Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

 Joy Connolly
 (President, American Council of Learned Societies, The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Distinguished Professor of Classics)

Virtual Event – Register Here to Receive Zoom URL

The model of the solitary scholar writing articles and books in the library has given way to a diverse array of approaches to humanistic research: collaborative teams, community engagement, multimedia publication, and more — as well as new questions about how the public interest can and should affect research choices. Focusing on the humanities and social sciences, I will discuss ongoing challenges to innovation and possible implications of changes in scholarly method and publication for the future organization of the American college and university.

Joy Connolly began her service as President of the American Council of Learned Societies in July 2019. Previously, she served as provost and interim president of The Graduate Center at the City University of New York, where she was also Distinguished Professor of Classics. She has held faculty appointments at New York University (where she served as Dean for the Humanities from 2012-16), Stanford University, and the University of Washington. She has published two books with Princeton University Press on Roman political thought and rhetoric and over seventy articles, reviews, and short essays, including for media such as Bookforum and the Times Literary Supplement.

This multi-year series responds to current challenges to rational public debate. Following Part II of the series in 2020-2021 entitled “Data & Democracy,” and Part I in 2019-2020 “Race and the Promise of Participation,” the 2021-22 speakers series turns to the question of transforming institutions in public life. From public health and the university to museums and monuments, institutions have received increased scrutiny and renewed attention in recent years. In this series, humanities scholars and practitioners reflect on institutions and their transformation. The series brings together speakers who share insights on global healthcare, public monuments, African American heritage, and the university. From diverse interdisciplinary perspectives, speakers will share their efforts to reimagine institutions and generate their transformation.