Jan 29th, 2012 by edudley
Thanks to those who joined Joanie and me at the Court’s Invisible Man performance on Saturday, January 28, 2012.
A good time was had by all as we watched the first authorized play based on Ralph Ellison’s masterpiece, Invisible Man. This also marked the first collaborative event with the South Side Arts and Humanities Network and the Odyssey Project.
For a review of the play, please check out this review in the Tribune.
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Last year we discussed the state of the nation’s public schools and made a wish list for improving the quality of education. Here is one simple (but great) approach.
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Dec 30th, 2011 by edudley
Check out this article regarding fees and the potential impact on the poorest in America.
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Dec 20th, 2011 by edudley
AT&T Drops $39Billion Bid to Buy T-Mobile: Here’s Why You Should Be Happy
To continue the Cafe Society discussion online, please click here.
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Dec 20th, 2011 by edudley
During last week’s discussion about the Internet, politics, and consumer rights, we decided to find out what role the Obama administration is playing.
Today’s article on AT&T sheds some light. Stay tuned for more articles.
If you would like to share your thoughts, please contact edudley@uchicago.edu.
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Nov 30th, 2011 by edudley
Please join us for the next Cafe Society as we discuss this timely topic.
What: Saving the Internet and Net Neutrality
When: Tuesday, December 6th, 6:00-7:00 pm
Where: Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafé
1323 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 (for map/details, click here)
From “Net Neutrality 101″ by Save the Internet
“The network owners say they want a ‘tiered’ Internet. If you pay to get in the top tier, your site and your service will run fast. If you don’t, you’ll be in the slow lane….Make no mistake: The free-flowing Internet as we know it could very well become history. What does that mean? It means we could be headed toward a pay-per-view Internet where Web sites have fees. It means we may have to pay a network tax to run voice-over-the-Internet phones, use an advanced search engine, or chat via Instant Messenger.”
Questions for Consideration
If phone or cable companies are able to interfere with content on the internet, how would that affect our experience as internet users? With our current economic climate why is it important to keep all information on the internet safe-guarded and open for all users? How can we preserve the freedom of information on the internet?
Want to learn more?
If you don’t get a chance to read the articles, please still join in the discussion. For more information, please contact Erika Dudley at edudley@uchicago.edu.
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Please join us for the next Cafe Society as we discuss this timely topic.
What: A Growing Distrust of Government
When: Tuesday, November 15th, 6:00-7:00 pm
Where: Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafé
1323 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 (for map/details, click here)
From “New Poll Finds a Deep Distrust of Government” by Jeff Zeleny and Megan Thee-Brenan
“With Election Day just over a year away, a deep sense of economic anxiety and doubt about the future hangs over the nation, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, with Americans’ distrust of government at its highest level ever. The combustible climate helps explain the volatility of the presidential race and has provided an opening for protest movements like Occupy Wall Street, to highlight grievances about banks, income inequality and a sense that the poor and middle class have been disenfranchised…Not only do 89 percent of Americans say they distrust government to do the right thing, but 74 percent say the country is on the wrong track and 84 percent disapprove of Congress— warnings for Democrats and Republicans alike.”
Questions for Consideration
How do the findings of this poll compare with your own views of government? What explains the rise in growing public distrust of government institutions? How can we work towards making government leaders more responsive to the needs of the people?
Want to learn more? Click on the links below:
If you don’t get a chance to read the articles, please still join in the discussion. For more information, please contact Erika Dudley at edudley@uchicago.edu.
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May 29th, 2011 by edudley
What a great way to spend an evening! Civic Knowledge Project participated in the first (of many to come) Fresh Fruit and Veggie Carnival with University of Chicago’s Donoghue’s Elementary School. Surrounded by elementary school kids making delicious smoothies to order and choreographed performances keeping the kids moving, we shared our Humanities in the Gardens with Donoghue families by describing CKP’s sustainability efforts, starting plants from seed, and sampling healthy alternatives.
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Please join us Wednesday, April 13th, 5:30-6:30PM
What is a word worth?
What is a word worth? According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books’ upcoming edition of Mark Twain’s seminal novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will remove all instances of the “n” word—I’ll give you a hint, it’s not nonesuch—present in the text and replace it with slave. The new book will also remove usage of the word Injun. The effort is spearheaded by Twain expert Alan Gribben, who says his PC-ified version is not an attempt to neuter the classic but rather to update it. “Race matters in these books,” Gribben told PW. “It’s a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.”
Questions for Consideration
What is problematic about replacing the “n-word” to “slave” and “Injun” to “Indian” in the Adventures of Huckberry Finn? What are possible benefits? How might this change take away from the nature and intention of the book? Is this an attempt to sanitize American culture and what are potential intended and unintended consequences?
Want to learn more?
A case for censoring Huck Finn
Censorship of ‘Huck Finn’ tasteless but not mandatory
To tweak or not to tweak a literary classic: Pro-censor
Letter: Censoring Huck Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn…through censorship!
Free and open to the public.
For more information, please contact edudley@uchicago.edu or call (773) 834-3929.
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Mar 21st, 2011 by edudley
Please join us for our next discussion of Café Society at the Robust Coffee Lounge about Where are the Women in Wikipedia? By Susan C. Herring
Date: Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Time: 5:30-6:30 pm
Where: Robust Coffee Lounge
“I was not surprised to read that 87 percent of contributors to Wikipedia are men….Wikipedia, like the linguist list, is a site where discourse is not infrequently contentious. On ‘talk’ pages, where the process of article creation is hashed out, one’s contributions are often challenged, and some contributors, anonymous and otherwise, use rude and haranguing language. Such environments are — if not outright intimidating — unappealing to many women.”
Questions for Consideration
Given that 87% of Wikipedia contributors are men, how might this affect the perspective of its content? What accounts for this gender gap in Wikipedia? Why is it important to increase female contribution in public discourse and in public Internet communication? How can we encourage this?
Want to learn more?
Ladies, Can We Talk (About Wikipedia)?
Twenty-Three Short Thoughts About Women and Criticism
Johanna Blakley: Social media and the end of gender
The Truth According to Wikipedia
Free and open to the pubilc.
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