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October 11, 2006
ANDOVER, Mass. — Jared Diamond, winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for his book Guns, Germs and Steel and author of the 2005 bestseller Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, will present a lecture titled “Globalization: For Better or Worse?” on Friday, October 20, at 8:00 p.m. in Cochran Chapel on the Phillips Academy campus. The event is free and open to the public. Following the lecture, there will be a Q&A session and a book signing.
A hugely popular speaker, Diamond is the epitome of the celebrity scientist. His books, like his talks, tackle the giant questions: why do some societies thrive and prosper while others shrivel and die? How can humanity maximize the opportunity for human happiness while saving the planet from ecological ruin and collapse?
During his talk at Andover, Diamond will address some of the challenges presented by globalization. Until the events of September 11, most people in the West equated globalization with “us” sending “them” our modern accomplishments: the Internet and Coca-Cola. Now, the world is painfully aware that globalization means events in even remote corners of the world can have enormous implications for people all over the globe. In his talk, Diamond will share his thoughts on what globalization will really bring the world, and how we can minimize its negative impact while continuing to benefit from the advantages of shared cultures and resources.
In addition to being a successful author and lecturer, Diamond is a professor of geography and physiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Among other accomplishments, he has received some of the most prestigious awards the world has to offer, including a MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant and Japan’s International Cosmos Prize. In 2000, he was awarded the nation’s highest civilian scientific award, The National Medal of Science, for his landmark research and breakthrough discoveries in evolutionary biology.
Diamond’s campus visit is part of Phillips Academy’s 2006 Andover Symposium: The Challenges of Globalization. The purpose of the year-long symposium is to bring to campus distinguished experts who can speak to students and the public about globalization, global citizenship, and the daunting political, social, and economic challenges that face the world community. This effort, explains Andover history instructor Derek Williams, is intrinsic to the Academy’s mission to nourish within its students a commitment to world affairs and a sense of public service.
Among the speakers who have visited campus to date are former NPR reporter Sarah Chayes, current NPR diplomatic correspondent Mike Shuster, Yale professor Jonathan Spence, former U.S. presidential envoy to Iraq Paul Bremer, and author Amy Chua.
Diamond comes to Andover as the Bernard and Louise Palitz lecturer. The Bernard and Louise Palitz Lecture Fund was established in 1991 by Louise and Bernard Palitz, Class of 1942, in honor of his 50th Reunion.
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