The Core 100 program invites students and faculty from the College to join us for our weekly lecture series. Each week all of the first-year students participate in lecture-discussions in groups of about 400 of their classmates. We have space in the Center for the Arts (Building 1P) Williamson Theatre to accommodate individual guests (no permission needed) and can have as many as two additional classes at each of the weekday lectures (there is no space available in the Center for the Arts Lecture Hall where Saturday sections meet for their group lecture). Permission is not needed for classes to attend, but please notify Donna Scimeca (718.982.3405) if you plan to bring a class.
The weekday lectures are 50 minutes in length and are all in the Williamson Theatre. They meet on the following days/times: Wednesdays at 12:20pm and 2:30pm; on Thursdays at 9:05am, 11:15am, 5:30pm, and 6:30pm; and on Saturdays at 10:30am in the Lecture Hall.
Schedule of Lectures for the week of Feb. 24, 2014:
Wednesday, Feb. 26:
1:25pm lecture: “The Constitution, Democracy, and Rights: The Case of the Flag Salute Cases,” presented by Michael Paris:
A discussion of U.S. constitutional democracy, the tension between democracy and fundamental rights, and the Flag Salute Cases–Minnersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West Virginia Bd. of Ed. v. Barnette (1943).
Michael Paris is an Associate Professor of Political Science and the Pre-Law Advisor for the College. He holds a JD from Columbia University (1986) and a PhD in Politics from Brandeis University (1998). He is the author of Framing Equal Opportunity: Law and the Politics of School Finance Reform (Stanford University Press, 2010).
3:35pm lecture: “The Fragility of the American Revolution,” presented by Joseph Frusci:
An examination of the issues that threaten a young nation toward the end of the Revolutionary War and help lead into the Constitutional Convention.
Joseph Frusci earned a BA and MA in History and is a Prior Service Army National Guardsman for the State of New York. He is the author of Reacting to the Past Game, The 2008 Bailout.
Thursday, Feb. 27:
9:05am lecture: “The Pursuit of Happiness: Founding Fathers vs. American Slavery,” presented by Niles French:
An exploration of the legacy of U.S. slavery in relation to the development of the Constitution and representation while highlighting ideas of the European Enlightenment and Thomas Jefferson.
Niles French is a published Adjunct Professor who has presented several papers about various historical topics. In addition to teaching in the Core 100 and American Studies program at the College of Staten Island, he is head of development at the Staten Island Historical Society at Historic Richmond Town.
11:15am lecture: The Constitution, Democracy, and Rights: The Case of the Flag Salute Cases,” presented by Michael Paris:
A discussion of American constitutional democracy, the tension between democracy and fundamental rights, and the Flag Salute Cases–Minnersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) and West Virginia Bd. of Ed. v. Barnette (1943).
Michael Paris is an Associate Professor of Political Science and the Pre-Law Advisor for the College. He holds a JD from Columbia University (1986) and a PhD in Politics from Brandeis University (1998). He is the author of Framing Equal Opportunity: Law and the Politics of School Finance Reform (Stanford University Press, 2010).
5:30pm and 6:30pm lectures: “The Philosophy of the Revolution,” presented by Robert Young:
This lecture will provide an overview of the debates in the First and Second Continental Congresses over the viability of independence. (This lecture was rescheduled from Thursday, Feb. 13 due to inclement weather.)
Robert Young earned his PhD in Military/Modern European History from The Graduate Center, CUNY and has been teaching Core 100 since 1998.
