WHAT: “What do words do?” Gary Lupyan, University of Wisconsin
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 20 @ 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: 4269 Beckman Institute
From the event description: “Humans are the only animals to have names for their categories. Beyond making linguistic communication possible, do words (verbal labels) enable or facilitate certain cognitive and perceptual processes? Does learning to name objects help us learn to what categories they belong? Does labeling a familiar object change how we remember it? Can hearing a word literally change what you see, even making visible something that is otherwise invisible?” Wow, so many questions…
WHAT: “Beyond the Headlines: Ivory Coast” by Carol Spindel
WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 18 @ 7 p.m.
WHERE: Urbana Free Library, 210 West Green Street, Urbana
From the event announcement: “Writer Carol Spindel has a thirty year connection with the people of one village in the northern part of this west African country, and she returned in October and November to witness the first round of the landmark elections, that have left the country in a crisis which is still frighteningly unpredictable. Join us for an informative evening where we get past the headlines: Spindel will show some of her beautiful photos of the people of Ivory Coast, will reflect on how the political crisis affects ordinary people, and will help us make sense of the recent tumultuous elections.”
WHAT: “Comparative Politics Workshop” by Hein Goemans
WHEN: Monday, Jan. 24 @ 12 noon
WHERE: 229 CAB – Graduate Seminar Room, 605 E. Springfield, Champaign
You live near a major university and a community college. There are smart people that come here every week to talk to the general public about interesting topics. Perhaps you were not aware of this fact, or were overwhelmed by the sheer number of opportunities for possible enlightenment. If that’s the case, Smile Politely understands and is here to help. Here are several events going on in town this week. Check out one or more of them if you have time. Get your learn on, as they say, and join the cognoscenti. It’s free, you know. Plus, sometimes there’s free food, too!
If you have a community event, speaker, or film event that you’d like to see featured on Listen Up!, send the event information to joelgillespie [at] smilepolitely [dot] com by Friday the week prior to the event. Listen Up! runs on Tuesdays.