The featured speakers of the 12th annual Humanities Symposium discussed “Encountering Otherness” with students on Wednesday in Beaman A&B.
Amy Shuman, CeCe Big Crow, George Yancy, Robert Barsky and Eduardo Corral shared ideas and participated in a dialogue about their understanding of the theoretical and methodological connection for encountering others. Each speaker touched on what the theme meant to them.
Barsky, a philosopher, saidthat “encountering otherness” is essentially a relationship between sameness and difference.
“You absolutely need the other to exist as a self. We fundamentally need one another,” Barsky said.
He also said that at the core, we are all identical. “The distance between you and the other may be one difference in path.”
The panel discussed the importance of unity and how to exemplify this concept and show respect for others in everyday life. They also encouraged students to attend the other symposium events continuing this week.
The Humanities Symposium seeks to stimulate intellectual conversation through its 31 events, which together will engage in a week-long conversation designed to increase interactions with different cultures, religions, political views and historical understandings to dislodge the default view and open students to broader understanding.
