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Ford Hall Forum

The Ford Hall Forum is the nation's oldest continuously operating free public lecture series. Its mission is to foster an informed and effective citizenry and to promote freedom of speech through the public presentation of lectures, debates, and discussions. Forum events illuminate the key issues facing our society by bringing to its podium knowledgeable and thought-provoking speakers. These speakers are presented in person, for free, and in settings, which facilitate frank and open debate.

http://www.fordhallforum.org/

Embedded in Iraq: The Objectivity Question

Thu, Oct 9, 2003

Brian MacQuarrie of *The Boston Globe* takes a look back at his time in Iraq, and forward to the future of war journalism. MacQuarrie traveled to Iraq in March of 2003 to cover the war as an embedded reporter with the Army's 3rd Infantry Field Artillery Battalion. Part of a Pentagon experiment to give journalists greater access to soldiers and commanders in the heat of battle, embedments like this one provided unparalleled inside views of combat that generated fascinating news stories here at home. Even so, questions linger about the success of this new-styled journalism and how it will affect the coverage of future conflicts. Is it possible for reporters to so literally enter a story and still maintain their objectivity?

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Is There an Elephant in the State House?

Wed, Dec 3, 2003

Join this discussion with Republican leaders to find out why they believe the citizens of Massachusetts share their party's values. Is our Commonwealth's reputation as a bastion for liberalism undeserved? Republicans have had a stronghold on the governor's office in Massachusetts for 13 consecutive years. As a result, it is hard to deny the wide appeal of "common-sense republican priorities" that include lower taxes, economic growth, individual liberty, and improved standards of education. In a state where more than half the voters are unenrolled or independents (and not Democrats), the Republican Party is confident about its potential for growth.

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Politics of Sex, Drugs and HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts

Wed, Jan 28, 2004

A panel of health experts discuss the politics of sex, drugs and HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts. 41% of the estimated 20,000 people living with HIV in Massachusetts were infected either through their own needle-sharing or through sex with a needle-sharing partner. Panelists debate whether Massachusetts needs a syringe access policy as well as Department of Public Health reports that nearly 10% of new infections in the state are occurring among young people, aged 13 to 24. As sex education programs have fallen victim to budget-cutting and conservative mores, panelists explore what should our political leaders can do to safeguard the health of the state's youth.

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Haitian Creation in Boston

Thu, Jun 24, 2004

Marie St. Fleur, Regine Jackson and Marc Prou discuss and celebrate the influence of Haitian immigrants in Boston. Over the past four decades, Boston has seen a significant wave of immigrants coming from Haiti. In fact, our city has the third largest settlement of Haitians in the United States, and these new Bostonians have become one of the largest immigrant groups living here today. Steadily gaining public visibility, Haitians in Boston are creating new social, political, and economic organizations. And new leaders are emerging from this community to actively engage in local, state, and national issues as well as matters related to the future of Haiti itself. Not only changing to adapt to life in their new home, Haitian immigrants are also helping to build a new and more multicultural Boston that better reflects all of its citizens. Presented in collaboration with the La Kou Association and The Haitian Studies Association (HAS) to coincide with the Haitian Bicentennial Festival.

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Medical Errors and Patient Safety

Tue, May 11, 2004

A panel of professionals weigh in on the shocking 1999 The Institute of Medicine report on medical safety. Panelists include Lucian Leape, Connie Crowley Ganser, and Linda Kelly. The event is moderated by John A. Fromson. The Institute of Medicine reported in 1999 that health care in the United States is not as safe as it should be, and that as many as 98,000 patients may die each year from preventable medical errors. How far have we progressed in five years? How do doctors, nurses, and other health care workers approach patient safety? What is the responsibility of the patient for patient safety? How can we make medical care better? .

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Disease Du Jour: What Might Be Next?

Tue, Nov 16, 2004

A panel of public health experts examines the topic of infectious disease and offers some insights into this ever-changing aspect of medicine and our environment. Hepatitis A. West Nile Virus. Bird Flu. SARS. Monkeypox. Infectious diseases are all around us, and a new one seems to emerge every year. In some cases, transmission may be just a plane ride away. What is causing these new diseases and strains to originate? Is an epidemic on hand? What can we do to protect ourselves and our families? This lecture is presented in collaboration with the Massachusetts Medical Society.

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Founding Mothers: Women Who Raised Our Nation

Mon, Nov 29, 2004

Cokie Roberts delivers an intimate and illuminating look at the fervently patriotic and passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families (and their country) proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it. While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. Presented in collaboration with the WAND Education Fund and the Old South Meeting House as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue Series.

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Remembering Trauma

Tue, Feb 10, 2004

Clinician and laboratory researcher Richard McNally challenges the ready acceptance of a notion he says goes beyond common sense, and contends that traumatic experiences are indeed unforgettable and the evidence for repressed memories is surprisingly weak. Are horrific experiences indelibly fixed in a victim's memory? Or does the mind protect itself by banishing traumatic memories from consciousness? How victims remember trauma is the most controversial issue in psychology today, spilling out of consulting rooms and laboratories to capture headlines, rupture families, provoke legislative change, and influence criminal trials and civil suits. This lecture is presented in collaboration with Boston Theatre Works to coincide with the world premiere of *Conspiracy of Memory*, a timely new drama by local playwright Steven Bogart that explores issues of aging, forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption.

Mental Health Month , Food and Wellness

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After Apartheid: Symbols of Progress and Challenges

Tue, Jan 28, 2003

A panel discusses the creation of a new Constitutional Court in post-apartheid South Africa. In 1994, the world looked on as South Africa turned its attention to the historic task of writing and implementing a new constitution that continues to be regarded as the most progressive in the world. Almost a decade later, the Constitutional Court is now creating a permanent home and the first major public building of South Africa's new democracy. Developed on the site of a prison in Johannesburg, with expressive artwork incorporated throughout, this new Courthouse will serve as a monument to the post-apartheid spirit of an emerging nation in all its diversity. But how has the new democracy changed the lives of the people of South Africa? Can symbols inspire dreams in South Africa's new democracy?

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AIDS, Social Justice, and the Politics of Transformation

Thu, Sep 30, 2010

Kevin Cranston, Director of the Massachusetts Bureau of Infectious Disease; Dazon Dixon Diallo, President of SisterLove; Julie Davids, Founder and Co-Director of CHAMP (Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project); and Guillermo Chacón, President and CEO of the Latino AIDS Commission converse with moderator Rebecca Haag, President and CEO of AIDS Action Committee about the ongoing problem of HIV transmission. As death from AIDS becomes less common, AIDS service organizations must transform their services and prevention programs to follow a more radical approach. Why are there 56,000 new infections in the U.S. every year when we know what causes HIV, how it’s transmitted, and how to treat it? Join us to discuss how to stop the spread of HIV by addressing the underlying social injustices of racism, sexism, homophobia, violence, substance abuse, and poverty. (Presented in collaboration with Old South Meeting House, a museum and National Historic Landmark dedicated to the free exchange of ideas, as part of the Partners in Public Dialogue series.)

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