Spring 2027 Series

The Swarthmore Discussion Group will hold its fall series at the Inn at Swarthmore. The series will consist of four monthly Wednesday evening presentations in January, February, March and April.  All presentations include a catered dinner.

JAN. 20, 2027

Adventures in Thing Theory: Why Natural Science Collections Matter, and to Whom

Paul Callomon, Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates, Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Natural science museums such as the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia build and maintain extensive collections of specimens and their related data. The stated rationale for this is “science,” but there is no need to limit the collections’ meaning by using that term. We’ll explore how the crucial difference between an “object” and a “thing” broadens our view of science and material culture using Victorian Japanese snails, the construction of history, basic actor-network theory, and why you should not throw old oyster cans away.

FEB. 17, 2027

Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families

Judith Giesberg, The Robert M. Birmingham Chair in the Humanities and Professor of History at Villanova University

Of all the many horrors of slavery, the cruelest was the separation of families in slave auctions. When slavery ended in 1865, family members began searching for one another, sometimes persisting into the 1920s. They took out “information wanted” newspaper advertisements and sent letters to the editor. These documents demonstrate the “Freedom Generation’s” decades-long determination to reconnect. Giesberg recounts the moving stories of the people who placed the advertisements, the loved ones they tried to find, and the outcome of their quests to reunite.

MAR. 17, 2027

How Might America ‘Build Peace’ at Home?

Jim Rupert ’79, International affairs editor and writer

As powerful forces in the U.S. escalate political and cultural enmities, a nationwide “peacebuilding community” works to restore dialogue and halt violence. This diverse community includes colleges such as Swarthmore, civic networks, religious communities, disparate activist movements, nonviolence practitioners, and ordinary citizens. In early 2027, what are the most urgent challenges confronting America’s peacebuilders? And how might we meet them?

APR. 21, 2027

Economic Inequality and What to Do About It

Mark Kuperberg, Professor of Economics, Swarthmore College

Income inequality decreased in the United States from the 1930s to 1980. Since then, it has increased dramatically, reaching a plateau just before the Great Recession. It is currently close to the highest level it has been since the 1930s. What has caused this increase in economic inequality? What can be done about it? This discussion will be a continuation of a debate that Kuperberg had with Donald Trump’s chief economist, Kevin Hassett, at Swarthmore College in 2016.