Faculty Panel: The Ethics of Repair
Wednesday, September 4, 7 p.m.
Miller Forum, Moyer Hall
This opening event features a panel of Muhlenberg faculty presenting brief reflections on this year's Center for Ethics theme and inviting the campus community to join in a discussion of “The Ethics of Repair.” The panelists are Kathleen Bachynski (Public Health), Benjamin Carter (Anthropology), Leticia Robles-Moreno (Theatre) and Sarah Runcie (History).
Leah Chan Grinvald
On the Right to Repair
Monday, September 16, 7 p.m.
Miller Forum, Moyer Hall
The call for a “right to repair” has been gaining ground across the globe. In the United States, there have been six states where legislation enabling consumers to repair their own “stuff” has been passed. And in 2024, there are an additional 30 states that are considering some form of repair legislation. There has been a need for this legislation since repairing our “stuff” has gotten more and more difficult since the early 2000s. But why is it important that we, as a society, have a right to repair all of our products — from farm equipment to automobiles, medical equipment to coffee makers, and even military equipment? In this lecture, Grinvald, dean of the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV, will provide an overview of the various societal interests that we collectively have in a universal right to repair, including environmental, personal autonomy, property rights, health and security concerns.
Center for Appropriate Transportation
Bike Repair Workshop
Friday, September 20, 2-4 p.m.
Parents’ Plaza
The Center for Ethics is excited to welcome CAT (Coalition for Appropriate Transportation) to lead a bike repair demonstration as part of the year-long theme "The Ethics of Repair." We invite you to join us to learn how to extend the lifespan of your bicycle through regular maintenance requirements and simple repairs. Choosing repair over replacement can save you money AND reduce your contribution to the waste stream.
CAT's mission is "to strengthen our Lehigh Valley community and our environment through bicycling, pedestrian accessibility and public transportation. CAT works to improve mobility for everyone. Better bicycling, walking/ADA accessibility and public transit develop a stronger, smarter economy and a higher quality of life. Sustainable transportation reduces traffic congestion, counters climate change and offers a healthier community for everyone."
Film Screening and Conversation
Farming While Black
Wednesday, September 25, 7 p.m.
Recital Hall, Baker Center for the Arts
Farming While Black is a feature-length documentary film that examines the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States and the rising generation of Black farmers reclaiming their rightful ownership to land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots. The film will be followed by a discussion led by Master Gardener, SoulFire Farm Fellow and Executive Director of the Allentown Boys and Girls Club Katarah Jordan. This event’s cosponsors include enACT, BSA and Community Garden.
Garden Work Day with enACT
Friday, September 27, 3 p.m.
Community Garden (Chew Street near 22nd Street)
The campus community is invited to join members of enACT in working in Muhlenberg’s Community Garden.
Jonathan Metzl
Mental Wellness, Mass Shootings and the Politics of American Firearms
Wednesday, October 23, 7 p.m.
Miller Forum, Moyer Hall
Metzl is the Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and Psychiatry and the director of the Department of Medicine, Health and Society at Vanderbilt University. He has written extensively for The New York Times, The Washington Post, VICE, Politico and other major publications about the most urgent hot-button issues facing America and the world. In this talk, he breaks down four frequent assumptions that often arise in the aftermath of a mass shooting: that mental illness causes gun violence, that psychiatric diagnosis can predict gun crime, that shootings represent the deranged acts of mentally ill loners and that gun control “won’t prevent” another shooting. Metzl uses scientific evidence and engaging storytelling to paint a nuanced picture of the increasingly lethal realities of American life — and how we can move forward. This event is part of the Dr. Charles Schiffert Distinguished Lecture Series and is co-sponsored by the Department of Political Science Election Series.
Vance Blackfox
Indigenous Theologian, ELCA Director of Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations
Wednesday, November 20, 7 p.m.
Miller Forum, Moyer Hall
Mr. Blackfox will speak on Lutheran values and social responsibility with a focus on engagement with indigenous cultures. This speaker is part of the Red Door Roots speaker series.
Partnering Organizations: Center for Ethics, Office of Multicultural Life, Offices of the President and Provost
