Announcing the launch of Rousseau 2012 / DIGNITY at the University of Notre Dame. This project is integrated into the curriculum of more than a dozen courses throughout the College of Arts and Letters and the Law School. It features guest lectures, a performance of Rousseau’s opera, Le Devin du village, and an Amnesty International photography exhibit on poverty and human rights called DIGNITY. DIGNITY includes portraits and testimonials of people living in Mexico, Egypt, Nigeria, India and Macedonia; it runs from January 15 to March 10, 2012. For a virtual tour, see http://www.nd.edu/~dignity/slideshow/index.html
Visiting lecturers for the series include Professor Christie McDonald from Harvard University, who will focus on Rousseau and human rights; Professor Christopher Kelly from Boston College, who will speak on Rousseau and the pursuit of happiness; Professor Jason Neidleman from University of LaVerne, who will lecture on Rousseau and religious liberty; and Professor Serge Margel from the University of Lausanne, who will talk about Rousseau and moral philosophy. Two of the “DIGNITÉ” photographers will also speak about photojournalism and global political activism: Johann Rousselot (India) and Philippe Brault (Egypt).
A collection of essays and an abridged version of the DIGNITY catalogue will later be published by the University of Notre Dame Press as "Art in the Service of Humanity: Rousseau and DIGNITY."
For more information, or to learn how your school might host the DIGNITY exhibit, contact Julia Douthwaite at jdouthwa@nd.edu.