Smith School for Social Work Offers Summer Lecture Series

Beginning in June, the Smith College School for Social Work (SSW) will offer a series of public lectures by distinguished social work practitioners and educators on topics ranging from "women and disabilities" to "religious traditions and end- of-life care." The lectures -- which are free and wheelchair-accessible -- will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Wright Hall Auditorium.

The first event, Monday, June 5, is a panel presentation/discussion titled, "Talking When Talking Is Tough: Taking on Difficult Conversations about Race, Sexual Orientation, Gender, Class and Other Aspects of Social Identity."

Panelists Susan Donner and Josh Miller, both of SSW, and Edith Fraser, of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala., will consider why it is difficult to talk about aspects of social identity in a classroom situation, how problems crop up and ways that students and faculty can collaborate to create a classroom culture that fosters respectful, meaningful conversations about difficult topics. The format will be a mixture of brief presentations interspersed with reflective conversations followed by a question and answer period.

The second lecture of the series will take place Monday, June 12, when Mary Catherine Bateson, author of the recently published book, "Full Circles, Overlapping Lives," will discuss how changing life cycles and roles affect communication and cooperation. Bateson is the Distinguished Visiting Lydia Rappaport Professor at George Mason University.

The SSW summer lecture series will continue on June 19, July 17, 21, 24 and August 7. For more information on the series or to learn how to obtain continuing education credits for attending the lectures, call (413) 585-7950, e-mail at sswpce@ais.smith.edu or visit the SSW web site at www.smith.edu/ssw/summerlec.htm.

May 26, 2000