Themester

The College of Arts and Sciences’ 13th annual Themester is underway with an exploration of the theme of “Resilience” throughout the fall. This year’s theme explores the concept of resilience from many perspectives, but particularly leans into issues of climate change. Themester 2021 partners include the Environmental Resilience Institute and Sustain IU.

“Climate change, social unrest, political divisiveness, and the pandemic are testing each of us and the systems and communities we live in,” said Sarah Mincey, O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs associate clinic professor. Mincey, who directs the Integrated Program in the Environment (IPE), is chair of the Themester 2021 advisory committee. “This Resilience Themester provides an opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to consider our own resilience in the face of these challenges.”

Highlights from the fall Themester calendar include:

• Carolyn Forché, the celebrated poet and writer, will read from her work at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater on Sept. 9. This event is presented by The College Arts and Humanities Institute.
• Elizabeth Kolbert, author of "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," will take part in a moderated discussion as part of The Media School Speaker Series on Sept. 13. This event takes place online with a group viewing experience available in the Franklin Hall Commons.
• “Global Perspectives on Resilience,” a series of panel discussions presented by IU Global Gateways will feature scholars from all over the world. The first event is “Devastation, Recovery, and Resilience: Haiti’s enduring struggle with natural disasters,” on Sept. 22.
• “Environmental Resilience Speaker Series,” a semester-long series of talks presented by the Environmental Resilience Institute and the Integrated Program in the Environment. The first lunch-hour discussion looks at “Transformational Climate Resilience: Advancing Systems Change to Achieve Liberty and Justice for All.”
• An Exploration of Biological Resilience,” a series of evening talks by Roger Hangarter, Distinguished Professor and Chancellor’s Professor. Hangarter, a biologist and nature photographer, uses video and photography to discuss the interconnectedness of biodiversity and ecosystems in Indiana and beyond. These talks will be presented in the new Gayle Karch Cook Center for Public Arts & Humanities in Maxwell Hall starting Oct. 12.
• "A Resilient Woodland Campus,” includes two activities presented by Sustain IU and IU Landscape Services, that allow the campus community to literally leave their mark on campus with a tree-planting or a session of invasive species removal. Dates to be determined.

Films

Themester will partner with IU Cinema to present a series of four films. The film “Gather” is an intimate portrait of the growing movement amongst Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political, and cultural identities through food sovereignty while battling the trauma of centuries of genocide. This event will be shown in IU Cinema’s virtual screening room. Other films include the crowd-pleasing, animated film “WALL-E,” which will be shown at Memorial Stadium, “Dark Waters,” presented at IU Cinema with an introduction by Rob Bilott, the real-life lawyer whose battle with Dupont is depicted in the film. A final film, “Je m’appelle humain” (Call Me Human), focuses on Innu writer Joséphine Bacon and will be shown in December.

Podcasts

The Themester podcast will feature interviews with College of Arts and Sciences faculty discussing their work and expertise related to the theme. The episodes, produced by 2021 Themester student interns, Veronica Rooney and Brooklynn Shively, will be made available at no cost on the Themester website, through SoundCloud, and through iTunes. The first episode, a conversation with Dr. Michael Hamburger of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, discusses natural disasters and resilience.

More information

For more Themester 2021: Resilience events and details, visit the Themester News + Events page. All events are free and open to the public; however, some require registration. While most events will take place on the campus of Indiana University, a robust selection of online films, talks, and discussions are available to a broader audience.

Themester 2021 events and programs complement College of Arts and Sciences courses. Courses are available at all levels and in a dozen College programs, departments, and schools, including Animal Behavior, Biology, Collins Living-Learning Center, Folklore and Ethnomusicology, Geography, and Biology. For a complete list of courses visit Themester Courses.

Themester is an initiative of the Indiana University Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences.

Contact

Tracy Bee
Phone: 812-856-7183 | Email: tbee@iu.edu