Notes on Inherit the Wind Screening at AFI Theater

About 400 people packed the classic AFI Theater last night for the NIH-sponsored screening and discussion of Inherit the Wind. Here are a few follow-up notes, especially for attendees logging on looking for more information about topics discussed.

i-b1e76f7eee4f1a631627c9886a5e0d06-Scott_Evolution_Book-thumb-160x229-16742.jpg

1. As I mentioned last night, perhaps the best book on understanding the science, the history, and the politics of America's decades long debate over evolution is Eugenie Scott's Evolution vs. Creationism, recently updated, expanded, and released in its 2nd edition.

2. For those looking for more details on the issues related to framing and public engagement that were discussed, see this final draft chapter in a forthcoming edited volume on science communication.

3. For a wider look at related themes on science communication generally, see this forthcoming article at the American Journal of Botany that I mentioned.

More like this

It's out! Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction Second Edition is now available on line and in bookstores (or at least it is being shipped out as we speak). This is the newly revamped edition of Genie Scott's essential reference supporting the Evolutionist Perspective in the so called "…
Tomorrow night, watch Spencer Tracy argue in defense of evolution. For readers in the DC area, tomorrow night at 7pm, the NIH Office of Science Education and the American Film Institute are teaming up to sponsor a screening of Inherit the Wind as part of their summer film series "Science in the…
For their upcoming annual meetings in San Francisco, the American Geophysical Union is sponsoring a pre-conference workshop introducing scientists, public information officers, journalists, and other attendees to several areas of social science research that examine dimensions of climate change…
tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books "How does one distinguish a truly civilized nation from an aggregation of barbarians? That is easy. A civilized country produces much good bird literature." --Edgar Kincaid The Birdbooker Report is a special…

I was at the AFI-NIH film last night and just wanted to thank you for the best post-talk of the series. I had to leave after some of the crowd's questions though as they were unbearable. Give someone a mike, right? They REALLY need to screen the audience questions and I think should make them be submitted on cards in advance - and be read by the event moderator. It will cut down on the ramblers and random crackpots. My 2 cents anyway.
What made the movie really come alive for me last night was the parallels I saw to the current issues of Food Justice, farmers, and ag research. Lots the mainstream media could be doing better to educate the general public on those as well.
Thank you again for the food for thought and I'll be checking on your blog sometime.