IS Symposium
99: INEQUALITY IN AMERICA
Thursday April 19, 2012
Keynote Speaker:
Tamara Draut
“Inequality and The American
Dream: What’s at Stake for Millennials”
10:00‐11:30 – Keynote Speaker– Riley Auditorium
About the speaker: Tamara Draut is the author of Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-Something Can't Get Ahead published by Doubleday in 2006. Her research and writing focuses on the growing economic insecurity, rising indebtedness, and declining opportunity that now characterize American society. Tamara's research has been covered by dozens of newspapers and magazines including the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, Chicago Tribune, Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Her writing has appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle, The American Prospect, The Boston Globe and The Boston Review. She is a frequent television commentator and has appeared on the Colbert Report, Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight and Fox News.
12:00‐1:45 - Poverty Simulation - Campus Center Lounge (up to 83 participants)
Led by Dr. Miranda Hallett’s INST 2006 Students
This interactive experience helps individuals begin to understand what life is like with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress. It moves people to think about the harsh realities of poverty and to talk about how communities can address the problem collectively. Most importantly, it encourages people to make a difference.
Registration required – email cce@otterbein.edu
7:00pm-9:00 ‐ Inside Job - Film & Discussion - Science 104
Film & Discussion led by Anthony DeStefanis, History & Political Science Professor
(Director’s statement) This film attempts to provide a comprehensive portrayal of an extremely important and timely subject: the worst financial crisis since the Depression, which continues to haunt us via Europe’s debt problems and global financial instability … I hope that the film, in less than two hours, will enable everyone to understand the fundamental nature and causes of this problem. It is also my hope that, whatever political opinions individual viewers may have, that after seeing this film we can all agree on the importance of restoring honesty and stability to our financial system, and of holding accountable those who tried to destroy it.
Lead-up event: Hunger Banquet
Tuesday, April 17th, 12:00‐1:00 Campus Center
This simulation brings to life the inequalities in our country, especially as they relate to poverty and hunger in the United States. Through the multisensory simulation, participants transform into a visual representation of hunger in our country. Through food, the banquet explores socioeconomic inequality and mobility. During the banquet, participants role‐play by taking on the story of a low, middle, or upper class person. Their randomly drawn role determines the quality and quantity of their meal, demonstrating that significant inequality exists in a basic human need.
Friday, April 20th 12:00-1:00pm Understanding and Managing Debt Dinning Hall 2&3
Discussion led by Otterbein Alumni Russ Beitzel
About the IS Symposium
The IS Symposium is an annual event with a topical focus that provides an opportunity to explore an important contemporary issue through the lens of multiple disciplines and perspectives.
This venue is the only event of the academic year that brings together all students and faculty involved in the Integrative Studies Program and IS classes are typically canceled so everyone can attend lectures, presentations, film discussions or other events offered throughout the day. Through this Symposium, Integrative Studies provides faculty and students, as well as members of the larger Otterbein community, a forum for discussion, examination, and reflection on the significant issues facing our world.