UW-Whitewater's Office of Continuing Education and Fairhaven Senior Services announce "Democracy Today: An International Perspective" as the theme for their fall community lecture series.
Lectures will address questions such as: What is the state of democracy in the world today? Who are the advocates of democracy and how do they make their voices known in the ballot box, in street demonstrations, and via social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook? Presenters and community members will explore democracy's challenges and its future from the promise of the Arab Spring to the everyday witnesses of revolution, and in this way, examine our increasingly democratic world and what it really means to participate.
All lectures are free and open to the public and are held on Mondays at 3 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Fairhaven Retirement Community, 435 West Starin Road, Whitewater. Street parking is adjacent to the building.
Sept. 8
"Challenges to the Democracies of Great Britain, India, and Nigeria"
Presented by Jane Gottlick, lecturer in political science
Sept. 15
"Democracy in Mali and Iran: Personal Accounts from International Students"
Presented by Nana Maiga and Shirin Bouzari, international undergraduate students
Sept. 22
"The ‘Perpetual Crises of Democracy' in Latin America"
Presented by Anne Hamilton, lecturer in political science
Sept. 29
"Trapped Between Colonial Legacies and Dysfunctional Leaders: Democratic Successes and Challenges in Nigeria"
Presented by Adam Paddock, assistant professor of history
Oct. 6
"The Arab Spring: Democracy and Social Protest in the Middle East"
Presented by Molly Patterson, assistant professor of history
Oct. 13
"Democracy in Retreat? The Challenge of Democracy After the "Third Wave"
Presented by F. Peter Wagner, associate professor of political science
Oct. 27
"The Transition to Democracy in Mexico: A Check-Up"
Presented by Bert Kreitlow, lecturer in history
Nov. 3
"Is Democracy Possible in the Middle East? Exploring the Egyptian Spring"
Presented by Hala Ghoneim, assistant professor of languages and literatures
Nov. 10
"Internet in China: Enhancing Democracy or Net Vigilantism"
Presented by Katrina Liu, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction
Nov. 17
"Iran and Democracy"
Presented by Zohreh Ghavamshahidi, professor of political science
Unable to attend? Links to videos of lectures, including those from prior series, can be found at http://www.uww.edu/ce/fairhaven. Please contact Kari Borne at 262-472-1003 or bornek@uww.edu for further information.