Three members of the Department of Anthropology will address the definition of race with a panel presentation and discussion on October 7 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.
The panelists will include Abigail Adams, a medical anthropologist; Ben Ford, an archaeologist; and Andrea Palmiotto, a forensic anthropologist. The panelists will be live in Elkin Hall with limited seating for students and others are welcome to join via Zoom.
“In this panel discussion, we will attempt to briefly disentangle the role of race in our physical and cultural lives and then lead a discussion with the audience,” Ford said. “Anthropology studies the whole human, physical and cultural, present and past, and provides a unique way to consider if race is real.
“Race is such a difficult concept that even its reality is debated,” Ford said. “While scientists have shown that race is not detectable in our genes, race is very much present in the daily lives of millions of Americans. The culturally engrained practices of our society can result in health outcomes that make race not only culturally real, but physically real as well.”
Elise Glenn, IUP's Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer, Title IX coordinator, and director of the Office of Social Equity/Title IX, will introduce the event. “This event is part of our ongoing work to continue this important discussion, and to put words into action,” she said.