Office of Public Lectures @ UW

Five Ways to Watch the World Cup with Ron Krabill on May 19, 2026. As Seattle gears up to host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the city finds itself at the center of a heated debate: Is the tournament an economic catalyst or a misuse of public funds? A celebration of Seattle’s cultural vibrancy or a distraction from pressing regional challenges? A thrilling chance to witness the world’s greatest at...

What Does Law Mean in Crisis? How Crip Feminist Technoscience Will Save Us with Ly Xīnzhèn M. Zhǎngsūn Brown on May 21, 2026. In the shadow of an empire, in a world on fire, what if we could imagine — and build — otherwise? Crip feminist technoscience teaches us how to wield disabled, mad, neuroexpansive, crip, sick people’s wisdom as a vital tool for surviving now and thriving then. Disabled peop...

Steven Squyres, American geologist and planetary scientist, was interviewed by KUOW's weekday ahead of his University of Washington public lecture in 2006.

N. Scott Momaday, American novelist and short story writer, interview on KUOW's Weekday, ahead of his University of Washington public lecture in 2006.

Patricia Williams, American legal scholar, was interviewed by KUOW's weekday ahead of her University of Washington public lecture in 2006.

Noam Chomsky, American linguist, philosopher, political activist, and social critic, was interviewed on KUOW's Weekday ahead of his University of Washington's public lecture in 2005.

Gloria Steinem, feminist icon, journalist, lecturer, and political activist,was interviewed on KUOW's Weekday ahead of her University of Washington's public lecture in 2006.

bell hooks, American author, theorist, educator, and social critic, was interviewed on KUOW's Weekday ahead of her University of Washington's public lecture in 2005.

Vine Deloria Jr., author, theologian, historian, and activist for Native American rights, was interview on KUOW Weekday in 2003 ahead of the University of Washington Public Lecture.

Healthcare Where All Can Thrive: Advocating For Older LGBTQ Adults with Carey Candrian on December 4, 2025 Healthcare can be challenging for anyone—but for older LGBTQ individuals, the barriers are often deeper and more complex. This engaging talk explores how thoughtful, inclusive communication can transform healthcare experiences, making every person feel truly seen, heard, and respected. Join u...

George Coyne, American Jesuit priest and astronomer who directed the Vatican Observatory, was interviewed on KUOW's weekday ahead of his UW Public Lecture.

Louis Menand, an American critic, essayist, and professor who wrote the Pulitzer-winning book The Metaphysical Club, interviewed on KUOW's Weekday ahead of his University of Washington public lecture in 2003.

William Cronon, an American environmental historian, interviewed on KUOW's Weekday in 2002, ahead of giving his University of Washington Public lecture.

Ronald Takaki, historian, interviews on KUOW's Weekday in 2000 ahead of his public lecture at the University of Washington.

Professor Manning Marable, Columbia University, interview with KUOW's Weekday hosted by Steve Scher in 2001.

Vandana Shiva, Indian activist and scholar, interview on KUOW's Weekday with Steve Scher in 2001, ahead of the public lecture at the University of Washington.

A panel discission on what keeps communities safe, among ACLU of Washington policy experts and experts in restorative justice and violence prevention who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system.   For decades, Washington state has invested in increasingly harsher punishments as the solution to public safety. This investment has devastated communities, particularly communities of c...

In recent years, American democracy has bent but not broken. What are the threats facing American democracy, and what are its sources of resilience? In this talk, Dr. Jake Grumbach will investigate trends in three areas of American democracy: the rule of law, majority rule, and political equality. Each of these areas is a crucial component for a political system of the people, by the people, and f...

A moderated conversation between Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels and author of “I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times“ , Mónica Guzmán and writer, broadcaster, and interviewer, Steve Scher. Let’s learn together how to remain curious and courageous during our upcoming presidential election season.

In this talk, on October 28, 2024, Dr. Priya Donti, Assistant Professor and the Silverman (1968) Family Career Development Professor at MIT EECS and LIDS, will explore AI’s multi-faceted relationship with climate change. This discussion will cover how researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can work together to better align the use of AI with climate change.

 Jaipreet Virdi, scholar activist and Associate Professor at the University of Delaware and author of “Hearing Happiness: Deafness Cures in History” Dr. Virdi asks us to consider how being disabled changes the way people view the world and the things they create. Through these perspectives, she invites alternative approaches for remaking crip worlds, one in which disabled people, and the disabled...

The UW Office of Public Lectures presents Generative Misinformation with Professor Jevin West. Addressing misinformation is one of society’s grand challenges. In so doing, we might have a chance at the other grand challenges—preventing the next pandemic, preserving our planet, and protecting democracy. Humans, armed and amplified with social media, have been the primary producers of misinformation...

Jake Grumbach is an associate professor of political science at the University of Washington who focuses on political economy of U.S. Democracy. In the first of a two- part series, he will discuss the current crisis in American democracy and how national conflicts of race, labor, and democracy are playing out in state governments.

The notion that race is a social construct, rather than an objective physical reality, is widely accepted – except in areas that include biomedical research, debates about transracial identities, and sports. In this talk, Ann Morning will dissect the reasons we hold firmly to the 18th-century understanding of race in these domains.

Click here for lecture transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oAecVC69hRImZK1uBTeIfuHpMqZojEmA/view?usp=sharing Angela Davis is known internationally for her ongoing work to combat all forms of oppression in the U.S. and abroad. Over the years she has been active as a student, teacher, writer, scholar and activist/organizer. She is a living witness to the historical struggles of the contempo...