In 2010, this tremendous alumnae weekend spotlighted over fifty expert alumnae and faculty speakers, who returned to campus to share their expertise on a wide range of topics around issues of power in women’s lives. Named for the popular Duke Women's Studies course called Money, Sex & Power, this weekend provided an opportunity for women – and men – to connect and explore issues, such as:
What does power look like in women's lives?
How does power affect us physically, emotionally, and financially?
How can we leverage our power to take bold risks and support others to do the same?
Throughout the weekend, alumnae connected with Duke women from different generations to empower each other and to discuss the big questions facing women today. The conference highlighted groundbreaking work at Duke, built practical skills, and stimulated intellectual conversation about how women relate to, are affected by, and exercise various forms of power.
In 2009, this weekend celebrated a culmination of the yearlong programs at Duke designed to illuminate the Bloomsbury Group and showcase the Bloomsbury exhibition of works at the Nasher Museum of Art.
The Bloomsbury Group was a societal phenomen in Great Britain at the close of the Edwardian Age. Members Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E.M. Forster, and Lytton Strachey professed radical views and lived lives considered scandalous in the early 1900s. Collectively, they deeply influenced literature, aesthetics, criticism, and economics as well as modern attitudes towards feminisim, pacifism, and sexuality. For a feature in the November-December 2008 Duke Magazine, "Bloomsbury Blossoms Again," click here.
Videos of the following Duke in Depth sessions are now available at iTunesU:
Conversation I: The Art and Artists of Bloomsbury Julian Bell and Simon Watney, moderated by Donna Zapf
For video please click here.
Readings of Carrington & Strachey at Tidmarsh: Duke Graduate Liberal Studies alumni Joshua Bond A.M.'08, Jason Chumley A.M.'03, and Naomi Lambert A.M.'06
For video please click here.
Conversation II: Bloomsbury Literature in America S. P. Rosenbaum and Gretchen Gerzina, moderated by Craufurd Goodwin Ph.D. '58
For video please click here.
Conversation III: Education for the 21st Century: Bloomsbury and the Liberal Arts Michael Malone with guests, Craufurd Goodwin Ph.D. '58, Mary Ann Caws, Robert Brandeis, and S.P. Rosenbaum
For video please click here.
A Jubilee for Reynolds Price: 50 Years a Teacher at Duke
In 2008, Reynolds Price had taught at Duke University for fifty years. Countless students and members of the university community have experienced his brilliance, humor, and erudition. His affection for Duke, his love of learning, and his eagerness to share his many interests make any time spent in his presence remarkable.
This jubilee for Price '55, James B. Duke Professor of English, showcased a small sampling of how his influence has permeated and penetrated Duke. Video presentations, performances, interviews, panels, readings, and gatherings celebrated one of Duke's best-known teachers. . Podcast from event
Still Fighting the Civil War?
The Civil War, arguably the most important event in U.S. history, continues to influence modern American politics, culture, and literature. This 2007 conference offered new perspectives on the war and its persistent impact on our culture. It should be of interest to historians of the period, Civil War buffs, re-enactors, and anyone who wants to understand the varied backgrounds of our lives. Podcast from event
What they think of US
What they think of US: No country enjoys more power in the contemporary world than the United States, and none elicits more passionate responses. In recent years, American policies and influence have met with increasing disdain abroad, even as American products and ideals continue to gain an enthusiastic reception. With this series of lectures in 2006, Duke and UNC professors explored perceptions of the United States in four areas of the world. Preview PDF
