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Donald Bouma Lectures Series

Academics / Departments & Programs / Sociology / Donald Bouma Lecture Series

The Donald Bouma Lecture Series is regularly offered by Calvin University's sociology department to provide a context for discussion of contemporary social issues.

Donald H. Bouma was a graduate of the college and taught at Calvin from 1946 to 1960. He was instrumental in establishing the Calvin sociology department and also served as the new department's chair.

Today Calvin continues to honor his contributions to the college with the Donald Bouma Lecture Series, sponsored by the sociology and social work departments. The lecture series honors the memory of a man who made a mark at Calvin during his 14-year tenure and who made a mark in his work apart from his alma mater.

Past lectures

Nov. 6, 2013: Todd Robinson
"A City Within a City: The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan"

Nov. 2, 2011: Mary Pattillo
"Race, Poverty, and 'Choice' Policies"

April 22, 2010: Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo
"There's a Spirit that Transcends the Border: Religious Activists for Immigrant Rights"

Oct. 8, 2009: Christian Smith
"Understanding the Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults in the U.S."

April 3, 2008: Sudhir Venkatesh
"Law & Order in the Urban Ghetto”

May 1, 2006: Thomas Sugrue
"Jim Crow’s Last Stand: The Struggle for Civil Rights in the Suburban North”

April 8, 2005: John Evans
"Religious Opinions Concerning Human Reproductive Genetic Technologies”

April 10, 2003: Mark Warren
"Building Multiracial Alliances: Morality, Interests, and the Search for Common Ground”

May 2, 2002: Gary D. Bouma
"Hijabs, Scientology & Citizenship: Religion as Perpetrator and Victim of Public Policy”

Nov. 7, 2001: Michael Emerson
"What Difference does it make that Sunday is the Most Segregated Time of the Week?”

Oct. 19, 1999: John McKnight
"Building New Communities from the Inside Out”

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