Climate and Moral Responsibility in Arizona (Florence)

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

Global warming presents humanity with one of the most difficult ethical challenges ever faced. More than just a scientific problem this is a collective action problem requiring that we work together to find appropriate strategies for adaptation. It requires recognizing attribution of cause and effect and careful consideration of the likely outcomes of harm to […]

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The spread of fake news: Is there a vaccine for that?

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

Like a virus, fake news catches on erratically, intensely, and swiftly, and can leave the American public feeling dazed and confused. How can media producers and consumers cure the spread of this false-information outbreak? What steps are technology and media companies taking? How can we protect ourselves and maintain a healthy dose of democratic discourse […]

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Can We Get Along? Talking to Each Other About Controversies Now

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

Democracy is based on hope, the hope that we might solve our problems by talking to each other. Current controversies reflect our nation’s complex history, politics and values. Our views on whether or not America has changed for the better, or for the worse, can differ sharply within our families, our friends, and co-workers. Cultural […]

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Crime, Punishment, and Prisons in America

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

The United States officially incarcerates more persons than any other nation on earth. Incarceration cost U.S. taxpayers more than $80 billion in 2016. Some states such as New York in the East and Washington in the West spend between $50,000 and $60,000 a year for each prisoner. What does that cost buy? What purposes does […]

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Dog Whistle Language in the Media: How Can We Hear It? with Derek Keith

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

“Gang activity. The war on drugs. Tough on crime. They are taking our jobs. They are bad drivers. They are lazy. They are good people.” What images do these phrases and terms conjure in your mind? What does the media suggest with these coded phrases? Suggestive language, or “dog whistle” language, uses specific terms to […]

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What Is Language and What Language(s) Do We Actually Speak? with Dr. Albrecht Classen

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

In Arizona, we are rather aware about the presence of different languages, with English paired with Spanish and the many different native Indian languages. But what is actually English? What is a language? What are the basic elements, and what are its history and characters, relevance and aesthetics? First of all, all languages are organic […]

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Taking My German Father to Nazi Labor Camp: A Journey with Dr. Björn Krondorfer

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

A personal look at the effects of the Holocaust and war memories in German society after 1945, especially as they are passed on intergenerationally in German families. We hear about the author’s father who was drafted into the German army at age 17 and ended up in the vicinity of a Jewish slave labor camp […]

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The Road to Inequity: Understanding the Wealth Gap with Dr. Matthew C. Whitaker

Florence Community Library 778 N. Main St., Florence, AZ, United States

We often hear about the widening wealth gap in the United States. If we look back through history, federal policies and discriminatory practices, from redlining to the current gender wage gap, have contributed to lasting social and economic inequities. Who holds the wealth now? How was that wealth acquired? Can we move toward a more […]

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