An Enemy of the People: Theater, Environmentalism, and the Meaning of Water
Due to inclement weather, this seminar has been cancelled. Please contact the Humanities Program for refund options. 919-962-1544 (offices currently closed due to weather)
In collaboration with the PlayMakers Repertory Company production of An Enemy of the People
February 27-28, 2015
Our partnership with PlayMakers continues with this seminar in conjunction with the production of An Enemy of the People, an 1882 play by Henrik Ibsen that was later adapted by Arthur Miller. Ibsen portrays conflicts that erupt when a doctor discovers contamination in “health baths” that are essential for a small town’s economy. Drawing on these theatrical themes, we explore how environmental issues flow into public disputes, modern media, and conceptions of human rights. Public policy expert Richard Andrews will discuss public policy conflicts that reappear whenever communities confront environmental issues. Tom Linden will discuss how such conflicts are described in the modern media, and Benjamin Mason Meier will analyze how water and health concerns are now linked to claims for human rights. The social dramas of Ibsen and Miller also exemplified wider theatrical traditions, as drama historian Gregory Kable will explain in his discussion of Enemy. Seminar participants can attend the play’s Saturday evening performance and join the cast for a festive opening night party.
Topics & Speakers
Environments, Water, and the Conflicts of Modern Public Policy
Richard Andrews, Professor of Public Policy
From Salesman to Salem: Miller, Ibsen, and the Modern Social Drama
Gregory Kable, Senior Lecturer in Dramatic Art
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, Assistant Professor of Public Policy
Theater, Environmentalism, and Modern Social Conflicts
A panel discussion with our speakers
Time & Cost
4:30 p.m. Friday, February 27 through 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 28, 2015. The tuition is $145 ($130 by January 22). Tuition for teachers is $72.50 ($65 by January 22). Teachers can also receive a $75 stipend after attending (click here for more information) and 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. Dinner Friday evening is included. A limited number of discounted tickets is available for the February 28 performance at 7:30 PM; the optional play ticket is $29.00.
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.