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Ford Hall Forum

The Ford Hall Forum is the nation's oldest continuously operating free public lecture series. Its mission is to foster an informed and effective citizenry and to promote freedom of speech through the public presentation of lectures, debates, and discussions. Forum events illuminate the key issues facing our society by bringing to its podium knowledgeable and thought-provoking speakers. These speakers are presented in person, for free, and in settings, which facilitate frank and open debate.

http://www.fordhallforum.org/

Bearing Witness: Laura Levitt on The Objects That Remain

Thu, Oct 1, 2020

“The Objects That Remain” is Laura Levitt’s memoir and examination of the ways in which the material remains of violent crimes inform our thinking about trauma and loss. Considering artifacts in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and evidence in police storage facilities across the country, Levitt’s story moves between intimate trauma, the story of an unsolved rape, and genocide. She asks what it might mean to do justice to these violent pasts outside the justice system or through historical accounts. This talk is the first in a trilogy of women storytellers convened by Ford Hall Forum, the country's oldest public forum. Laura Levitt, author of “The Objects That Remain,” is a professor of Religion, Jewish Studies, and Gender at Temple University. Moderator Barbara Abrams is associate professor in the World Languages and Cultural Studies Department at Suffolk University.

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Bearing Witness: Alba Jaramillo and Patricia Davis discuss "Digna"

Thu, Oct 15, 2020

In the second of this trilogy of women storytellers, Alba Jaramillo and Patricia Davis talk about "Digna." Written by Patricia Davis, the one-woman play follows Digna Ochoa, played by Alba Jaramillo, a prominent Mexican human rights lawyer who suffered torturous attacks following her defense of environmentalist peasants in Mexico. By the age of 37 she had met President Clinton, became close to the Kennedy family, and won a MacArthur Fellowship and the Amnesty International’s Enduring Spirit award. In 2001, she was killed in her Mexico City office. In the play, Digna comes back from the dead in response to the worsening human rights crisis in Mexico. Jaramillo, an immigrant, human rights lawyer and activist herself, plays the role of Digna with conviction, passion and self-reflection. In telling her story and confronting her own doubts, Digna finds her strength and courage as she invites us to find our own. The evening’s moderator is Iani Moreno, associate professor, World Languages and Cultural Studies Department, at Suffolk University. Presented by Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University. This event is free and open to the public.

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America’s Divided Mind: The Psychology that Drives Us Apart

Thu, Sep 24, 2020

Deepening toxic polarization in the United States is a profound threat to the American people and the very core of American Democracy. After 30 years of working around the globe to bring peace and reconciliation to deeply divided societies, Beyond Conflict launched an unprecedented research project in 2018, the Beyond Conflict Polarization Index™, with leading brain and behavioral scientists to assess the psychological factors that fuel polarization. The study found a consistent pattern across measures: Americans incorrectly believe that members of the other party dehumanize, dislike, and disagree with them about twice as much as they actually do. These false perceptions about the other side are correlated with outcomes that are consequential for democracy and represent a new degree of toxic polarization in America. Watch a conversation with Tim Phillips, founder and CEO, Beyond Conflict and Scott Warren, visiting scholar, SNF Agora Institute, Johns Hopkins University, moderated by Michal Ben-Joseph Hirsch, assistant professor, Political Science & Legal Studies Department, Suffolk University. Phillips presents the key findings of Beyond Conflict's latest [study](http://beyondconflictint.org/americas-divided-mind/ ) on toxic polarization and discuss potential solutions to depolarize the public space. Image: Beyond Conflict Graphic

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Qualified Renters Need Not Apply

Wed, Sep 16, 2020

This talk explores race and voucher discrimination in the Metro Boston housing market. Members of the Suffolk University Law School Housing Discrimination Testing Program—William Berman, Jamie Langowski, Catherine LaRaia, James Matthews, and Ana Vaquerano—will discuss their recent groundbreaking study that uncovered high levels of race and voucher-based housing discrimination in the Boston area and how that research relates to the struggle for racial equity and fair housing. Soni Gupta, Director of Neighborhoods and Housing with The Boston Foundation is the moderator. Image: Pexels.com

