Albers Humanities Festival

This event celebrates work in the humanities and was named in honor of Everett C. Albers, a DSU professor, member of the North Dakota Humanities Council, and the founder of the Great Plains Chautauqua Society.  Albers was a pioneer in arranging dialogs between academic humanities scholars and the general public and was deeply committed to the idea that the humanities belong to all the people of North Dakota and the nation. Following Albers’ death in 2004, Lillian Crook, then head of Stoxen Library, and Clay Jenkinson helped Dickinson State establish the Institute and Festival dedicated to the memory and professional values of Albers. Since Albers’ death, DSU has hosted a festival to honor his commitment to the humanities, exploring contemporary and enduring topics through events such as lectures, films, panel discussions, exhibits, and other presentations.

We selected the 1980s as the focus to continue a tradition of focusing on decades since this approach showcases many different fields & how they are related within a distinct time frame. This was Dr. Frank Varney’s idea. He was part of Albers for many years before he retired. We also select the 1980s because of their recent resurgence in popularity, especially with Gen Z.

The following events will be held in Thompson Auditorium in Murphy Hall on the DSU Campus.
All events are free and open to the public.

On Tuesday, April 18, at 4pm, we have the panel, Gag Me with a Spoon: Re-Thinking Slang and the Great American Novel. Dr. Kevin Moberg will offer a linguistical approach to Valley Girl speech, and Dr. Brittany Hirth will discuss the great American novel, with focus on American Psycho.

Also on Tuesday, at 7pm, we have another panel, Apocalyptic Concerns and Aesthetics: The Cold War in Politics and Pop Culture. Dr. Steven Doherty will discuss the Cold War and its defrosting, and Dr. Holly McBee will examine post-nuclear war fashion in movies and music.

On Thursday, April 20, at 4pm, we have a trivia contest, American Top 40: 80s Music Trivia Contest. Dr. Brian Holder will MC this contest that includes multiple rounds and cash prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place.

The Albers committee this year is:

Dr. Steven Doherty, co-chair
Dr. Brittany Hirth
Dr. Brian Holder
Dr. Holly McBee, co-chair
Dr. Kevin Moberg
Michelle Stevier-Johanson