Janus Forum Lecture Series
Janus Lecture Events bring together two speakers with differing opinions on relevant social and political topics. Events are held four times per year and offer students a chance to hear diverging positions on political issues from distinguished and knowledgeable speakers. Each speaker gives a half hour lecture on the topic at hand. Following the lectures, audience members are invited to participate in a one-hour Q&A with the speakers.
Janus Lecture Events seek to address difficult and pressing political issues with a commitment to openness, honesty, and a genuine dedication to the pursuit of truth. To this end, Janus’s Steering Committee determines the topics that each event addresses. The Steering Committee is a consortium of Brown’s political, religious, and cultural groups whose goal is to engage Brown’s campus in a meaningful dialogue around relevant world and campus topics. Representatives from a large cross-section of relevant Brown student groups determine the topics and speakers at major Janus Forum events and choose the topics for debate for the BPU.
Janus Lecture Events encourage students to actively engage their minds in the topics at hand in several ways. During the question and answer portion of the event, the audience member who asks the toughest question receives the Hardball Question Award. In addition, lecture attendees are invited to submit an essay to the Janus Essay Contest. The essay must address the topic at hand and utilize the perspectives of the speakers at the event. The top entries will receive cash prizes.
Schedule
Photos
Video Archive
Hardball Question Award
Essay Contest
October 4, 2007
3pm, Salomon 001
Playing God? Biotechnology and the Future of Humanity
Francis Fukuyama and Lee Silver
Program
View the lecture online
November 29, 2007
Is America in the midst of a culture war?
Morris Fiorina and James Hunter
Program
February 21, 2008
Divided World, United Nations?: The Role of the US within the UN
Ambassador John Bolton and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke
Program
View the lecture online
April 15, 2008
Global Climate Change
Bjorn Lomborg, Robert Mendelsohn, and Michael Shellenberger
Program
Video Archive
Hardball Question Award
In an effort to encourage thoughtful, intellectual discourse that questions assumptions and critically challenges ideas, the Janus Forum will sponsor an award to be given at each Janus event rewarding the audience member who asks the most perceptive and challenging question to the speakers. The question must not be mean, rude, or antagonistic, but should rather be intelligent, thoughtful, and perceptive. The recipient will be chosen by the Executive Committee of the Janus Forum, and will be given a trophy. With this award, the Janus Forum hopes to foster a more critical spirit of intellectual discourse between scholars and students. By thoughtfully examining ideas and asking challenging questions, our community can arrive at a greater appreciation for erudition and continue to refine our own ideas and beliefs.
Essay Contest
Following each Janus event, students will have the opportunity to submit an essay incorporating the ideas put forth by each speaker. The purpose of this contest is to further engage the audience and to encourage discussion and thought about the ideas brought up in the event after it is over. Attendees are invited to submit essays making an argument on the event’s topic within a week of the event. The essay should be no longer than 1000 words. Send it to Janus@brown.edu . Prizes are as follows
- $100
- $75
- $50
- $25
- $25
- $25
Winners of most recent Janus essay contest:
The Great Divide: Is America in the Midst of a Culture War?
1st Prize: Ryan Wong
2nd Prize: Matthew Aks
3rd Prize: Boaz Munro