07 / 15
Start: 12:30 pm
End: 1:30 pm
 Like many other states, Illinois is facing a budget crisis. Governor Pat Quinn and the state legislature are dealing with a $7 to $9.2 billion deficit if no new revenues are forthcoming. Historically, there has always been a certain amount of wrangling over the state budget, but this time many are worried, about it happening in the very different context of a serious recession and economic downturn.
Since Illinois failed to pass a state budget before the new fiscal year began on July 1, 2009, many social services organizations that provide health care, domestic violence shelter, youth services, and other kinds of essential care were forced to close their doors. Alex Parker of the Chi-Town Daily News writes, "If state legislators and Gov. Pat Quinn are unable to resolve the budget impasse, the city would have to reduce the number of food inspections, offer fewer vaccinations for diseases like polio and measles, see fewer mental health patients, offer fewer mammograms, and reduce lead inspections and screenings." Start: 1:30 pm
Asian Human Services AmeriCorps volunteers will discuss 'II Samuel,' Hebrew Scripture The Meaning of Service (MoS) is a reading and discussion program for Americorps volunteers featuring discussions that use short philosophical and literary texts on the nature of justice, service, and related themes. Meaning of Service presents participants with the opportunity to examine, refine, and regenerate the beliefs underlying their work. Start: 5:15 pm
Discussion of Body of Work: Meditations on Mortality from the Human Anatomy Lab, by Christine Montross Literature & Medicine: Humanities at the Heart of Healthcare is a discussion-based program that brings hospital staff together monthly to reflect on the larger mission of medicine through facilitated conversations about literature. Start: 6:00 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Four inter-related classes will focus on the urban culture of the Weimar Republic (1919-1933), a period in Germany of extraordinary political and economic turmoil as well as technological and cultural innovation. German artists and intellectuals working at this time confronted issues that are still important to our contemporary experience.
Some of the issues we will address in these seminars include the effects of technology and urban environments on individuals and society, the fragmentation and anonymity as well as the freedom and autonomy of life in a metropolis, the longing for nature and unity, the proliferation of forms of mass culture (film, newspaper, radio, illustrated magazine), the role of art in modern life and everyday life in art, the shifting status of "high" and "low" culture, as well as the idea of modern culture as alienating and "decadent." These are discussion classes and no papers will be assigned. Some readings, links to images, and films clips will be made available on the Illinois Humanities Council's website. Discussion Days and Topics: Start: 7:00 pm
End: 8:30 pm
In the U.S., we use an average of 400 liters of water a day per person. In India, the average is 4 liters. As we consider our carbon footprints, perhaps we should also consider our oil and water footprints. What do we know about how much of these resources we use? Who ultimately bears the cost of our consumption of these resources? Join us as we examine historical and ethical perspectives on our consumption of oil and water. Panelists:
Attendees will also have an opportunity to view the Field Museum's exhibit, Water, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. | ||
07 / 16
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Like many other states, Illinois is facing a budget crisis. Governor Pat Quinn and the state legislature are dealing with a $7 to $9.2 billion deficit if no new revenues are forthcoming. Historically, there has always been a certain amount of wrangling over the state budget, but this time many are worried, about it happening in the very different context of a serious recession and economic downturn.
Since Illinois failed to pass a state budget before the new fiscal year began on July 1, 2009, many social services organizations that provide health care, domestic violence shelter, youth services, and other kinds of essential care were forced to close their doors. Alex Parker of the Chi-Town Daily News writes, "If state legislators and Gov. Pat Quinn are unable to resolve the budget impasse, the city would have to reduce the number of food inspections, offer fewer vaccinations for diseases like polio and measles, see fewer mental health patients, offer fewer mammograms, and reduce lead inspections and screenings." Start: 7:00 pm
A Road Scholar Program by Lee Murdock Weaving music with stories, Lee Murdock presents a compelling story of Irish immigrants in Illinois. As they came to America to build their new lives in a foreign land, they were also essential hands in building the canals, railroads, and towns that became Illinois and America. Both traditional ballads and modern historical songs are featured in this illuminating presentation. | ||
07 / 17
Start: 5:00 pm
End: 6:00 pm
Like many other states, Illinois is facing a budget crisis. Governor Pat Quinn and the state legislature are dealing with a $7 to $9.2 billion deficit if no new revenues are forthcoming. Historically, there has always been a certain amount of wrangling over the state budget, but this time many are worried, about it happening in the very different context of a serious recession and economic downturn.
Since Illinois failed to pass a state budget before the new fiscal year began on July 1, 2009, many social services organizations that provide health care, domestic violence shelter, youth services, and other kinds of essential care were forced to close their doors. Alex Parker of the Chi-Town Daily News writes, "If state legislators and Gov. Pat Quinn are unable to resolve the budget impasse, the city would have to reduce the number of food inspections, offer fewer vaccinations for diseases like polio and measles, see fewer mental health patients, offer fewer mammograms, and reduce lead inspections and screenings." | ||
07 / 18
Start: 12:00 pm
End: 4:00 pm
 We live between fences. We may hardly notice them, but they are dominant features in our lives and in our history. Built of hedge, concrete, wood and metal, the fence skirts our properties and is central to the American landscape. We use them to enclose our houses and neighborhoods. They are decorative structures that are as much part of the landscape as trees and flowers. Industry and agriculture without fences would be difficult to imagine. Private ownership of land would be an abstract concept.But fences are more than functional objects. They are powerful symbols. The way we define ourselves as individuals and as a nation becomes concrete in how we build fences. Through an examination of boundaries, place, and space, Between Fences will explore how neighbors and nations divide, protect, offend, and defend through the boundaries they build.
