Oregon Humanities

Happy Hour Conversation about Happiness

Author of The Happiness Myth headlines Wordstock Think & Drink

22 September 2011 | Permalink

Cultural historian Jennifer Michael Hecht tackles the history of happiness in the fall 2011 Think & Drink. The Oregon Humanities happy-hour conversation will be Wednesday, October 5, 2011, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland.

Hecht will also participate in a forum to address the evolution of environmental ethics on October 2. “The Eye of the Storm: Re-imagining Ethics for Changing Times” takes place at Oregon State University in Corvallis and is an Oregon Humanities grant-funded event. Hecht’s book, The Happiness Myth, adds a historical perspective to the question of happiness, specifically investigating drugs, money, bodies, and celebration to find out where we find our bliss.

Jennifer Michael... More

Happy Hour Conversation About WikiLeaks

An influential blogger and University of Oregon journalism professor headline Oregon Humanities’ winter Think & Drink

20 January 2011 | Permalink

Aaron Bady, dubbed “The Unknown Blogger Who Changed WikiLeaks Coverage” by Atlantic Monthly, and Peter Laufer, University of Oregon journalism professor, will lead a discussion on the implications of WikiLeaks at the winter 2011 Think & Drink.

The Oregon Humanities happy-hour conversation will be Thursday, February 24, 2011, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland.

The website WikiLeaks released hundreds of thousands of U.S. government documents in fall 2010, leading to a vigorous international debate. The winter Think & Drink will address WikiLeaks and its implications on government secrecy and journalism.

Peter Laufer is James N. Wallace Chair in Journalism at the University of Oregon School of... More

Think & Drink on Fossil Fuel Dependency and Green Jobs

The happy-hour discussion brings together Thomas Andrews, Rebecca Clarren, and Emily Harris.

17 June 2010 | Permalink

Given the recent West Virginia coal mine tragedy and Gulf Coast oil spill disaster, Americans are becoming more concerned with fossil fuel dependency and the future of energy. If you want to participate in a discussion on these topics, come to the summer 2010 Think & Drink happy-hour conversation, which brings together environmental historian Thomas Andrews, investigative journalist Rebecca Clarren, and OPB radio host Emily Harris, who will moderate the conversation.

Think & Drink will be held on Thursday, July 8, 2010, at 6:00 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland. The happy-hour series, which sparks provocative conversations about big ideas, is sponsored by Oregon Humanities (formerly Oregon Council for the... More

Happy Hour Conversation Explores Photography and War

Curator and writer Kirsten Rian and photojournalist Thorne Anderson lead the May Think & Drink discussion.

19 April 2010 | Permalink

The spring 2010 Think & Drink happy-hour conversation brings together photography curator and writer Kirsten Rian and photojournalist Thorne Anderson for a discussion about the ethics of war photography and the role of photographs in shaping our understanding of war.

Think & Drink will be held on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at 6:00 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland. The happy-hour series, which sparks provocative conversations about big ideas, is sponsored by Oregon Humanities (formerly the Oregon Council for the Humanities).

Kirsten Rian is a nationally recognized photography curator and arts writer, and has coordinated more than 375 exhibitions and 65 books and catalogues. She most recently curated the permanent... More

Think & Drink with Richard Lariviere, Mike Bellotti, Kitty Piercy, and NEH Chair Jim Leach

The popular Portland happy-hour series comes to Eugene for an all-ages discussion about sports and American culture.

11 January 2010 | Permalink

Join University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere, University of Oregon Athletic Director Mike Bellotti, Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, and Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Jim Leach for an all discussion about the economic and social influence of sports in American culture at the next Think & Drink, a happy-hour series that sparks provocative conversations about big ideas.

Think & Drink with Richard Lariviere, Mike Bellotti, Kitty Piercy, and Jim Leach will be held on Friday, February 12, 2010, at 5:30 at Cozmic Pizza, 199 West 8th Ave., Eugene. The happy-hour series is sponsored by Oregon Humanities (formerly the Oregon Council for the Humanities). This event is open to all ages.

Richard Lariviere... More

Think & Drink with Jensine Larsen, Andi Zeisler, and Sarah Dougher

The series’ first happy-hour conversation of 2010 brings together three innovators for a discussion about women, global media, and pop culture.

21 December 2009 | Permalink

The 2010 Think & Drink happy-hour series kicks off in February, when Jensine Larsen, founder of the World Pulse media enterprise, and Andi Zeisler, co-founder of Bitch magazine, discuss women, global media, and pop culture. The conversation will be moderated by author, composer, teacher, and performer Sarah Dougher.

Think & Drink with Jensine Larsen, Andi Zeisler, and Sarah Dougher will be held on Wednesday, February 3, 2010, at 6:00 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland. The happy-hour series, which sparks provocative conversations about big ideas, is sponsored by Oregon Humanities (formerly the Oregon Council for the Humanities). This event is free and open to the public.

