WHAT: “Torture: A Global History,” Michael Isikoff, national investigative correspondent for NBC News
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 15 @ 8 p.m.
WHERE: Third floor of the Levis Faculty Center, 919 W. Illinois St., Urbana
From the event announcement: “Isikoff, previously with Newsweek magazine, has written extensively on the war on terror, the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, CIA interrogation practices, U.S. intelligence failures preceding 9/11, and other national issues. He will draw from that experience in his talk.”
WHAT: “CO2, Energy and Climate: Then and Now,” Dr. Ralph Cicerone, National Academy of Sciences
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 13 @ 7 p.m.
WHERE: 100 Noyes Lab
From Dr. Cicerone’s bio: “His research has focused on atmospheric chemistry, the radiative forcing of climate change due to trace gases, and the sources of atmospheric methane, nitrous oxide and methyl halide gases.”
WHAT: “Still Reforming Brazil: Police not Politics,” Tony Spanakos, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Law, Montclair State University
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 16 @ 12 noon
WHERE: 101 International Studies Building, 910 S. Fifth Street, Champaign
Spanakos was a Fulbright Scholar in Venezuela from 2007 to 2008.
WHAT: “The Political and Security Perils of Post-flood Pakistan,” Professor Mohammad Waseem, Ford Foundation Visiting Fellow, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 17 @ 11 a.m.
WHERE: 101 International Studies Building, 910 South Fifth Street
From his bio: “Professor Mohammad Waseem teaches Political Science at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). He has written on democratic, ethnic, Islamic, constitutional, electoral, sectarian and military politics in Pakistan. Professor Waseem is currently working on a project on political conflict in Pakistan.”
WHAT: “The Role of Non-Violence in Palestinian-Israeli Relations: A Conversation with Rajmohan Gandhi“
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 19 @ 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: 101 International Studies Building, 910 South Fifth Street
If you missed Dr. Gandhi’s talk on campus last week, here’s a chance to hear him speak at the CPL.
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 Mondays.