Hatley Continues Brown Bag Discussion Series April 2

SALISBURY, MD---At a time when many societies are faced with rapid social and environmental change, uncertainty and division, the natural world may provide an ethical orientation.

Dr. James Hatley of Salisbury University’s Department of Philosophy explores this in the context of Australia’s history during the next Brown Bag Lunch Discussion Series. Hatley presents “The Land Makes Us Human: Aboriginal Voices of Recuperation in the Wake of Colonial Violence,” from noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, in the Social Room of Holloway Hall.

His research responds to the 2004 book Reports from a Wild Country by Australian anthropologist Deborah Bird Rose. In the book, she examines reconciliation between indigenous peoples, “settlers,” and nature, citing ideas from Hatley’s book Suffering Witness.

During the talk, Hatley discusses what may be learned from the aboriginal experience. “For example, many words we use to describe the natural world (such as ‘wild’) are problematic to them,” he said. “They prefer to think of the surrounding natural world as the 'still' and prefer to think of the 'wild' as descriptive of European culture.”

Sponsored by the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts, his talk is free and the public is invited. Soft drinks and light refreshments will be served. For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.