UC Scholars to Participate in McMicken College of Arts and Sciences Lecture Series

The UC community and the general public are welcome to attend lectures by UC scholars during UC’s McMicken College of Arts and Sciences’ lecture series.

The speakers will discuss different topics during each of their talks that relate to the greater Cincinnati area, ranging from how the Civil War affected current culture to the ways geologists interpret rock record, using local rock records as an example.

The series will begin on Oct. 23 with a talk from Christopher Phillips, UC history professor, who has published six books about various aspects of American culture during and following the Civil War era. The topic of these works range from war, race, and politics to slavery and freedom. Additionally, Phillips is currently working on a book, which is tentatively titled “The Rivers Ran Backward: The Civil War on the Middle Border and the Making of American Regionalism” that will be published with Oxford University Press.  

His talk will discuss how the current culture of the Ohio Valley was solidified by the actions of people during the Civil War era. He will also argue the Ohio River was not a border between the North and South over the issue of slavery before the war. Additionally, the talk will include points about how the Civil War itself, as well as the aftermath of the conflict, influence how Ohioans and Kentuckians evolved as Northerners and Southerners.

“McMicken is very fortunate to have many accomplished professors who enjoy sharing their knowledge with both students and the public,” said Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Kristi Nelson. “We’re excited to offer an opportunity for the community to hear more about the research happening here on campus.”

Here is additional information about the speakers and their lectures:

Christopher Phillips,

Thursday, Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m.; Alumni Center. Chris Phillips has taught in the University of Cincinnati’s Department of History since 1999. Phillips’s research interest mainly focuses on the American South during the era of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Some of the courses Phillips has taught include: “Coming of Civil War,” “The American South Since 1865,” and “Race Relations in American History.” His talk is titled: “North Star and Southern Cross: The Politics of Civil War Memory in the Postwar Ohio Valley.”

Carleton Brett,

Thursday, Apr. 2, 2015, 5:30 p.m.; Taft Center, Edwards 1. Carleton Brett is a tenured professor in the department of geology, where he has been teaching since 1998. He began his teaching career in 1978 at the University of Rochester where he remained until coming to UC in 1998. Throughout his career Carleton has published about 300 peer-reviewed papers and guidebooks, in addition to five edited books. His talk is tentatively titled: “Storms, Shells, and Cycles in Cincinnatian Strata: Lessons from a 450 Million-Year Old ‘Layer Cake.’” Both events are free and open to the public.