Past Events
Philosophers' Café
What do Canadians expect from Democracy?
Democracy (rule by the people) is a “taken for granted” concept in Canada. But from Athenian democracy through Magna Carta to the Enlightenment the concept has evolved and continues to do so. Is there a process for updating the rules of democracy? Freedom of assembly and speech, inclusiveness and equality, equitable taxes, consent, voting, right of life and minority rights are all questions that need to be resolved in the public square. Even the question of who “the people” are and how authority is shared among us is controversial and bears directly on the kind of democracy Canadians deserve.
All Cafés are in the Tapestry classroom, 3338 Wesbrook Mall, starting at 10:30 am. After the Café join us for lunch at Tapestry by calling 604-225-5000 or by checking in at the front desk when you arrive to reserve a spot.
Friday, 21 February 2020 - 10:30am to 11:30pm
Travel Group
The Travel Group will meet three more times this winter at 3pm on the third Thursday in February, March and April. Members of the group usually talk about a trip they have made, but sometimes travel professionals or others who have interesting travel stories to tell, are invited to present. In addition to presentations, Travel Group meetings provide opportunities to share travel information and discuss questions with fellow travellers. All emeriti, their partners and friends are welcome. Email richard.spencer@ubc.ca to be added to the mailing list.
When: Thursday, February 20 at 3pm
Where: Frederic Lasserre 5C, 6333 Memorial Road
Senior Scholars' Series
Universities and the Search for Truth: The Unanticipated Education of an Idealist
Born long ago, in a place far away (Brooklyn, to be precise), Paul Marantz went off to university to study physics but wound up specializing in Soviet politics and the Cold War. He arrived at UBC for what he assumed would be a short stay, but remained here for his entire career. Along the way, he came to appreciate the importance of collegiality, civility, and mutual respect; he shed some comforting illusions; learned much about the challenges of engaging in the fair-minded weighing of evidence; and witnessed the entirely unexpected demise of the Soviet Union and cessation of the Cold War. Over the years, academic fashions changed, and earlier ideas about truth and free speech are now widely contested.
Co-sponsors: Emeritus College and Green College; organizer Emeritus Professor Ken Carty. For more, see www.greencollege.ubc.ca. Come at 4:30 for tea and coffee in the Green College Piano Lounge and stay for refreshments after the talks. To attend dinner, please make a reservation no later than noon on the business day before the day on which you want to dine. Without prior reservation, we cannot guarantee that you will be served. Pay for your meal at the servery counter by cash, debit or credit (MasterCard, Visa). For reservations call 604-822-0912, or email kitchen@gcdining.ca.
Thursday, 13 February 2020 - 5:00pm to 6:30pm
General Meeting
"A History of Habits: Personal Hygiene Habits Over the Last Two Centuries" a talk by Peter Ward.
Peter Ward, Professor Emeritus of History (2011), will talk about the development of modern personal hygiene habits, one of the great cultural transformations throughout the western world over the past two centuries. How men and women have cared for their bodies and the clothes they wore has been revolutionized since the late 18th century, and in the process the very meaning of cleanliness has been transformed. His talk will explore some of the main features of this transition and some of its broader implications. In particular he will discuss the histories of soap and water, of domestic space and household technology, of privacy and social relations, and of health and beauty.
He has worked on projects involving the social history of Canada and has written extensively on the history of birth weight as an index of maternal wellbeing during the industrialization of western Europe and North America.The Clean Body (Mc-Gill-Queen’s), his just-published book on the history of personal cleanliness, draws on his experience as a social historian, combined with his interests in comparative history and the history of health.
2:15pm Business Meeting
2:30pm Speaker Peter Ward
3:30pm President's Award for Distinguished Service by UBC Emeriti with President Ono
4:00pm Wine and Cheese Reception and Book Display
Wednesday, 12 February 2020 - 2:15pm to 6:00pm
Film Group
Series Ten: With their supposed idiosyncratic personalities, yet paradoxically broad-based fandom, artists (across all disciplines) have been frequent subjects of the popular cinema since its early days. For example, Vincent Van Gogh has had numerous films produced about his life, continuing even in recent years. Because they seem above the ordinary, artists fascinate us: their specialness offers a glimpse of a more brilliant existence for ourselves. Such a glimpse, however, can be a trap not only for us, whose dreams of a more intense life are easily exploited by a consumerist society eager to fulfill them, but especially for the artists themselves, whose humanity as well as their artistic contribution can be cheapened.
Jan. 28 – Frida (2003) directed by Julie Taymor presents the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The film is problematized not only by Kahlo’s continuing cult appeal but also by its production within Harvey Weinstein’s Miramax studio. Popular culture’s growing fascination with Kahlo had led to pop figures such as Madonna eager to exploit her legacy. Weinstein’s involvement raises issues of sexual exploitation, particularly given the film’s female director and star, but also there is the context of Miramax’s business plan: somewhat risqué topics and treatments to enthrall a more upscale audience seeking greater sophistication. Yet, Kahlo’s life and art deserve to be better known and understood and Taymor’s abilities in creating vivid, baroque images deserve our attention.
Poetic Odyssey
All who are interested in writing, reading or listening to poetry are welcome.
Contacts: Philip Resnick (Professor Emeritus, Political Science) and George McWhirter (Professor Emeritus, Creative Writing).