Lectures 2009-2010

Joël Andriantsimbazovina

Specialist on European and international protection of human rights and on case law in the European Court of Justice
Author of the first multidisciplinary dictionary on human rights and founder of the Annuaire de Droit Européen.

Does a Francophone Conception of Human Rights Exist?
Are Human Rights Universal?
Abortion, Euthanasia, Death Penalty: Is the Right to Live an Absolute Right?

Francis Balle

Philosopher, Director of the Institute of Research and Study on Communication and Media; member of Radio France’s board of directors.

What Can the Media Do in the Face of Intolerance?
Digital Revolution, Economic Globalization and Americanization

Dominique Bourg

Philosopher, Director of the Institute of Territorial Politics and the Human Environment in Lausanne; specialist in environmental ethics and sustainable development.

Weak Version versus Strong Version of Sustainable Development
Technology and Spirituality
The Precaution Principle

Jean-Louis Bruguière

International judge and High Representative of the European Union to the United States on the issue of terrorism financing; expert at the Council of Europe, the Commission of the European Union and the United Nations (UNODC).

Transatlantic Cooperation in the Fight against Terrorism
The Case of France

Laurent Cohen-Tanugi

Lawyer, member of the Paris and New York bars; expert on French and American institutions, as well as European affairs and international relations.

Perspectives on the World of Tomorrow: Geopolitics of Globalization and Post-Crisis Economy
Barack Obama’s America: What Are the Implications for Europe?
The State of the European Union: Towards a New World Player?

Delphine de Vigan

Writer, winner of «Prix des Libraires 2008», «Prix révélation roman 2007» and «Prix Littéraire du Rotary Club» for her book No et Moi.

Delphine de Vigan will discuss some important insights to understanding the writing process of her latest book, No et Moi

Anne Fagot-Largeault

Philosopher, Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Institut de France and professor at the College de France, where she is Chair of “Philosophy of Biological and Medical Sciences”.

Human Stem Cells: Philosophy, Ethic and Society
Maurice Merleau-Ponty: Science and Philosophy

Pascal Fioretto

Writer, journalist and co-author of the monthly revue Fluide Glacial, author of numerous satirical books.

Pastiche, Simple Literary Amusement or “Criticism from Within”?
You Thought That Was Funny?

Christian Gauffre

Journalist, assistant editor of Jazz Magazine, author and translator of numerous biographies on the great jazz artists (Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, etc.).

The lecture will be accompanied by video clips from the Jo Milgram Collection

In partnership with Fédération des Alliances Françaises USA, Inc. et la Cinémathèque de la Danse à Paris

Sylvie Germain

Writer, author of nearly thirty books, winner of the 1989 Prix Femina for Jours de colère and winner of the 2005 Prix Goncourt des lycéens for Magnus.

In an informal setting, Sylvie Germain will discuss the writing process and her sources of inspiration, which tend to be religious, philosophical, and artistic

Goudji

Goldsmith and sculptor, creator of decorative and liturgical objects in precious metals.

Atypical Path of an Artist Born behind the Iron Curtain

Danièle Hervieu-Léger

Sociologist, specialist in the sociology of religions, director of studies at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Science, until March 2009.

Are Religions Gaining or Losing Their Strength Today? A Comparison between France and the United States
Secularization and Contemporary Religious Renewal in Europe
French Secularization. Put to the Test and Redefined

Etienne Klein

Physicist, specialist in the problem of time, in quantum physics and in particle physics,  Director of the Research Laboratory for Material Science in Saclay, Director of the Research Laboratory for Material Science of the Commission on Atomic Energy.

Galileo Is the Name for What?
Will We Be Able to Travel in Time?
The “Conquerors of the Minuscule” and the Elucidation of the Mystery of Black Matter

On the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s discoveries
As part of the international Year of Astrophysics

Yvon Le Maho

Vice Chairman of the committee on the environment at the Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Scientific Council of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity at the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development,  Chairman of the Committee on the Polar Environment.

How Penguins can face with Environmental Constraint and Climate Change?

Michael Maibach

President of the European-American Business Council, President of the European Business Organizations Worldwide Network, board member of the World Affairs Councils of America.

Trans-Atlantic Mega-Trends: Trade Ties and  Frayed Ties
The Atlantic Century? EU and  US Global Competitiveness

Bernard Marty

A geochemist who has contributed to the organization of solar missions, such as the American space probe Genesis and the American mission, Stardust, member of the French Academic Institute and a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.

The Origin of the Solar System: Genesis and Stardust, the Sun and a Comet in the Laboratory
The Origin of Earth, Its Atmosphere and the Oceans

Yannick Mireur

Political scientist, journalist and specialist on the United States, PhD in International Relations from  the  Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Boston, Founder and editor-in-chief of the review Politique Américaine.

America and the World: Partnership or Hegemony?
Conservatism and Progressivism in Post-“W” America
Reinvention of the American Vision

Monica Neagoy

Independent scholar and international consultant in mathematics and mathematics education.

The Mathematics of Beauty and the Beauty of Mathematics

Michel Nurisdany

Book reviewer for Figaro Magazine and Art reviewer, promoter and organizer of more than twenty expositions worldwide. Author of many books on contemporary art and photography.

Warhol: His Artistic Role of Passing between Two Worlds
Looking at Ten World Masterpieces

Gérard Pascal

Member of the Academy of Agriculture of France and of the Academy of Technologies, Director of Research at the National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA), President of the European Economic Community’s Scientific Committee, expert on food security with the World Health Organization (WHO).

Genetically Modified Organisms and Health: Fact and Fiction
The Specter of “Mad Cow” Disease
Method Food Risks Evaluation

Jean Pruvost

Lexicologist, “dicopath”, Director of the CNRS laboratory at the University of Cergy-Pontoise and researcher at the École Pratique des Hautes Études.

The Female/Male Relationship in the French Language from Yesterday to Today
The History of the French Language and Its Support: From the First Dictionaries to the Internet
The Adventure of Words in the French Language: Archaisms, Neologisms, Etymology and Challenges of Translation

Dominique Simonnet 

Writer and publisher, senior editor at the weekly newsmagazine L’Express until 2006, author of numerous radio and TV programs,  co-author of the books La plus belle histoire du monde with Yves Coppens and Hubert Reeves.

The History of Love

Némo en Amérique: les «romans du savoir» [Knowledge Novels]
The Most Beautiful Story in the World

Serge Tisseron

Psychiatrist, Director of Research at the University of Paris X-Nanterre, scriptwriter and cartoonist.

Tintin and Family Secrets
Children under the Influence…The Impact of Violent Images and Ways to Prevent It