Burlington College: An alternative liberal arts college in the Vermont tradition

Speaker Series: Current/Upcoming

Urban Nightmares, City Dream
“City air makes one free.”

In the ancient and medieval world, where serfs could become free from their bondage by escaping to the cities, men and women understood that cities are the realm of democracy, tolerance, art and freedom, where men and women fulfill their dreams and potentialities to live together peacefully, to establish and to shape their societies and democracy, to create art and beauty and to be social, political citizens. Yet, in much of the modern world cities have become urban nightmares where the worst effects of 19th, 20th and 21st-century industrialization have produced urbanized space where men, women, and children are governed by centralized economies, nation states and empires, where they are crowded in insufficient housing or forced into homelessness, and where poverty, environmental damage, disease, crime, and violence have turned vibrant cities into what scholar Mike Davis calls a “Planet of Slums.” In this series of lectures, debates and discussion the Institute of Civic Engagement will explore the reality of modern city life drawing on the experience of world cities like New Orleans, New York, Havana, Mexico City, and Burlington. We will also examine the desires of humans to live in organic, free and beautiful communities where they are able to fulfill their desires to create meaningful lives.

All lectures are from 6:30-8 P.M. at Burlington College.

Sept. 5
A Town Meeting: The Burlington School Redistricting Question
Open town meeting which will be a forum on the proposal of the Burlington School Board to redistrict the schools. Jeanne Collins, Superintendent of Burlington Schools; Amy Wilbur and Kathy Chasan from the School Board will speak as well as Rep. Kurt Wright , President of the City Council, Ed Adrian, City Councilor from Ward 1, Maurice Mahoney, resident and citizen activist. Other members of the School Board and the City Council are invited. (Burlington College, 6:30 p.m.)

Read an article by Burlington Free Press on this recent lecture

Sept. 12
Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses: The Making of New York City
Eugene Resnick, former resident of Burlington, teacher in Brooklyn, New York, and urban studies student will talk on “ The Making of New York City: Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses.” (Burlington College, 6:30 p.m.).

Sept. 19
Burlington Urban Renewal Champlain Street Project, Film and discussion.
Patrick Farrington’s Film, Champlain Street Project and discussion led by Monica Farrington and friends, Residents of the Urban Renewal District, bulldozed by progress. (Burlington College, 6:30 p.m.)

Sept. 26
Havana Today
Slide show and talk by Armando Vilaseca, Superintendant of Schools Franklin West Supervisory District and Cuban American who left Cuba with his family in 1965. (Burlington College, 6:30 p.m.)

Oct. 3
The Making and Unmaking of New Orleans : The Post-Katrina World
Professor Bill Quigley, Loyola University, New Orleans. Prof. Quigley is a human rights lawyer and journalist. He is the author of “30 Ways to Destroy an African American City.” (Burlington College, 6:30 p.m.)”

Oct. 10
Film: Frederick Wiseman’s Public Housing
Film and discussion introduced by Vermont Law Line Director and film historian, Tom Garrett. This film will be co hosted by the Vermont International Film Foundation. (Waterfront Theatre, 6:30 p.m.)

Oct. 24
Clips: The Imaginary City: Cinematic Image of the City Film and discussion by Barry Snyder, Chair of Cinema Studies and Film Production, Burlington College. (Burlington College, 6:30 p.m.)

Oct. 31
The City Upon the Hill: The Shining Film and Discussion Introduced and discussion led by Tony Magistrale, UVM professor and Stephen King Scholar. This event will be held at the Waterfront Theater (6:30 p.m.)

Oct. 31
Keeping Vermont Healthy, Safe and Beautiful:
Attorney General, Bill Sorrell. This forum will be held in the Community Room of Burlington College (6:30 p.m.)

Nov. 7
Utopian Cities
Presenter: Diane Gayer, Architect, Burlington, Vermont.

Nov. 14
Sprawl and Developmentl:
Bryan Schupe, Director of Forum on Sprawl and Development. (Burlington College, 6:30 p.m.)

Film series funded in part by a grant from the Vermont Humanities Council.

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