1. Dealing with Darwin: Locating Encounters with Evolution
Monday 17 February 2014, 6pm, King's College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen
The series begins by arguing for the importance of locating debates over Darwinism in their local circumstances. Rather than trading in generalities about 'the' relationship between science and religion, this lecture urges that in 'Dealing with Darwin' place, politics and rhetoric have always been of crucial significance.
2. Edinburgh, Evolution and Cannibalistic Nostalgia
Wednesday 19 February 2014, 6pm, King's College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen
In Edinburgh, Darwin's theories were absorbed, in the main, with little difficulty. Indeed evolutionary theories were used by Scottish Calvinists to shore up their convictions about the unity of the human race, the idea of design in nature, and the progressive history of revelation. What was far more troubling was the application of scientific methods to the historical study of scripture, society, and sacrifice.
3. Belfast, the Winter of Discontent and Science in a Sectarian Society
Thursday 20 February 2014, 6pm, King's College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen
Across the Irish Sea Darwinian natural science caused great consternation. Sectarian rivalry, who should control higher education, and an infamous speech by the President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science all fed into the Belfast backlash against evolution.
4. Princeton, Darwinism and the Shorthorn Cattle
Monday 24 February 2014, 6pm, King's College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen
At Princeton, where Calvinists spearheaded biblical inerrancy, a relative openness to evolution is discernible. This lecture explores how the Princeton stance on Darwinism was shaped by the personal influence of the Scottish moral philosopher James McCosh, the development of distinctively non-Darwiniam evolutionary theories at the university, and an awareness in the Seminary of the value of Darwin's writings for - of all things - cattle breeding!
5. Columbia, Woodrow and the Legacy of the Lost Cause
Wednesday 26 February 2014, 6pm, King's College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen
This lecture looks at the circumstances surrounding the firing of James Woodrow from his post as a professor in the Columbia Seminary over the teaching of evolution. A closer examination reveals that what really animated the controversy were long-standing anxieties about abolitionism and fears over scientific claims that the human race was composed of different human species.
6. Darwinian Engagements: Place, Politics, Rhetoric
Thursday 27 February 2014, 6pm, King's College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen
This series concludes with some thoughts on the science wars of our own day and argues that place, politics and rhetoric continue to have major relevance for understanding the ongoing project of 'Dealing with Darwin'.