Miami University

"The American Reception of Darwin" Nov. 4

10/28/2009

Kimberly Hamlin, assistant professor of history and American studies at Miami University, will present “The American Reception of Darwin, 1859-1900: An Interdisciplinary Introduction,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Miami University Art Museum. The talk complements the exhibition “Darwin's Firsts.”

The interactive talk will explore the U.S. reception of Darwin’s Origin of Species (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871) from an interdisciplinary perspective, focusing on the varied and often surprising ways in which individuals and even entire fields incorporated, challenged, and reformulated Darwin’s groundbreaking ideas about the origins of life on earth.

Students and other participants will be encouraged to participate in the discussion and to imagine themselves in the context of the late 1800s, as well as reflect on the ways in which the U.S. reception of evolutionary theory has changed over time.

"Darwin's Firsts" runs through Dec. 12.

The talk and exhibition are free and open to the public. For more information contact the art museum at 529-2232 or go to arts.muohio.edu/art-museum.