TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” That maxim comes from Spanish writer and philosopher George Santayana, but the idea would fit right in with Dr. John F. Beeler, professor of history at The University of Alabama.
Beeler will offer his thoughts on why history matters in the modern world at the 2015 Last Lecture Series at 7 p.m. April 22 in room 159 at Russell Hall.
In a world where information—often dubious—is only a click away, Beeler said that knowing real history can help keep people grounded.
“I will be emphasizing how essential an accurate understanding of the past is in trying to make sense of the world today and how vital it is to informing us as we contemplate the challenges of the future,” Beeler said. “History is also the antidote to myths or fables about the past, many of which continue to resonate today.”
Beeler was nominated to be the 2015 honoree for the lecture series by one of his students, Katherine Ott, a junior history major from Prattville.
“I nominated Dr. Beeler because regardless of the lecture topic and his opinion towards it, he keeps it interesting,” Ott said. “I have taken two of his courses, Western Civilization Part 2 and Brit Pop Culture, and while studying The Beatles sounds amazing, so was learning about all the monarchical conflicts in Europe. I attribute that to his style of teaching.”
Beeler has an entertaining way of maintaining interest in his classes, Ott said, and she expects his Last Lecture to be no different.
“I hate being in a classroom where the professor stands behind the podium clicking through slides while talking in a monotonous tone. Dr. B doesn’t do that,” she said.
“In fact, I remember my first day of being in his class and the man was so into the lecture that he was running around the room and speaking into a megaphone at every important point. Students of this generation are bored easily, and Dr. Beeler is far from boring!”
The Last Lecture Series is sponsored by the Graduate School and features a UA faculty member nominated and selected by students to answer one question in the form of a highly engaging lecture: “If this were your last time to address a group of students, what would you say to them?”
A cash award is also provided to the yearly winner. The event is free and open to the public. A reception for Dr. Beeler follows the talk.
UA’s department of history is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships and Goldwater Scholarships.
The Last Lecture Series was founded in 2007. Past recipients of the award include:
Dr. Ron Dulek (2007), Professor of Management
Dr. James Salem (2008), Professor of American Studies
Dr. Utz McKnight (2009), Assistant Professor of Political Science
Dr. Lawrence Kohl (2010), Associate Professor of History
Dr. Bebe Barefoot (2011), Instructor of Gender and Race Studies
Rick Bragg (2012), Professor of Writing
Dr. Cassandra Simon (2013), Associate Professor of Social Work
Dr. Robin Boylorn (2014), Assistant Professor of Communication & Information Studies
Contact
Bobby Mathews, UA Media Relations, 205/348-4956, bwmathews1@ur.ua.edu
Source
Dr. John Beeler, jbeeler@ua.edu