Virtual Events

Past recordings of our "Between the Columns" virtual events:

Remembering World War II: The Making of War Memories in Europe, Asia, and the United States

April 27, 2022
Panelists: Marc Gallicchio, Daniel Greene, Kate Clarke Lemay | Moderated by William Hitchcock

 

 

Between the Columns with Christian McMillen

May 12, 2020
"Epidemics, Pandemics, and History." What can the epidemics and pandemics of the past teach us about today's situation? Professor Christian McMillen will help us answer that question and many more. He teaches a class and has authored two books on the subject, and is also a member of UVA's Global Infectious Disease Institute.

Between the Columns: Economic Downturn and Your Career

May 14, 2020
"Economic Downturn and Your Career." Practical Advice for Navigating and Persevering. Hear from College alumni in the D.C. area as they answer questions about ways to navigate an economic downturn, especially for those early in their careers.

Between the Columns with Deborah Lawrence

June 11, 2020
"Climate Change Today." How can we affect climate change today? What can we learn from the human and societal response to the pandemic that could be applied to climate action? Will these lessons have any effect on climate policy in the future? Professor Deborah Lawrence will help us answer these questions and many more.

 

Between the Columns with Mary Kate Cary

June 16, 2020
"Democracy Out Loud: Historic Speeches that Connected Americans." Join former White House speechwriter Mary Kate Cary, (class of '85 and Parent '17 and '19) and students from her political speech writing class entitled "Democracy Out Loud" as they discuss historical speeches that have particular relevance today.

 

Between the Columns with Eric Leeper and Anton Korinek

June 18, 2020
"The Pandemic's Economic Impact and the Policy Choices That Follow." Join Professors Eric Leeper and Anton Korinek for a discussion about the macroeconomic impact of Covid-19, both short term and longer term. They will discuss the connection between epidemiology and economics, the case for public health interventions, and the societal implications in overcoming the disease.

 

Between the Columns with Melody Barnes, Jennifer Rubenstein, and David Leblang

June 25, 2020
"Protests and Pandemics Beyond Emergency Politics?" The United States is dealing with challenges—chronic and new—revealed in a time of crisis. Communities face catastrophic economic, technological, and health care problems animated—or intensified—by COVID-19, and the murder of George Floyd places a spotlight on deep-seated and persistent structural racism. This session brings together in dialogue Jennifer Rubenstein and Melody Barnes to discuss the ways in which emergency situations—both domestic and foreign—are framed, and how they provide opportunities and challenges to both policymakers and citizens. The conversation is moderated by David Leblang.

 

Between the Columns with Charlotte Matthews

July 16, 2020
"Writing in Times of Difficulty." Memoirist, poet, faculty member, and alumna Charlotte Matthews (’88) will speak on how writing can help us process and understand information, especially during times of hardship. In the midst of tumult, we often choose to steer away from what is trying, from what burdens us. But what if, instead, we put it down, literally, in writing, to be examined? What if writing enabled us to carry less and understand more? This session will explore these questions and offer thoughts on how to do just that. In addition to her own writing credits, Professor Matthews teaches courses on poetry and creative writing and, as a cancer survivor herself, leads workshops on writing through the often life-changing diagnosis of cancer.

 

Between the Columns with Andrew Kahrl

July 21, 2020
"How Racism Takes Place in America's Past and Present." Join Professor Andrew Kahrl and 2017 alumna DeAnza Cook for a discussion on racial violence, systemic discrimination, and Back freedom struggles in American cities throughout history. Professor Kahrl's research centers around the social, political, and environmental history of land use, real estate, and racial inequality in 20th century America. Some specific areas of his focus include the history of race in real estate, redlining, racial segregation of outdoor recreation, and the struggle over public beach access. DeAnza's forthcoming dissertation focuses on the evolution of police science and police-community relations in urban America at the dawn of the twenty-first century.

 

Between the Columns with Kelsey Johnson

July 30, 2020
"Unsolved Mysteries of the Universe." Join Professor Kelsey Johnson as she discusses some of the great unsolved mysteries in the universe - part of an undergraduate course she teaches where questioning and curiosity are highly encouraged. What do we not know about the universe and how can curiosity move us toward progress? How does questioning allow us to learn more about our place within the universe? 

 

Between the Columns with Claudrena Harold

August 11, 2020
"Soundtrack for a Revolution: Pop Music and the Protest Tradition in America." Join Professor Claudrena Harold for a discussion about the role of pop music in protests throughout American history. How can pop music help us understand historical movements? Does music have an effect on the outcome of protests throughout history? How does music foster connections both between people and to a common goal?

