Pirates and Piracy in Two Worlds

A Dialogues Seminar

Ships Ahoy! We’ll seek to understand why theft and violence became regular features of life on the high seas of the Early Modern era. From state-sanctioned raiders to independent rogues, pirates were threats on every major body of water in the world. This seminar will begin with an examination of the Barbary pirates of North Africa that challenges stereotypes and reviews their acts in the context of the burgeoning nation-to-nation geopolitics of the Mediterranean. Charles Ewen, a leading excavator of pirate wrecks and sites—including Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge—will then share his insights on piracy and pirate life in the New World. Our panel session will consider the many manifestations of pirates in the past and piracy’s continued relevance today.

TOPICS & SPEAKERS

The Barbary Pirates: Politics and Seaborne Violence in the Early Modern Mediterranean
Maximilian P. Owre, Teaching Assistant Professor of History and Executive Director, Carolina Public Humanities

Everything You Think You Always Wanted to Know About Pirates But Were Afraid to Ask
Charles Ewen, Director, Phelps Archaeology Laboratory, East Carolina University

Piracy Beyond the Stereotypes, Then and Now
A panel discussion with our speakers

TIME & TUITION

2:00pm-5:00pm, June 10. The tuition is $65 to attend in person or $50 for virtual viewing.  A meal will not be offered with this seminar.

UNC Students can attend for free, but pre-registration is required. Discounts are available for UNC faculty, & staff. To register as a UNC Student, Staff, or Faculty, see our Registration Policy here.

Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association.  For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here.

In-person tuition for teachers is $32.50. Current K-12 teachers interested in receiving a complimentary virtual viewing registration for this seminar can apply here.

*In-Person Registration for this event closes on June 9 at 3pm*

 Register online or call us at 919.962.1544. 

Participants will receive an email with venue information and background information about 1 week before the program.

**Please note that due to UNC regulations, masks are recommended, but not required for all in-person events regardless of vaccination status. In-person and hybrid events may switch to virtual-only based upon recommendations from local, state, and national public health officials. If an in-person or hybrid event is designated “virtual-only,” the CPH staff will contact registrants and provide them with information on how to attend virtually or with options for receiving credits or refunds. If you have any questions, please email human@unc.edu or call 919.962.1544. We appreciate your flexibility during these trying times.**