Professor of Anthropology Bonnie Urciuoli will be the next guest in the Faculty Lecture Series on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 4:10 p.m. in the Red Pit, Kirner-Johnson. Urciuoli's talk is titled "The Referential Complexity of the Words 'Multiculturalism' and 'Diversity.'"
She explains, "Multiculturalism and diversity are words that people treat as if their referents are obvious whenever the words are used. I argue that that these terms do not have fixed denotata and that their referents are framed by the referrer's perspective. I argue further that much of our ordinary vocabulary is made of such nouns, which are best understood as a kind of 'shifter.'" To illustrate her arguments, she draws on interviews done at Hamilton College among students, faculty and administrators.
A reception will follow immediately at Café Opus. Sponsored by The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty.
