Tag: Department of Religion and Classics

An academic understanding of hate
Listening to the news, it can feel as though acts of violence—particularly violence inspired by bigotry and hate—are on the rise, and unfortunately the numbers back that up. How are we to make sense of this rise? Three Rochester researchers sat down for an academic conversation about hate and intolerance, discussing reactions to recent incidents of hate, important lessons from history, and the psychology of stereotypes and intolerance.

Thinking about time
Spring forward. Fall back. On two Sundays each year, as we move in and out of Daylight Saving Time, time itself suddenly starts to seem a little arbitrary. Every discipline in the University has its own way of constructing and thinking about time.

Whose heritage do we honor when building—and destroying—monuments?
What’s the function of a monument? Who should be honored with one—and who gets to decide? Richard Leventhal, a professor of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, will explore these questions in the second annual James Conlon Memorial Lecture.

University builds bridges to community through Fringe Fest
Students, faculty, and alumni take their unique perspectives on difficult and controversial conversations into the community as part of the annual arts fest.

Irish actor tells a story with God Has No Country
Rochester will host the U.S. premiere of God Has No Country, a one-man play written and performed by Donal Courtney. The drama tells the story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who used his Vatican connections to harbor Jews, ultimately saving more than 6,500 lives.

Distinguished Visiting Humanist Wendy Doniger discusses science, religion
The University of Chicago professor will be in residence from March 22 to 24. A scholar of Hinduism and mythology, her work highlights the “often messy collision of religion, science, and politics.”

Heading home, feeling hungry
When you head home for winter break, what are you hungry for? Dani Douglas ’17 poses the question to four of her classmates, and provides links to recipes for these home-made favorites.

QuadCast: What are the origins of Halloween?
Halloween is a staple in American culture, but what are the origins of the holiday? Emil Homerin, professor of religion, discusses Halloween’s roots in mysticism with student host Nick Bruno in this episode of QuadCast, the University’s official podcast.

Sykes-Picot and the making of the modern Middle East
As the accord turns 100 years old, Aaron Hughes, professor of Jewish studies, weighs in on the impact the secret accord that established political control of territories in the Middle East among Great Britain, France, and Russia after World War I. / The Conversation