CONWAY,
Ark. (October 9, 2020) — The Marshall T. Steel Center for the Study of Religion
and Philosophy at Hendrix College presents Dr. David Livingstone Smith
as the 2020 Altheimer Scholar. He will lead the Wednesday Afternoon Discussion
at 4:10 p.m. Oct. 21, and will deliver the Altheimer Lecture on Thursday, Oct.
22 at 7 p.m. Both events are free and
open to the public and will be hosted via Zoom.
Smith is a
professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the
University of New England, and is the founder and director of The Human Nature Project. His books
include Less Than Human: Why We Demean, Enslave and Exterminate Others
(St. Martins Press, 2011) and a new release this year, On Inhumanity:
Dehumanization and How to Resist It (Oxford University Press).
The
Oct. 22 lecture will focus on Smith’s recent book On Inhumanity:
Dehumanization and How to Resist It. He will draw upon a decade of research
and use real examples, such as the Holocaust and the enslavement and lynching
of Black Americans, to explain how dehumanization works, focusing on its close
connection to racism, its psychological dynamics, and how resist and combat its
toxic power.
The
Steel Center has sponsored a reading group with students and faculty on Smith’s
recent book. “On Inhumanity presents a thorough and careful analysis of
dehumanization, using clear language, precise examples, and rigorous argument
to illuminate the psychological and political nature of thinking of others as
less than human,” says Director of the Steel Center Dr. James M. Dow. “We are
looking forward to continuing this conversation with Dr. Smith and welcome and
encourage people to attend the lectures and discussions.”
Pre-registration
is required to gain access to the Zoom links for both events. To register, email
steel@hendrix.edu and
specify Wednesday Afternoon Discussion, Thursday Altheimer Lecture, or both.
Registration for the Wednesday Afternoon Discussion closes at noon on Oct. 21;
registration for the lecture closes at noon on Oct. 22.
Supported by a grant from the Ben J. Altheimer
Charitable Foundation, Inc., the annual Altheimer Judaism and Civil Rights
Lecture is intended to highlight the role of Jews and/or Judaism in the pursuit
of civil rights.
About Hendrix College
A private liberal
arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns
recognition as one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is
featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change
the Way You Think About Colleges.
Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix
as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876,
Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To
learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.