A new lecture series created by JMU faculty aims to engage students in conversation about citizenship, humanity and other General Education Cluster Two topics.

Associate Dean of GenEd Karen Sproles said the series is designed to supplement Cluster Two course material.

"Humanitas" is a Latin word that refers to virtues associated with an individual’s active public life, history professor Kevin Hardwick said.

"Our lectures thus draw from our collective mastery of the intellectual, civic and ethical issues central to liberal education, which we believe are at the core of the Jeffersonian conception of vigilant citizenship," Hardwick said.

The lecture series is sponsored by GenEd Dean Linda Halpern and the GenEd Program.

Sproles said many professors are assigning the lectures as part of class, as extra credit or as a way to make up missed work. "But lots of people are attending just because they are interested in the topics and they know the faculty presenting are experts in the field as well as exciting speakers," she added.

"It is great to be able to showcase some of the fabulous faculty members we have on campus. They are knowledgeable, dynamic and passionate about teaching. This series gives the campus community a chance to experience our excellent faculty outside of class," Sproles said.

Sproles said Halpern arranged a deal with the bookstore so that every faculty member who gives a lecture in the series can pick out a free book pertaining to the topic discussed.

Upcoming topics will include "Marx and Alienation," "The Buddha," "Faith and Reason," and "The Politics of Genocide." The lectures will take place in Taylor Hall, room 404 from 4 to 5 p.m. today, Feb. 15, Feb. 22 and March 1.