Topical Seminars | Masculinity

In-person

Topical Seminars is a monthly series of seminars based upon essays whose topics include philosophy, the arts and literature, science, politics, economics, communications, and much more. Participants are asked to read an essay chosen by the facilitation team and then submit a written response in advance of each session. The group then meets for a lively discussion on the posted piece and the participants’ responses to it.

Essays are available for reading at our website a month in advance. Responses are due no later than the day before each meeting and are also posted on the website. For more information, contact David White, facilitation team member.

This month we will discuss masculinity. What does it mean to be a man when traditional male roles and privileges can no longer be assumed? This seminar will explore whether masculinity is undergoing a genuine crisis—and why some responses emphasize dominance, hierarchy, and a return to older gender roles. Are strength, courage, ambition, and competitiveness inherently masculine, and must they conflict with empathy, equality, and care? Can society develop a positive vision of masculinity that gives men purpose and dignity without limiting women’s freedom or authority? The discussion will examine how uncertainty about manhood can become a powerful political force—and what healthier models of masculinity might look like.

Registration is requested.

Topics for 2026-27 are:

September 9 | The Future of Economic Society
October 14 | Masculinity
November 18 | Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena
December 9 | Happiness
January 13 | Jazz
February 10 | Moral Relativism
March 10 | Reconstruction: An Unfinished Project?
April 14 | Evolutionary Psychology and Society
May 12 | Liberty and Democracy: Allies or Rivals?
June 9 | Program Review and Assessment