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Does COVID-19 Change Everything? Building Our New Normal

Wed, Aug 19, 2020

Will COVID change everything? Will it change how we work, educate, govern, and play? Political strategist Roger Fisk leads a discussion with climate change expert Mark Boyer, economist Daron Acemoglu, human rights advocate Shareen Hertel, and pollster David Paleologos to explore what may come next as the pandemic progresses. In addition to considering the future of climate, politics, economics, social justice, and popular mobilization, they examine who may emerge from this massive inflection point as winners or losers. Finally, they explore the concept of crisis as an opportunity to fundamentally re-imagine and address some of the massive issues we face as a community, a nation, and a global society. This Suffolk University lecture series, presented with the Ford Hall Forum and WGBH Forum Network, is designed as a broad examination of the themes of interest to political scientists and public policy experts. The series is part of a novel online course offered to incoming Suffolk students and made available to the public. **Follow the course: Week 9 Assignment** Listen: [How green will Europe’s economic revival be?](https://politico.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e26c1a1c392386a968d02fdbc&id=8c52b433e4&e=e5164aaaf4) Pascal Canfin, the chair of the European Parliament’s environment committee, outlines what MEPs want to see from the EU’s recovery plan. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron outlined their vision for that plan this week but how does the Parliament think the money should be raised and spent, particularly to help the EU meet its climate goals? [Imagining the New 9-5](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/imagining-the-new-9-5-teresa-ghilarducci/id1200758267?i=1000475066778) **Read:** Michael Osterholm, Mark Olshaker. “Chronicle of a Pandemic Foretold: Learning from the Covid-19 Failure – Before the Next Outbreak Arrives.” Foreign Affairs. 5/21/2020. ([PDF](https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.suffolk.edu/dist/9/1764/files/2020/06/Coronavirus_-Chronicle-of-a-Pandemic-Foretold.pdf)) The RAND Blog: [Relaxing COVID-19 Restrictions Presents Stark Health and Economic Choices](https://www.rand.org/blog/2020/05/relaxing-covid-19-restrictions-presents-stark-health.html) Project Syndicate: [How to Reset the US Pandemic Response](https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/deep-roots-of-disastrous-us-covid19-response-by-roman-frydman-and-gernot-wagner-2020-05?barrier=accesspaylog) Project Syndicate: [Time for a Great Reset](https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/great-reset-capitalism-covid19-crisis-by-klaus-schwab-2020-06?barrier=accesspaylog) Project Syndicate: [The Post-COVID State](https://www.project-syndicate.org/onpoint/four-possible-trajectories-after-covid19-daron-acemoglu-2020-06?utm_source=Project%20Syndicate%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=26aa4844a0-sunday_newsletter_07_06_2020&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_73bad5b7d8-26aa4844a0-93732177&mc_cid=26aa4844a0&mc_eid=644f0cb942&barrier=accesspaylog ) **Civic Engagement Activity & Reflection** Engage in at least one civic / political event of your choice during the course and document this with a short reflection essay. Try a virtual town or city hall meeting with local or state representatives, a meeting of an activist group, etc. The reflection should draw on readings from assignments and your own additional research. Members of the public who wish to share their reflections should post a link on Twitter and tag [@GBHForumNetwork ](https://twitter.com/GBHForumNetwork) and [@supolscilegal](https://twitter.com/supolscilegal).

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How will COVID-19 Change National Security?

