Speaker Series

PUTNEY, Vt.--Landmark College will offer four Academic Speaker Series events this fall designed to “promote the intellectual environment of the College and to facilitate discussion of important issues in the community.” The series begins with three talks related to themes in the 2016 U.S. presidential race and scheduled before Election Day on November 8. Starting in September, sociologist Allan Johnson will discuss race and privilege; religious scholar Amer Latif will explore similarities between Islam and Christianity; and journalism professor Mark Timney will debunk American gun myths. Closing the series in mid-November is artist Carlton Turner’s event, “Imagining the Re-integration of Art and Humanity,” which examines the role of art in cultural challenges.  

Presentations are held on Monday evenings at 7 p.m. in Putney, Vt., and are free and open to the public. The first three events will be held at the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium in the East Academic Building of Landmark College. The final event is at Next Stage Arts in downtown Putney.

The 2016-17 Academic Speaker Series is sponsored in part by GPI Construction, Green Mountain Tent Rentals, and The Richards Group.

September 12 – Allan Johnson
"Unraveling the Knot of Race"
7 p.m at the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium

Headshot of Allan JohnsonOne of the greatest barriers to ending racism and other forms of privilege is that we are trapped in cultural ways of thinking that turn conversations about privilege and oppression into occasions for members of dominant groups to feel guilty, defensive, and angry. This presentation offers an alternative way of thinking that can help to overcome that barrier. It is based on Allan Johnson's books, The Gender Knot (third edition, 2014) and Privilege, Power, and Difference (2nd edition, 2005).

Allan G. Johnson is a nonfiction author, novelist, sociologist, public speaker, and workshop presenter who has devoted most of his working life to understanding the human condition, especially in relation to issues of social justice rooted in gender, race, and social class. He has spoken at more than 200 universities, colleges, corporations, and other organizations in 39 states.

September 26 – Amer Latif
"'Only God is Good': Islam Through the Words of Jesus"
7 p.m. at the Brooks M. O'Brien Auditorium

Headshot of Amer LatifThis talk introduces Islamic teachings, ritual practices, and the sharia by using a story from the Gospels in which Jesus answers the questions of a rich man who desires to become his disciple. Although there are significant differences between Islam and Christianity, this comparative approach allows us to grasp some fundamental similarities between these two Abrahamic faith traditions.

Amer Latif has been professor of religious studies at Marlboro College since 2003. After getting a B.A. in physics from Bard College, he earned his Ph.D. in comparative literature from Stony Brook University.
His research focuses primarily on Islamic mystical texts and practices. He is also interested in the issues surrounding cultural translation and has published translations of the poetry of Jalaluddin Rumi, the 13th century Muslim scholar and mystic. A current resident of Putney, he grew up in Pakistan and came to the United States for college.

October 17 - Mark Timney
“Off Target: What Hollywood, Journalists, and Shooters Get Wrong About Guns”
7 p.m at the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium

Headshot of Mark TimneyThis is a non-political examination into the mythology that surrounds firearms. The term “mythology” is used because much of what the average person, including the average gun owner, thinks he or she knows about guns is inaccurate. Mark Timney’s lecture and discussion will examine how perceptions of firearms have been distorted by media and folklore. Such distortions—about the mechanics, ease of use, and lethality of guns— have hindered public discussion about the regulation of firearms. 

Mark Timney is an award-winning mass communicator and educator with more than 20 years of professional experience. Timney earned an M.S. in journalism and Ph.D. in mass communication from Ohio University. He has worked as a television reporter, producer and news anchor, healthcare public relations professional, freelance magazine and Internet writer, and public relations and advertising consultant. Outside of work at Keene State you might find him flying his hang glider, riding his motorcycle, cooking in his kitchen, or playing lead guitar in his classic rock band, "Observant Ego."

November 14 – Carlton Turner
“Imagining the Re-Integration of Art and Humanity”
Location: Next Stage Arts, Putney

Headshot of Carlton TurnerKeynote Address for Voices of Community Conference at Next Stage Arts

“Imagining the Re-integration of Art and Humanity” is a call to action for all of those interested in understanding the answers to the greatest challenges of our time. This talk will examine the connection between the commodification of art and the separation of art from cultural practice. It will also explore the impact of that disconnection on the development of our collective humanity. 

Carlton Turner is the executive director of Alternate ROOTS, a regional non-profit arts organization based in the South supporting artists working at the intersection of arts and social justice.
Carlton Turner and his brother Maurice Turner are co-founders and co-artistic directors of M.U.G.A.B.E.E., a Mississippi-based group that blends of jazz, hip-hop, spoken word poetry, and soul music together with non-traditional storytelling. In 2011 Turner was awarded the M. Edgar Rosenblum award for outstanding contribution to Ensemble Theater by Irondale Ensemble Project in Brooklyn, NY, and in 2013 he was named to the Kennedy Center Honors Artist Advisory Board. Turner lives in Utica, MS with his wife Brandi and three children Jonathan, Xiauna Lin, and Tristan.

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