Lectures

Sociologist and Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Rodney Stark, who debunks the notion that Christianity has held back scientific progress in his new book, delivered the second in a series of four lectures about why religions succeed or fail during a lecture series at Vanderbilt University Feb. 28. Read More

Vanderbilt legal, First Amendment and religious experts discussed the issues surrounding the recent global uproar over the publication of satirical cartoons portraying the Prophet Muhammad during a forum sponsored by the Vanderbilt Interfaith Council Feb. 20. Read More

Vanderbilt legal, First Amendment and religious experts discussed the issues surrounding the recent global uproar over the publication of satirical cartoons portraying the Prophet Muhammad during a forum sponsored by the Vanderbilt Interfaith Council Feb. 20. Read More

Marc Galanther, author of Lowering the Bar: Lawyer Jokes and Legal Culture, discussed his research into the increase and changing tone of jokes about attorneys throughout history, and what these jokes say about our culture, in a lecture Feb. 21 at Vanderbilt Law School. Read More

An economic model is the best way to understand the rise and fall of religions, said sociologist Rodney Stark in the first of four lectures at Vanderbilt University as the first Templeton Research Fellow. Read More

Four Vanderbilt professors discussed their new research in black Atlantic history in an event sponsored by the Department of History Feb. 14 as part of Black History Month. Read More

The erosion of the legal recognition of torture as something that is forbidden in the United States and the implications for our broader legal system and society of that erosion were the subject of a lecture by Jeremy J. Waldorn, University Professor of Law and director of the Center for Law and Philosophy at Columbia University at Vanderbilt University Law School Feb. 3. Read More

The erosion of the legal recognition of torture as something that is forbidden in the United States and the implications for our broader legal system and society of that erosion were the subject of a lecture by Jeremy J. Waldorn, University Professor of Law and director of the Center for Law and Philosophy at Columbia University at Vanderbilt University Law School Feb. 3. Read More

"Dying old as a social problem" was the subject of a lunchtime discussion with Vanderbilt philosophers John Lachs and David Wood and 300 members of the Nashville community Feb. 1 at the Nashville Public Library. Read More

"Dying old as a social problem" was the subject of a lunchtime discussion with Vanderbilt philosophers John Lachs and David Wood and 300 members of the Nashville community Feb. 1 at the Nashville Public Library. Read More

Craig E. Colten, the Carl O. Sauer Professor of Geography at Louisiana State University and a leading expert on the geographical and social/racial issues that complicate the recovery of New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina, shared his unique perspective on the aftermath of the tragedy during a lecture at Vanderbilt Law School Jan. 26. Read More

Professor of Mechanical Engineering Thomas Cruse discussed future directions for Air Force science and technology in a lecture at Stevenson Center Jan. 20. Cruse is the chief technologist for the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Read More

Stefanie Lindquist, associate professor of political science and law, spoke Jan. 23 on how recent and Supreme Court changes may affect legal access to abortion in the United States. She made the argument that Roe v. Wade may have impeded and continues to impede progress toward reproductive freedom for women rather than advanced it. Read More

The question "Can our best values betray us?" framed a discussion with Vanderbilt philosopher Charles Scott and 300 members of the Nashville community Dec. 7 at the Nashville Public Library. The discussion was part of the Thinking Out of the Lunch Box series, co-sponsored by the library and Vanderbilt University. Read More

Vanderbilt musicologist Dale Cockrell discussed \'Happy Land,\' an album of songs mentioned or included in Laura Ingalls Wilder\'s \'Little House\' series. Cockrell conceived and produced the album, which provides a treasure trove of long-lost American music. Read More

John C. Bogle, founder of The Vanguard Group and president of the Bogle Financial Markets Research Center spoke at Vanderbilt Nov. 15 about how disregard for the "relentless rules of arithmetic" and other mismanagement by mutual fund managers has "robbed investors of trillions." Read More

Hipsters, poseurs, waitresses and polka were among the many topics raised during a panel discussion with Vanderbilt sociologist Richard Lloyd about his new book, Neo-Bohemia: Art and Commerce in the Postindustrial City. Read More

Watch video of a September 2005 talk by internationally recognized architect Peter Eisenman, "Architecture Matters." Read More

Watch video of a September 2005 talk by internationally recognized architect Peter Eisenman, "Architecture Matters." Read More

Legal, political, historical and religious experts gathered to discuss the continuing debate surrounding the Scopes monkey trial in a forum preceding the performance of the Great Tennessee Monkey Trial Oct. 19. Read More