Wed, Aug 12, 2020

The idea that a pandemic would threaten our national security has been a known threat for many years. The only questions were when, in what form, how bad and how do we prepare? As we cope with the ravages of the COVID-19 outbreak, new questions emerge: Will the world after COVID be more or less dangerous? Will the U.S. role in the world be more important, or less? How can we best protect the integrity and safety of our elections during this crisis and, by extension, the integrity of our democracy? How do we best protect the most vulnerable among us? There is work to do if we are to retain readiness to deal with other crises and prevent economic insecurity from fueling destabilization, desperation and disruption. Our discussion this week examines how the pandemic is changing the landscape of National Security. This Suffolk University lecture series, presented with the Ford Hall Forum and WGBH Forum Network, is designed as a broad examination of the themes of interest to political scientists and public policy experts. The series is part of a novel online course offered to incoming Suffolk students and made available to the public. Follow Along with the Suffolk University Survey Course: **Listening assignment** [A Crisis Inside the Navy](http://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000470867859) from The Daily on Apple Podcasts **Reading assignments** * 2019 World Wide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. [PDF](http://sites.suffolk.edu/pandemicpolitics/files/2020/06/2019-Worldwide-Threat-Assessment-SSCI.pdf) * Lisa Monaco “Pandemic Disease is a Threat to National Security: Washington Should Treat it Like One.” Foreign Affairs 3/3/2020 [PDF](http://sites.suffolk.edu/pandemicpolitics/files/2020/06/Pandemic-Disease-Is-a-Threat-to-National-Security-_-Foreign-Affairs.pdf) * Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. “Finding a Vaccine is only the First Step: No One Will be Safe Until the Whole World is Safe.” Foreign Affairs. 4/30/2020 [PDF](http://sites.suffolk.edu/pandemicpolitics/files/2020/06/Finding-a-Vaccine-Is-Only-the-First-Step-_-Foreign-Affairs.pdf) **Video assignment** [Condoleezza Rice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UxzAlX92PI&t=5s): Covid-19 & National Security

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A Public Forum on Justice Reform with MA candidates for U.S. Senate

Tue, Aug 4, 2020

Massachusetts candidates for U.S. Senate, Joe Kennedy and Ed Markey, participate in consecutive public forums to answer questions from formerly incarcerated people. They share their perspectives on proposed changes to the U.S. justice system. The evening’s moderator is nationally recognized activist Andrea James, founder of Families for Justice as Healing. This forum is presented by Ford Hall Forum, the nation’s oldest continuously operating free public lecture series, in partnership with the following organizations: The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls Black & Pink Boston Citizens for Juvenile Justice the Young Professionals Network of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute For Race & Justice Sisters Unchained Families for Justice As Healing Disability Action Massachusetts Against Solitary Confinement

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Coronavirus Negligence: Risk, Liability, and Liberty

Wed, Aug 5, 2020

The pandemic has raised anew issues in which policy makers must address several key tensions: privacy, individual rights and the public’s right to know; individual freedom versus quarantine; and who is liable when coronavirus is contracted. At a time when we are discussing freedom and individual rights, the protests over the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others have raised concerns about America’s “other pandemic” — the long history of racism, discrimination, and the denial of basic rights and freedoms to minorities living in the United States. Join Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins and labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan for this convsersation moderated by Renée M. Landers, a professor of law at Suffolk University. Follow Along with the Suffolk University Survey Course Listening assignment Imagining the New 9-5 | Teresa Ghilarducci https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Reading assignment MassLive [Black staffers on Beacon Hill say Massachusetts Legislature’s commitment to combating racism ‘has yet to be realized' ](https://www.masslive.com/politics/2020/07/black-staffers-on-beacon-hill-say-legislatures-commitment-to-combating-racism-has-yet-to-be-realized.html) Civic Engagement Activity & Reflection Students will be required to engage in at least one civic / political engagement event of their choice during the course of the term and document this with a short reflection essay. The type of event you attend remotely is up to you. It can be a virtual town or city hall meeting with local or state representatives, a meeting of an activist group, etc. The reflection must draw on readings from the class and your own additional research. Members of the public who wish to share their reflections should post a link on Twitter and tag @ForumNetwork and @supolscilegal.