Between the Columns with Talitha LeFlouria

September 4, 2020
"Mass Incarceration and Black Women in America: Understanding the History." Join Professor Talitha LeFlouria for a conversation about the history of Black women and mass incarceration in America. Today, approximately 1 in 100 Black women in America are under the supervision of the U.S. criminal justice system. These numbers were drastically higher in the post-Civil War South. How do we understand the history of this phenomenon and what connections can we draw to today? How can the stories of these women fill a gap in our understanding of mass incarceration in America?

Between the Columns with Kevin Gaines, Caroline Janney, and Jalane Schmidt

October 7, 2020
"What Happens After? A Conversation about Monuments, Memory, and this Moment." The debate about Confederate Monuments has been occurring for years, yet many questions remain. There are a range of topics and issues to consider in the aftermath of the removal of these symbols. How do these issues relate to our understanding of history and memory? How does the history of Monument Avenue reflect or deviate from experiences in other cities? What is different about this moment in time? Join Professor Kevin Gaines, Professor Caroline E. Janney, and Professor Jalane Schmidt as they explore these thought-provoking questions from their own diverse areas of expertise.

Between the Columns with Kelsey Johnson

October 20, 2020
Kelsey Johnson presents Constellations for Kids: An Easy Guide to Discovering the Stars

 

 

Between the Columns with Catherine J. Davis '99 and Traci S. Thompson '99

October 21, 2020
Catherine J. Davis '99 and Traci S. Thompson '99 present Goodnight Cavaliers

 

Between the Columns with Sam Smith '98

October 22, 2020
Sam Smith '98 presents Cate's Magic Garden

 

Between the Columns with Brad Wilcox

October 29, 2020
"The State of Our Unions: The Good and Bad News about Marriage in Post-COVID America." Is divorce surging in the wake of lockdowns, job losses, and other trials and tribulations related to COVID-19? Or have Americans developed a new appreciation for how much they depend upon strong and stable marriages in these tumultuous times? Sociology Professor Brad Wilcox will answer these questions and more in his presentation on the health of marriage in post-COVID America.

 

Between the Columns with Bethany Teachman

January 15, 2021
"New Year, Same Anxiety?" Bethany Teachman is back and ready to help us manage our anxiety! We all know 2020 was stressful and you are not alone if you felt anxiety throughout the year. While we wish the cure for stress could be as simple as the change of the calendar, the stresses of 2020 are just as real in 2021. But what did we learn about stress and anxiety? Did 2020 teach us anything new about how we process and manage anxiety, especially in times of compounded stress? Can we use lessons from the past year to be realistic about our present and hopeful about our future?

 

Examining World War II and its Aftermath - Multiple Perspectives

Panel 1
April 12, 2021

Christian McMillen
Associate Dean for the Social Sciences, Professor of History
“World War II and the Global Health Revolution”

Sarah Milov
Associate Professor of History
“An Effective Stimulus to Morale and Productivity: How US Tobacco Farmers Hooked the Postwar World on the Cigarette”

 

Panel 2
April 12, 2021

Kai Parker
Assistant Professor of African American Religious History
“Double V and its Discontents: Blackness, Religion, and the Moral Authority of the Arsenal of Democracy”

Penny von Eschen
Professor of History, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of American Studies
“WWII and Civil Rights in Global Context”

 

Keynote
April 13, 2021

Risa Goluboff
Dean, UVA School of Law, Arnold H. Leon Professor of Law, Professor of History
The Lost Promise of Civil Rights

 

Between the Columns with Linda Columbus

May 5, 2021
"Reimagining Introductory Chemistry." How an innovative design of introductory chemistry education is improving student performance and making STEM degrees more accessible for students from all backgrounds. Hear from Professor Linda Columbus and a group of her students as they walk through the approach of a redesigned introductory course. The new format combines a traditional lecture with hands-on problem-solving and active learning spaces, an approach that gives students the opportunity to deeply understand the principles of chemistry. 

Between the Columns: Exploring "Sanctuaries"

May 19
"We often use the word sanctuary to talk about places like Yellowstone that have been protected from human development and industry. But it’s a word with deep religious roots. Traditionally, a sanctuary is a place that is set apart from daily human life and reserved for the divine. Last winter, we traveled to Yellowstone to explore what happens when a religious idea like sanctuary is transformed into a secular and bureaucratic one." Martien Halvorson-Taylor and Kurtis Schaeffer, who have developed a new model for research and teaching, explore natural "sanctuaries" - national parks, reserves, sacred natural sites - that are imbued with deep meaning and that are also sites of important conservation work.
 

Between the Columns: The College Curriculum

June 10
Meet some of the College Fellows and learn about their commitment to liberal arts education in the new College Curriculum. You'll learn from both faculty and students how this approach — the first significant change to the undergraduate curriculum model in 40 years — is set to prepare students with the skills they need to live as engaged citizens in an increasingly complex and connected world.