As the Dunning Trust lecture series moved away from the model of a single speaker delivering multiple talks over the course of several weeks, thematic series that brought a variety of speakers together to consider different aspects of a topic became more common. You can explore a selection of these series below.
“Freedom, Responsibility, and Political Ideology” (1969-1970)
This series featured lectures by Milton Rokeach, Michael Swann, Harry Street, and Gordon Brown.
The 1969 White Paper and Indigenous Peoples (1970-1971)
This series began with a panel of Indigenous leaders from across the country, including Walter Currie, Arthur Manuel, Donna Tyndall, Herbert Strong Eagle, and Isaac Beaulieu. One week later, Jean Chrétien, who was then the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, spoke on the Trudeau government’s Indian policy in the wake of the 1969 White Paper.
“Social Problems in Environmental Recovery” (1971-1972)
In this series, held from October 23 to 26, Ian McHarg, Raymond Moriyama, and Garrett Hardin explored the attitudes and values that could contribute to the establishment of harmony between humans and the natural world amid extensive environmental harm. These lectures were published in the March 1973 issue of the Ontario Naturalist.
“Human Dignity and the Experience of Women” (1974-1975)
This series marked the beginning of International Women’s Year in January 1975. Featuring lectures by Juliet Mitchell, Elizabeth Hardwick, and Doris Anderson, the series also sponsored a “Liberation Film Festival” on campus.
The posters for the “Human Dignity and the Experience of Women” series.
A press release about the series. Courtesy of the Canadian Women’s Movement Archives.
“Canada towards the Year 2000” (1975-1976)
In this series, speakers imagined what the country might look like 25 years in the future. Lectures were given by Donald Creighton, Harold Town & Louis Applebaum, Eric Kierans & Keith Davey, John White, and Keith Spicer.
“Violence, Politics and the State” (1976-1977)
In this series, Robin Bourne, Hugh McCullum, and George Rudé provided three contemporary and historical perspectives on the problem of violence from the perspective of the state, Indigenous nations, and the working class.
“1984: George Orwell’s and Ours” (1983-1984)
In this series, Julian Symons, John Meisel, Ivan Illich, and Marilyn Ferguson reflected on the theme of individual responsibility through the lens of George Orwell’s 1984 and its relevance in the present.
The posters for the series “1984: George Orwell’s and Ours.”
“Health and Human Dignity” (1984-1985)
This series featured three healthcare professionals: Henry Morgentaler, Richard Selzer, and Mary O’Brien. Each lecture examined a different aspect of medicine, from its literary significance, to working conditions, to its role in women’s liberation.