Jensine Larsen is founder of World Pulse, a media... More

Think & Drink with Richard Read and Lijia Zhang

The October happy-hour conversation is a Wordstock special event with Pulitzer Prize-winner Richard Read and visiting author and journalist Lijia Zhang.

01 September 2009 | Permalink

Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Richard Read and Wordstock visiting author and journalist Lijia Zhang for a discussion about life in modern China, journalistic freedom, and writing as social action at the next Think & Drink, a happy-hour series that sparks provocative conversations about big ideas.

Think & Drink with Richard Read and Lijia Zhang will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2009, at 6:30 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland. The bimonthly series is sponsored by Oregon Humanities (formerly the Oregon Council for the Humanities).

Think & Drink with Earl Blumenauer and Wim Wiewel

The August happy-hour conversation features the Democratic representative and Portland State University's new president in discussion about mind-changing moments.

15 July 2009 | Permalink

Join Representative Earl Blumenauer and Portland State University president Wim Wiewel for a discussion about mind-changing moments of their own and how change happens in our individual and collective thinking at the next Think & Drink, a happy-hour series that sparks provocative conversations about big ideas.
Think & Drink with Earl Blumenauer and Wim Wiewel will be held on Wednesday, August 12, 2009, at 6:30 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland. The bimonthly series is sponsored by the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH).
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) served three terms on the Oregon Legislature, eight years on the Multnomah County Commission, and ten years on the Portland City Council. He is an innovative leader in... More

Happy-Hour Discussion Examines Morality and Self Deception

Writer Ursula K. Le Guin and OSU professor Lani Roberts are the next Think & Drink guests.

19 May 2009 | Permalink

Join writer Ursula K. Le Guin and Oregon State University philosophy professor Lani Roberts for an interactive discussion exploring morality and self-deception—including our ideals of morality, how we deceive ourselves individually and collectively, and the concept of moral evolution—at the next Think & Drink, a happy-hour series that sparks provocative conversations about big ideas.
Think & Drink will be held on Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at 6:30 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland. The bimonthly series is sponsored by the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH).
Ursula K. Le Guin writes fiction, science fiction, fantasy, books for young children and young adults, screenplays, essays, and verbal texts for musicians. Many of... More

Earth Day Happy Hour Discussion Explores Alternative Economies

A panel of local change agents leads the third discussion in a program on consumer culture by Oregon Council for the Humanities.

26 March 2009 | Permalink

As many are looking to alternative economies in the current global financial downturn, a panel of Portland-area leaders will discuss developing alternative economies in Portland and beyond at the next Think & Drink, a happy hour conversation series that this season looks at consumer culture.
Think & Drink will be held on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at 6:30 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland.
Panelists include Brian Rohter, founder and CEO of New Seasons Market; Shane Endicott, founder of Our United Villages and the Rebuilding Center; Collin Ferguson, founder of Cascadia Commons/Community Way; and Mary King, professor of economics at Portland State University. The panel will be moderated by Peter Schoonmaker,... More

Happy hour conversation series continues

Former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts John Frohnmayer leads the second discussion in a program on consumer culture by Oregon Council for the Humanities.

13 January 2009 | Permalink

John Frohnmayer, former chair of the National Endowment for the Arts and independent Senate candidate in 2008, will lead a discussion on corporate citizenship and how it jeopardizes democracy at the next Think & Drink, a happy hour conversation series that this season looks at consumer culture.
Think & Drink with John Frohnmayer will be held on Wednesday, February 11, 2009, at 6:30 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland.
An affiliate professor of history at Oregon State University, Frohnmayer is widely known for his tumultuous tenure as NEA chair amid public controversy about the works of artists Robert Mapplethorpe and Andres Serrano. In 2008, Frohnmayer ran as an independent for the U.S. Senate seat held by Gordon Smith. He is... More

Happy hour conversation series launches

Former Wieden+Kennedy creative director Jelly Helm kicks off new discussion program on consumer culture by Oregon Council for the Humanities.

16 November 2008 | Permalink

How does advertising create desire and shape identity? Is shopping a patriotic act? Is it better to buy local or buy nothing at all? These are a few of the provocative questions about consumer culture that participants in a new happy hour conversation series, Think & Drink, will tackle.
The series kicks off on Wednesday, December 3, 2008, at 6:30 at rontoms, 600 E. Burnside, Portland, with Jelly Helm, former executive creative director of Wieden+Kennedy’s Portland headquarters and founder of 12, Wieden+Kennedy’s experimental in-house advertising school. Helm will discuss advertising’s role in creating desire and shaping identity.
Think & Drink, which invites the public to think and talk together, is sponsored by the Oregon... More