BIDDEFORD — Few things bring people together better than healthy discussion and debate, and the folks at the University of New England hope to spark that friendly back-and-forth in areas around Biddeford with a seminar series.
The topic: democracy.
From Oct. 9 through Oct. 15 folks from around the globe will be joining in conversation — digitally and in person — to discuss democracy through the lens of George Orwell’s book 1984. UNE and the university’s Center for Global Humanities will be hosting its own set of discussions, titled One Book, Many Conversations, throughout southern Maine. The seminar series is part of a global event put on by the National Humanities Alliance.
George Orwell’s 1984 was seen as an appropriate text for the event given “the spontaneous, organic wave of interest that current events have sparked in the novel,” UNE officials stated in a press release.
The book has endured the test of time, administrators added, and concepts raised in the book — such as citizenship, sources of power and what it takes to be a leader — have came to prominence in society as themes “common to the human condition that cross all partisan boundaries.”
Seminar events will be held in areas throughout southern Maine, for the full list of locations visit www.manyconversations.org/events.
Listed below are the seminar events being held in York County.
• Ketchum Library Art Gallery
11 Hills Beach Rd., Biddeford
October 10, 7 p.m.
Moderator: Cadence Atchinson, M.L.I.S., M.S.Ed., UNE online research and teaching librarian
• York Public Library
15 Long Sands Rd., York
October 10, 7 p.m.
Moderator: Wendy Roberts, Ph.D., UNE Department of Biology
• Ketchum Library Art Gallery
11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford
October 11, 12 p.m.
Moderator: Sonya Durney, M.L.I.S., UNE research and teaching librarian
• DIRIGO Brewery
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
October 11, 7 p.m.
Moderator: Sonya Durney, M.L.I.S., UNE research and teaching librarian and Barbara Schwartzlander, M.S.Ed., M.L.S., UNE director of reference services
• ELEMENTS Bookstore
265 Main St., Biddeford
October 12, 12 p.m.
Moderator: Amanda Skinner, UNE curator of special collections
— Staff Writer Ryder Schumacher can be reached at 282-1535, or via email at rschumacher@journaltribune.com.
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