Environmental Drama, Social Conflicts, and the Meaning of Water
November 7, 2015
The PlayMakers Repertory Company recently offered an excellent production of An Enemy of the People, an 1882 play by Henrik Ibsen that was later adapted by Arthur Miller. This social drama portrays conflicts that erupt when a doctor discovers contaminations in “health baths” that are essential for a small town’s economy. Drawing on these themes, our seminar explores how environmental issues continue to flow into public conflicts, modern media, and conceptions of human rights. Drama historian Gregory Kable will explain the history of the Ibsen/Miller play, which we will then link to recent events and debates. Public policy expert Richard (Pete) Andrews will discuss conflicts that reappear whenever communities confront environmental issues; Tom Linden will examine how such conflicts are described in the modern media; and Benjamin Mason Meier will analyze how water and health concerns are linked to claims for human rights. The seminar will thus use Enemy of the People as a framework for analyzing modern conflicts about water and other environmental issues.
Topics & Speakers
From Salesman to Salem: Miller, Ibsen, and the Modern Social Drama
Gregory Kable, Senior Lecturer in Dramatic Arts
Environments, Water, and the Conflicts of Modern Public Policy
Richard (Pete) Andrews, Professor of Public Policy Emeritus
Environmental Conflicts in the Modern Media and Public Sphere
Tom Linden, Glaxo Wellcome Distinguished Professor of Medical Journalism
Water, Health, and Human Rights in the Modern World
Benjamin Mason Meier, Associate Professor of Public Policy
Theater, Environmentalism and Modern Social Conflicts
A panel discussion with our speakers
Time & Cost
9:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, November 7, 2015. The tuition is $125 ($110 by September 3). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by September 3). Teachers can also receive a $75 stipend after attending (click here for more information) and 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. The optional lunch is $15.00.
This seminar, originally scheduled for February 2015, was postponed due to the weather. If you missed An Enemy of the People, our faculty will recommend recorded versions of the play for viewing before the seminar.
For information about lodging click here.
Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association.
For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here.