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The McKelvy House Scholars invite the campus to join them in a dinner discussion exploring social stereotypes Sunday, Nov. 19.
The meal will begin at 6 p.m. at McKelvy House, 200 High Street. Shiliang Cui ’09 (Shanghai, China), who is pursuing a B.S. mathematics and an A.B. with a major in economics and business, will lead the discussion at 6:30 p.m.
Common stereotypes include a variety of allegations about groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, or religious belief, along with profession and social class. Stereotypes can also be based on an individual’s physical size, handicaps, or other characteristics.
Social stereotypes are cases of metonymy, where a smaller group of people has a socially recognized status as standing for the group as a whole, usually for the purpose of making quick guesses about people and their qualities. Cui will show some examples first and then raise some questions around the topic. Links to journal articles and other relevant information will also be provided.
Since 1962, the McKelvy House Scholars program has brought together Lafayette students with a wide range of majors and interests to reside in a historic off-campus house and share in intellectual and social activities. Weekly Sunday, and occasional Wednesday, dinner discussions that engage students in debate and exchange of ideas are the hallmark of the program. Most members also contribute to the annual McKelvy Papers, written on a topic of each person’s choice. McKelvy Scholars participate in activities together such as field trips to plays, concerts, and exhibits, and sponsor events for the campus as well.
Previous discussions:
Nov. 12 – Online Social Networking
Oct. 4 – Societal Stigmas and Sex Offenders
Sept. 20 – Performance Enhancing Drugs
Sept. 17 – Geographic Illiteracy