OPEN - Call for Proposals
"Pressing Matters" Lecture Series - Spring 2025
Submit by December 2, 2024
The Humanities Institute at Stony Brook (HISB) invites proposals from CAS humanities faculty within Stony Brook University to suggest a speaker for the “Pressing Matters” lecture series. The series seeks to address issues that have acquired wide public visibility in the current moment from a scholarly, artistic, literary, activist, or critical perspective. Topics might include the social and cultural contexts of the pandemic, confinement, BLM, protests, new-nationalisms, global realignment, environmental emergencies, vulnerable and under-represented groups.
The proposed guest should be a scholar/artist/critic/author whose work is being studied in an undergraduate or graduate course (or courses) taught during the Fall by the proposing faculty. This visit would be tied directly to the course(s) with students playing an active role in the event.
The speaker’s visit would be arranged preferably during the scheduled class time for the course(s). The students in your class will have selected readings or other related materials that they would commit to studying in advance of the lecture or presentation.
Selected and funded applicants will introduce their proposed speaker(s) during the scheduled event and are strongly encouraged to attend the other scheduled PressingMatters lectures.
FORMAT
This series aims to promote conversation between guests and SBU students. The event should consist of a short introduction by either the instructor teaching the class or by a student in the class followed by an interview conducted by a group of students. We will circulate materials by the speaker (paper, creative works, recording) before the event, but the speaker may also give a short (10-15 minutes) presentation. The event will end with an open Q&A period.
Note: Faculty (part-time and full-time) teaching undergraduate or graduate courses in Fall 2024 are eligible to apply. Graduate students who are teaching their own undergraduate courses are also able to apply. Proposals may be submitted by individuals or by a group of faculty teaching related courses. HISB will make all arrangements and pay an honorarium to the speakers, craft promotional materials, and disseminate news of the event. Up to three (3) proposals will be selected for this semester.
REQUIREMENTS
Please provide the following in your proposal:
- Your name, dept, e-mail and telephone number.
- A brief statement (100 words max) outlining why you think the research of this speaker/presenter would matter to the students and the campus community at this time in our current history, and how you will incorporate the speaker into your class(es).
- Biography of proposed speaker/presenter. The individual(s) proposing their speaker will be expected to do his/her/their introduction, if selected.
- Biography of proposal applicant(s). This will be used for the faculty member(s)’s introduction, if selected.
- Details of the course the lecture would be linked to (e.g., course title, listing, description, enrollment and frequency).
- Confirmation that your proposed speaker/presenter is willing to do a lecture/classroom visit.
- Contact information for the proposed speaker/presenter.
DEADLINE: Completed proposals for Spring 2025 must be submitted in e-mail by MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2024. All proposals must be sent to hisb_info@stonybrook.edu. Please include "Pressing Matter Proposal Spring 2025" in the subject line.
Questions? Please e-mail adrienne.unger@stonybrook.edu.
The Humanities Institute at Stony Brook was established in 1987 to promote interdisciplinary research and collaboration across the university. Through conferences, lectures, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, film series, and performances, HISB draws on and stimulates new knowledge at the cutting edge of intellectual life.