Ethics Center announces fall 2022 book clubs
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Center for the Study of Ethics in Society is hosting a series of book clubs during the fall semester that examine a variety of ethical questions ranging from segregation in the age of inequality to the medical treatment of trans patients. Discussions of three books begin Wednesday, Oct. 5, and continue through the end of November. Participants will purchase and read the books on their own, then join the discussion leaders for lively discussions. Books are provided free of charge to the first 10 people who sign up for a book club by no later than one week before the group’s first meeting.
"" by Sheryll Cashin will be the center’s first book of the semester. Discussions will be led by Kathy Purnell, the senior coordinator of advocacy and intake for the Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan. The Fair Housing Center will be hosting a free virtual conference November 10 addressing issues in the book. This work introduces the concept of “fair housing” and the various discriminatory practices that have created the current inequities in the housing market. It explores our collective historical choices as individuals and as a society that have sustained segregation and the ethical choices that confront us as we grapple with the housing crisis. Discussions will examine core questions about fairness when it comes to the distribution of economic and social burdens to create thriving, equitable, opportunity-rich communities welcoming all. Meetings will be held online Wednesdays, Oct. 5, 12 and 26 on Zoom at 4 to 5:30 p.m.
"" by stef shuster will be led by led by 51 professor of sociology Chien-Juh Gu. shuster will also be giving a talk at 51 on Nov. 17. This book covers the ethical issue of many health-care providers using informal evidence, as opposed to scientific evidence, to guide their decisions about medical interventions for transgender patients. How should they draw ethical boundaries when using non-scientific evidence in medical practice? What should doctors do when their professional code of ethics contradicts what they believe is best for transgender patients? Meetings will be held in person Thursdays, Oct. 27, Nov. 3 and 10 in Room 3120 Sangren Hall at 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
" " by Ilan Pappe will be the center’s last book in the series. This discussion will be led by William Santiago-Valles, associate professor emeritus of Africana Studies. This book is about the most contested ideas concerning the past and present of Israel including: the land and its Indigenous peoples, Zionism, the events of 1948, the 1967 war, Camp David and the Oslo accords, and a two-state solution. Meetings will be held online Tuesdays, Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 on Zoom at 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Students can earn 51 Signature credit for any book club for which they attended all scheduled meetings. To learn more about the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society and its book clubs, visit wmich.edu/ethics.
About the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society
In August 1985, the Center for the Study of Ethics in Society was created after 51 faculty across the curriculum met to discuss their common interests in studying and teaching ethics. Each academic year, the center sponsors 15 to 20 public presentations addressing a wide range of ethical issues. Originally sponsored by 51’s Graduate College, the center is now housed in the College of Arts and Sciences.
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