An initiative designed to engage students in the exploration of values and ethics related to health and health care practices kicked off March 22 with an address in Robsham Theater by Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder and chief strategist of Partners In Health, an international non-profit devoted to providing direct health care on behalf of those in poverty.
Speaking on “Universal Health Care? From Slogan to Mantra,” Dr. Farmer was the inaugural speaker for a new series sponsored by Park Street Corporation and Boston College's Institute for the Liberal Arts, which will convene distinguished professionals, scholars, and activists from medicine, health care, and other related fields around timely subjects related to the intersections of health, humanities, and ethics.
Professor of English Amy Boesky, director of the academic minor in medical humanities, health, and culture, co-directs the new Park Street Corporation Speaker Series with Canisius Professor James Keenan, S.J., director of the Jesuit Institute.
Boesky and Fr. Keenan said there were few better choices for the first speaker than Dr. Farmer, a physician, anthropologist and author who has written extensively on health, human rights, and the consequences of social inequality; he was an honorary degree recipient and the main speaker at BC's 2005 Commencement.
"In 2004 I proposed Paul Farmer as the inaugural speaker for the First Year Convocation," said Fr. Keenan. "He came, saw, and conquered then and he did it again for the Park Street Corporation series.
"He's a man whose life is heroic, and whose words are engaging and uplifting. With his talk, he helped us in expanding Boston College's place among schools in the medical humanities," said Fr. Keenan.
Boesky agreed: "I thought the opening event was wonderful. Paul Farmer began a conversation we hope to continue over the years, asking us to consider optimism as a fundamental component of social change. His energy and generosity were evident from the moment he set foot on campus. I love that he emphasized the 'human connection' within the fields of medicine and global health equity. He set a high standard that we hope to meet in the coming years."
The 2016-17 Park Street series will take up the theme of "Health, Humanity, and Ethics: Histories and Futures." For information and updates about the series, visit the Park Street Corporation Speaker Series website.
—News and Public Affairs