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Harvard in the Political Spotlight: Faculty and Students Tackle ‘Why So Much Attention?’ at Intellectual Vitality Books Open, Gates Unbarred Event

The image depicts a scene inside a wood-paneled auditorium. There are two people engaged in what appears to be a performance or presentation. One person is standing and interacting with a theremin, an electronic musical instrument, while the other person is seated and playing an electric guitar. Behind them is a large projection screen displaying an image or artwork featuring two faces superimposed against a landscape with cacti. A large statue is visible on the left side of the stage. The setting suggests a combination of live music and visual presentation.

Harvard has always drawn national interest, but last year presented an especially challenging and emotional time for our students, faculty, and staff. As the community found itself at the forefront of national political conversations, the College’s Intellectual Vitality Initiative sought to create a space for meaningful discussion through the insights of Harvard’s own faculty. As…

Intellectual Vitality Really Is Vital. Here’s How To Do It Right.

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Dice rolling in Harvard Yard. A training featuring roommates fighting over fruit. A cascade of emails from administrators. These and other efforts — some serious, some not — are part of Harvard’s recent push for “intellectual vitality,” through which the University has sought to answer some of the criticisms of the past year. Read more…

Harvard Is Doing Discourse Wrong

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Picture this: A student government president resigns after public backlash to his recently uncovered anti-immigrant views. But deep down, he’s really just a thoughtful guy with an open mind. Read more on The Harvard Crimson…

Embrace Intellectual Vitality, Don’t Dismiss It

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Harvard has a discourse problem. Just look at last year’s senior survey, which reported that only 36 percent of students felt comfortable expressing opposing views on controversial topics in courses. There’s no quick way to create a culture where students feel comfortable engaging in open, honest dialogue. But Harvard’s new intellectual vitality initiative is a good start….

What is at stake in Intellectual Vitality?

  • Publication date July 8, 2024
  • Categories: Op-Ed
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In April 2024, 200 students (across all class years) joined a town hall in Quincy dining hall to talk about their experience at Harvard: what is going well and what could be better? Brilliantly moderated by dedicated graduating seniors, students engaged in some “think, pair, shares” and flash polls. The results: students feel overwhelmingly fortunate…

The Missing Middle

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How overheated political attention warps campus life This academic year, Harvard’s campus has been a political powder keg. Many commentators are rightly concerned about free speech at this University and others, but the current national discussion has overlooked the harmful effects of its own presence. A disproportionate focus on our campus can exacerbate the effects of…

Chin-wag: to have a chat, a friendly conversation.

The image depicts a scene inside a wood-paneled auditorium. There are two people engaged in what appears to be a performance or presentation. One person is standing and interacting with a theremin, an electronic musical instrument, while the other person is seated and playing an electric guitar. Behind them is a large projection screen displaying an image or artwork featuring two faces superimposed against a landscape with cacti. A large statue is visible on the left side of the stage. The setting suggests a combination of live music and visual presentation.

On Sunday, April 28, actor Paul Giamatti and author and philosopher Stephen Asma recorded a live episode of their award-winning podcast, Chinwag, in Sanders Theater. The show’s focus is anything and everything – offering the podcasters the opportunity to discuss diverse topics in-depth.   The duo opened the show with Paul playing the theremin and…