On April 8th, the department hosted a lecture by Dr. Bethany Bear Hebbard, Community Corps Director at Austin’s Community First Village. Entitled “Fighting as Friends: Language, Empathy, and Dissent,” the lecture drew on Dr. Hebbard’s experiences in both the academic world and the sphere of advocacy to highlight the importance of empathy when approaching our society. She also provided practical methods and applications of empathy that students can use at home, on campus, or in any type of social or political interaction. Her lecture was followed by a panel featuring Dr. Elizabeth Skerpan-Wheeler (English), Dr. Eduardo Schmidt Passos (Political Science), Dr. Vince Bagnulo (Philosophy), and Dr. Leah Renold (History). Each panelist drew on his or her own discipline to explore how the nature of empathy is understood and how it helps them better understand the people and things they research. The department wishes to thank Sabra Woodward, one of our undergraduate majors, for her work in organizing the event.
