UChicago News

Federalist Society honors Elder Dallin H. Oaks, JD’57

Sarah Galer — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:10 -0500

“If you only do in the legal profession what you get paid for, you will miss some of your choicest opportunities,” said Elder Dallin H. Oaks, JD’57, a distinguished Mormon leader, to a group of University of Chicago law students.

The students had gathered at the Law School on May 3 to present Oaks with the Federalist Society’s 2012 Lee Lieberman Otis Award for Distinguished Service to honor his years of dedicated...

Scholars, scientists explore cosmos and culture at Adler Planetarium event

Greg Borzo — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:50 -0500

Anthropologist George Murdock once conducted a cross-cultural survey of more than a thousand societies, which revealed a list of “cultural universals”—things that are found in every society. In addition to brewing alcoholic beverages, body adornment and sexual taboos, the list included a creation story, or an explanation of where we came from.

In other words, a cosmology.

Those are the same universals addressed by cultural activities, such as art, music,...

UChicago to webcast events from May 18-20 comics conference

Susie Allen — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:23 -0500

UChicago will provide live webcasts for a number of events from “Comics: Philosophy & Practice,” a conference on May 18-20 that will bring together 17 world-renowned cartoonists to discuss the past and future of graphic narrative.

[view:story=block_1]

The free webcasts will be available via UChicago Live on...

Bertram Cohler, psychologist and esteemed teacher, 1938-2012

William Harms — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:54 -0500

Bertram Cohler, a UChicago psychologist and celebrated teacher who was an expert on family life and transitions, died May 9. Cohler, 73, was the William Rainey Harper Professor in the College.

Cohler’s primary appointment was in Comparative Human Development, with joint appointments held in Psychology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, and the College. He was a mainstay of the Self, Culture and Society Core sequence, which he co-chaired for many...

Harris School, Economics graduate students organize conference on early childhood

Sarah Galer — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:40 -0500

On April 20 and 21, leading thinkers on early childhood development gathered at the University of Chicago to discuss a wide range of current research and its global implications, a culmination of two years of work by a group of driven UChicago graduate students.

An inspiration for the event’s content came from a yearlong series of workshops led by Nobel laureate James Heckman, who has pioneered the economic study of...

Undocumented, young immigrants face obstacles, uncertain futures

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:41 -0500

Undocumented Latino youth who migrate to the United States face futures clouded by limited rights and the constant fear of deportation, according to a new report from the University of Chicago and the University of California, Irvine.

Many don’t fully realize the constraints of their status until they become older teenagers and young adults, the report finds.

“Rites of passage common to American youth — getting a driver’s license, traveling, working...

Logan Center hosts Community Open House: Slideshow

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:29 -0500

Larry Sjaastad, scholar of international economics, 1934-2012

William Harms — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:12 -0500

Larry Sjaastad, professor emeritus of economics and a leading expert on trade in Latin America, died May 2. A resident of Hyde Park, he was 77.

Sjaastad made fundamental contributions to economics across a wide spectrum of topics including public finance, international economics and exchange rate theory.

“Larry’s teaching and the bonds he made with students have had a huge effect in Latin America,” said Jorge Garcia-Garcia, PhD’75, a senior evaluation...

Expansion of human power spurs ‘Before Authority’ conference

Susie Allen — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:24 -0500

What do we talk about when we talk about power? How do we balance the perils and possibilities of exercising power?

An upcoming conference will tackle these questions and the complicated interactions between power, authority and religion by bringing together theologians and ethicists engaged with social and political theory for two days of discussion at the Divinity School.

“Before Authority: Renegotiating Power and Religion,” which takes place Friday, May 11 and...

Special Collections exhibition on Haggadah will close with lecture May 13

Susie Allen — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:49 -0500

The Haggadah, the text that gathers the prayers and stories recited at the Passover Seder, has a beloved place in Jewish tradition. While its basic themes have remained unchanged, the Haggadah (“telling”) is unusually versatile—over the years, new editions have assembled stories, prayers, and illustrations that connect the Passover story to contemporary themes.

An exhibition closing this week at the Special Collections Research Center highlights...