Educator and author Diane Ravitch, author and political commentator Arianna Huffington and former Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano are a diverse group of newsmakers with one thing in common: They're coming to Detroit as featured speakers in Wayne State University's Forum on Contemporary Issues in Society (FOCIS) series this fall.
Created by President Emeritus Irvin D. Reid, FOCIS provides an opportunity for Wayne State students to engage with and learn from some of the world's most influential and knowledgeable experts on a wide range of issues with global significance. This year's FOCIS events - all of which include lectures open to the public-- will address education reform, the erosion of America's middle class and the future of political freedom in African nations.
"Each of these speakers has a wealth of experience and insights into the forces that are shaping the world we live in," Reid said. "We are especially pleased to bring them to Wayne State at a time when Detroiters are engaged in redefining their city and demanding educational, economic and political accountability from their leaders." Reid holds Wayne State's Eugene Applebaum Chair in Community Engagement and is the director of FOCIS.
Ravitch, a research professor of education at New York University and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, will speak on "The Death and Life of the Great
American School System" at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23 in WSU's Community Arts Auditorium. From 1991 to 1993, she was assistant secretary of education and counselor to Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. President Clinton appointed her to the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees federal testing.
She is the author or editor of more than 20 books, and her articles have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines. A native of Houston, Ravitch graduated from Houston public schools, Wellesley College and Columbia University. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Huffington will discuss the diminishing stature of America as an industrial, political and economic leader at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13 in the Detroit Institute of Arts' Lecture Hall. Analyzing the erosion of the American middle class, Huffington will explore the possibility that future generations will face declining opportunities and a lower standard of living. She is co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, one of the Internet's most popular news sources, and a nationally syndicated columnist, co-host of the popular public radio political program "Left, Right, Center" and an author of 12 books.
President Chissano will discuss Mozambique's transition from civil war to democracy during FOCIS' African Democracy Project, which examines the status and future of democracies in Africa. The event will be held Oct. 18-20 at WSU's Community Arts Auditorium, among other venues, and will feature activities and panel discussions on African politics, history, art and literature. The project culminates in an Oct. 20 public lecture highlighting his experiences as a freedom fighter, teacher and host to a delegation of Wayne State students who came to Mozambique to film a documentary on that country's democratic presidential election last year. In 2007, Chissano received the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership to honor his commitment to just and fair majority rule.
A comprehensive digital press kit, which includes a downloadable photo gallery and video clip, is available at http://mac.wayne.edu/pr/focismissionkit.pdf.
The events are free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. To register, visit http://focis.wayne.edu/
Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering more than 400 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.