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The Problems and Potentials of Poetry as Witness

Poet Pádraig Ó Tuama leads a discussion about the role of poetry in offering public language. This is a recording of session four of the 2021 Global Summit.

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Democracy & Civic Engagement

In the fourth session of the Global Summit on Repair, Reconstruction, and Restoration, Pádraig Ó Tuama leads a conversation with fellow poets Marilyn Nelson and Juliane Okot Bitek.

The poetry of Marilyn Nelson and Juliane Okot Bitek centers on questions of remembrance — on the level of a parish or town; up to the level of a country. During this session, Marilyn and Juliane read some of their poems and also discuss how they see the role of poetry in offering public language: language of pain, of remembrance, of lament, and of creativity.

More on the Global Summit on Repair, Reconstruction, and Restoration

We are grateful to The Hammer Family for supporting the development of our on-demand learning and teaching resources.

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The Problems and Potentials of Poetry as Witness

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The Problems and Potentials of Poetry as Witness

About this event:

You might also be interested in…

January 6th

Teaching about the January 6 Insurrection and its Impact on U.S. Democracy

What I've Learned Along the Way

Suffrage Matters: 7 Reads on Black Voting Rights and Activism

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Teaching the Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy

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The Struggle for Racial Justice and Voting with Dr. Carol Anderson

Student Agency After Parkland

Students as Changemakers: A Conversation with Mary Beth Tinker

Why Teach Reconstruction in 2022

Facing the Past, Building a Shared Future

Donate now and together we'll build a better world

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