This exhibit runs from June 13, 2009 - July 26, 2009 | ||
07 / 19
Start: 2:00 pm
 Journey Stories tells how we and our ancestors came to America. From Native Americans to new American citizens and regardless of our ethnic or racial background, everyone has a story to tell.Our history is filled with stories of people leaving behind everything - families and possessions - to reach a new life in another state, across the continent, or even across an ocean.
This exhibition runs from July 19 - August 30, 2009. | ||
07 / 20
Start: 7:00 pm
Join Architectural Historian and IHC Road Scholar Rebecca Hunter for a discussion about mail-order homes and discover some hidden treasures in River Forest as well!
Author, researcher and lecturer Rebecca Hunter became fascinated with the phenomenon of mail order homes in 1996, and is currently engaged in the study of kit homes and agricultural buildings marketed from 1906-1946 by nine different companies. Hunter has sought these buildings throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and in many other states. She has located mail order buildings in over 400 Illinois municipalities and in 29 other states. Through funding from the Illinois Humanities Council, Rebecca Hunter recently completed surveys of River Forest, Bellwood, Maywood, and Elmhurst. These findings will be used in the creation of a mail-order home database which will be unveiled early next year. Want to learn about mail-order homes, apply to host Ms. Hunter's IHC Road Scholar program, "Do You Live in a Mail Order House? Mail Order Homes in the USA 1906-1945." Start: 7:30 pm
End: 8:30 pm
According to a recent article in The New York Times, more and more Americans are considering themselves "non-believers"-people who do not subscribe to a particular faith and/or belief in God. Akira Suemori writes, "The American Religious Identification Survey, a major study released in March 2009, found that those who claimed ‘no religion' were the only demographic group that grew in all 50 states in the last 18 years. Nationally, the ‘nones‘ in the population nearly doubled, to 15 percent in 2008 from 8 percent in 1990. In South Carolina, they more than tripled, to 10 percent from 3 percent. (Not all the ‘nones' are necessarily committed atheists or agnostics.)"
Historically, religious organizations have used special interest groups to promote their views on civic life. Everything from prayer in schools to abortion has been talked about, discussed, and protested. Due to the increasing numbers of "non-believers," several new groups are beginning to organize and form special interest groups of their own. | ||
07 / 21
Start: 12:00 pm
End: 4:00 pm
We live between fences. We may hardly notice them, but they are dominant features in our lives and in our history. Built of hedge, concrete, wood and metal, the fence skirts our properties and is central to the American landscape. We use them to enclose our houses and neighborhoods. They are decorative structures that are as much part of the landscape as trees and flowers. Industry and agriculture without fences would be difficult to imagine. Private ownership of land would be an abstract concept.But fences are more than functional objects. They are powerful symbols. The way we define ourselves as individuals and as a nation becomes concrete in how we build fences. Through an examination of boundaries, place, and space, Between Fences will explore how neighbors and nations divide, protect, offend, and defend through the boundaries they build.
This exhibit runs from June 13, 2009 - July 26, 2009 Start: 2:00 pm
Journey Stories tells how we and our ancestors came to America. From Native Americans to new American citizens and regardless of our ethnic or racial background, everyone has a story to tell.Our history is filled with stories of people leaving behind everything - families and possessions - to reach a new life in another state, across the continent, or even across an ocean.
This exhibition runs from July 18 - August 30, 2009. Start: 5:30 pm
End: 7:30 pm
A Day at Stateville is a short play detailing a newcomer's first day at Stateville Correctional Facility in Joliet, Illinois. Conceived and written by men who participate in the prison's "Life Transformation Through Communication" course and who are all doing natural life without parole, the play seeks to inspire community members to take action in reducing the number of at-risk youth from entering prisons, while also advocating for improving the daily conditions prisoners face. | ||
07 / 22
Start: 12:30 pm
End: 1:30 pm
According to a recent article in The New York Times, more and more Americans are considering themselves "non-believers"-people who do not subscribe to a particular faith and/or belief in God. Akira Suemori writes, "The American Religious Identification Survey, a major study released in March 2009, found that those who claimed ‘no religion' were the only demographic group that grew in all 50 states in the last 18 years. Nationally, the ‘nones‘ in the population nearly doubled, to 15 percent in 2008 from 8 percent in 1990. In South Carolina, they more than tripled, to 10 percent from 3 percent. (Not all the ‘nones' are necessarily committed atheists or agnostics.)"
Historically, religious organizations have used special interest groups to promote their views on civic life. Everything from prayer in schools to abortion has been talked about, discussed, and protested. Due to the increasing numbers of "non-believers," several new groups are beginning to organize and form special interest groups of their own. Start: 6:00 pm
End: 8:00 pm
Four inter-related classes will focus on the urban culture of the Weimar Republic (1919-1933), a period in Germany of extraordinary political and economic turmoil as well as technological and cultural innovation. German artists and intellectuals working at this time confronted issues that are still important to our contemporary experience.
Some of the issues we will address in these seminars include the effects of technology and urban environments on individuals and society, the fragmentation and anonymity as well as the freedom and autonomy of life in a metropolis, the longing for nature and unity, the proliferation of forms of mass culture (film, newspaper, radio, illustrated magazine), the role of art in modern life and everyday life in art, the shifting status of "high" and "low" culture, as well as the idea of modern culture as alienating and "decadent." These are discussion classes and no papers will be assigned. Some readings, links to images, and films clips will be made available on the Illinois Humanities Council's website. Discussion Days and Topics: | ||