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Partisanship v. Pandemic: Common Enemy, Disjointed Response

Wed, Jul 29, 2020

Times of crisis require governments to cooperate and coordinate large-scale responses. Yet Congress and the President are inherently partisan actors in a federal system — negotiating the competing pressures of obtaining concrete results for constituents, but not being seen as too accommodating of political rivals. What are the main political takeaways from legislating in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic? How have motives of major actors shifted or changed and how has this impacted the federal response? Does President Trump still dominate the GOP? Also, what electoral outcomes might we see in November, given what current polling, favorability ratings and climbing COVID cases and deaths tell us? ***Follow Along with the Suffolk University Survey Course*** Listening assignment How federal job vacancies hinder the government’s response to COVID-19 from Brookings Institution. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/events- from-the-brookings-institution/id1164631872?i=1000473551731 Readings New survey shows U.S. public is ‘firmly opposed’ to reopening the economy immediately https://shorensteincenter.org/new-survey-shows-u-s-public-is-firmly-opposed-to-reopening-the-economy-immediately/ Scan The Council on Foreign Relations Coronavirus Website: https://www.cfr.org/coronavirus. Sign up for 360 Dx Daily News weekly coronavirus newsletter: https://www.360dx.com/ Civic Engagement Activity & Reflection Students are required to engage in at least one civic / political engagement event of their choice during the course of the term and document this with a short reflection essay. The type of event you attend remotely is up to you. It can be a virtual town or city hall meeting with local or state representatives, a meeting of an activist group, etc. The reflection must draw on readings from the class and your own additional research. Members of the public who wish to share their reflections should post a link on Twitter and tag @GBHForumNetwork and @supolscilegal. This Suffolk University lecture series, presented with the Ford Hall Forum and WGBH Forum Network, is designed as a broad examination of the themes of interest to political scientists and public policy experts. The series is part of a novel online course offered to incoming Suffolk students and made available to the public.

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Migrants, Refugees, & Fragile States — The Humanitarian Crisis & COVID-19

Wed, Jul 22, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is having devastating consequences for countries around the world. Refugees and migrants face challenges similar to, but even more dire than those of many of their host populations. Already impacted by massive disruption in their lives, including greater levels of food insecurity, poverty, and woefully inadequate access to essential services that would help mitigate the health crisis, refugees and migrants face a grim future. Unfortunately, these fragile populations are often invisible in their suffering. Propublica immigration reporter Dara Lind hosts a discussion with Douglas S. Massey, an expert on international migration at Princeton University, Suffolk Dean and global engagement expert Maria Toyada, clinical professor of law at Suffolk Ragini Shah, and Adriana Lafaille, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Massachusetts dealing with immigration detention and immigrants’ rights issues. Together they look at how the pandemic is exacerbating these issues. They consider how the crisis will fuel greater conflict around the world, as prices rise and incomes fall, and how it may create a call to action to increase health and social protections. This Suffolk University lecture series, presented with the Ford Hall Forum and WGBH Forum Network, is designed as a broad examination of the themes of interest to political scientists and public policy experts. The series is part of a novel online course offered to incoming Suffolk students and made available to the public. Image credit: [Wikimedia Commons](http://https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20151030_Syrians_and_Iraq_refugees_arrive_at_Skala_Sykamias_Lesvos_Greece_2.jpg) Follow the course: Week #5 Assignments Listen: [Addressing COVID-19 in resource-poor and fragile countries](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/addressing-covid-19-in-resource-poor-and-fragile-countries/id717265500?i=1000474068418) [The Humanitarian Response to COVID-19: Protecting the World's Vulnerable Populations](https://www.cfr.org/event/humanitarian-response-covid-19-protecting-worlds-vulnerable-populations) Read: [“It’s the End of the World Economy as We Know It”](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/upshot/world-economy-restructuring-coronavirus.html) by Neil Irwin **Civic Engagement Activity & Reflection** Engage in at least one civic / political event of your choice during the course and document this with a short reflection essay. Try a virtual town or city hall meeting with local or state representatives, a meeting of an activist group, etc. The reflection should draw on readings from assignments and your own additional research. Members of the public who wish to share their reflections should post a link on Twitter and tag [@GBHForumNetwork ](https://twitter.com/GBHForumNetwork) and [@supolscilegal](https://twitter.com/supolscilegal).

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