Posts Tagged 'laurence leveille'

Rohde highlights experiences to address radicalism
Morning Lecture Recaps

Rohde highlights experiences to address radicalism

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What was meant to be an interview with a Taliban commander became a seven-month kidnapping.

To keep up with the competition in journalism, David Rohde wanted to interview a Taliban commander for a book. His opportunity came Nov. 10, 2008.

But when he, Afghan journalist Tahir Ludin and their driver Asadullah “Asad” Mangal arrived at the Logar province for the meeting, the Taliban commander told them he changed the location farther down the road.

A black car was blocking the road ahead. Then two gunmen with Kalashnikov rifles ran toward their car from both sides. Ludin and Mangal moved to the back seat with Rohde, and the gunmen got in the car and continued driving.

“My head was spinning,” Rohde said during Friday’s morning lecture. “I hoped that this was all some kind of mistake — that they had maybe seen me in the back seat and saw a Westerner.”

Rimington: Novelists fascinated by personalities, motivations of extremists
Morning Lecture Recaps

Rimington: Novelists fascinated by personalities, motivations of extremists

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Characters that perform extreme actions fascinate novelists, much like they do the secret service.

The secret service within a democracy becomes involved in situations when radicals attempt to cause change by violence that threatens the security of the state. Novelists observe and analyze those actions and put them together in readable ways.

Stella Rimington, former director general of MI5, used her own experiences and books to explore radicalism as a security threat and in novel writing during Thursday’s morning lecture in the Amphitheater for Week Eight, themed “Radicalism.”

Rimington’s lecture focused on three radical extremists encountered in both reality and in novels: spies, radical protesters, and political and religious terrorists.

Dyson: 1940s scientific revolutions see wide range of results
Morning Lecture Recaps

Dyson: 1940s scientific revolutions see wide range of results

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Radicalism in science is essential to move forward. In the span of two years, four scientific revolutions proved that to be true.

Those four revolutions were in space, nuclear energy, genomics and computing.

“Scientific discoveries come from people thinking thoughts that have never been thought before or people using experimental tools that have not been used before,” said theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson at Wednesday’s morning lecture in the Amphitheater.

Dyson, professor emeritus at the Institute of Advanced Study, shared his experience living through the four radical revolutions that occurred from 1944 to 1945 as the third speaker of Week Eight, themed “Radicalism.”

Malveaux: Protest movements today need specific goals
Morning Lecture Recaps

Malveaux: Protest movements today need specific goals

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Today’s movements and street protests lack the specific demands and effectiveness of the civil rights movement.

As the second speaker of Week Eight, themed “Radicalism,” Julianne Malveaux reflected on radicalism in the civil rights and women’s rights movements during Tuesday’s morning lecture in the Amphitheater.

Malveaux defines radicalism as an “unwavering commitment to progressive social and economic justice.” The civil and women’s rights movements were not considered radical to those who were involved, she said.

Romano: Radicalism, philosophical thinking can work hand in hand
Morning Lecture Recaps

Romano: Radicalism, philosophical thinking can work hand in hand

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A radical is the root of a chord in music, the root of a number in mathematics, the root of a plant in botany. Through the centuries, it has become the reflection of an idea as a whole.

“It should not surprise that no less than Karl Marx in 1844 said that ‘To be radical is to grasp the matter by its roots,’” said literary critic Carlin Romano.

True radicals — whether in politics, science, arts, literature or architecture — must take ideas as they are, reflect on them and head toward a new direction, he said.

Romano, professor of philosophy and humanities at Ursinus College, gave a lecture titled “America the Radical” during Monday’s morning lecture in the Amphitheater to begin Week Eight, themed “Radicalism.”

Critic Romano to discuss America’s radical culture
Morning Lecture Previews

Critic Romano to discuss America’s radical culture

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As the nation’s political landscape seems to shift, radicalism can help individuals make sense of the full ideological spectrum.

“I think by trying to understand the concept of radicalism, you can paint a new picture of the spectrum of belief,” said Carlin Romano, critic-at-large of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Romano will speak about what radicalism means to a variety of Americans, observers of thinkers, and movements in American life during his lecture, titled “America the Radical,” to start the Week Eight “Radicalism” lecture platform at 10:45 a.m. Monday in the Amphitheater.

Renjilian, Baggiano discuss sustainability at porch discussion
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Renjilian, Baggiano discuss sustainability at porch discussion

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Keeping Chautauqua Institution affordable for visitors while maintaining its facilities and programming is a financial challenge.

Tim Renjilian, a member of the Institution’s board of trustees, and Sebastian Baggiano, Institution treasurer and vice president for finance and community services, discussed bringing more people to the grounds, maintaining affordable prices and philanthropy to improve the sustainability of the Institution during Wednesday’s Trustee Porch Discussion on the Hultquist Center porch.

The board’s challenge is to preserve the Institution’s environment in terms of programming, facilities and affordability, Renjilian said. To ensure that, the board must look at revenues, expenses and capital.

Sullivan: Honor code, communication cultivates culture of honor, integrity
Morning Lecture Recaps

Sullivan: Honor code, communication cultivates culture of honor, integrity

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Honor codes within the education system can instill a long-lasting culture of honor and integrity.

Teresa A. Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia, framed Friday’s morning lecture in the Amphitheater around how communities can maintain a culture of those traits to end Week Seven, themed “The Ethics of Cheating.”

The millennial generation, which includes anyone born since 1980, can be characterized by several key traits, Sullivan said. Those individuals are more confident, more team- and peer-oriented, more inclined to rely on peers for reinforcement and approval, face increased pressure to succeed, and focused on the future and long-term career success.

Heiman, McHugh present contrasting perspectives on infidelity
Morning Lecture Recaps

Heiman, McHugh present contrasting perspectives on infidelity

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Julia Heiman thinks affairs are driven by the stories people tell themselves to justify their actions. Paul McHugh thinks people are confused about sex.

Heiman and McHugh individually spoke about their views on extramarital affairs before having a conversation with each other during Tuesday’s morning lecture in the Amphitheater for Week Seven, themed “The Ethics of Cheating.”