Brooklyn Public Library announced a free summer lecture series in partnership with the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research that will bring seven public talks to cafes, parks, gardens and community spaces across the borough.
The series features lectures led by scholars from the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, Pratt Institute and Georgetown Law. Topics span architecture, political thought, music theory, psychoanalysis, urban history, art history and philosophy.
The lectures include discussions on C.L.R. James and self-liberation, Pythagoras and musical theory, Sigmund Freud's political thought, Jane Jacobs and urban life, Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights, and Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment philosophy. The events, which start at 6:30pm, includes complimentary refreshments and offers attendees the opportunity to sign up for a library card.
Lectures will take place at neighborhood venues across Brooklyn, including Urbane Arts Club in Prospect Park South/Ditmas Park, Success Community Garden in New Lots, The Brooklyn Firefly in Bay Ridge, The Tiny Cupboard in Bushwick, Community Carro Center in Gerritsen Beach, Greene Garden in Fort Greene and McCarren Parkhouse in Greenpoint.
The program broadens access to humanities education by bringing expert-led discussions into community gathering spaces rather than traditional academic settings. By hosting events throughout the borough at no cost, the series encourages lifelong learning while connecting residents with subjects that explore history, politics, culture and the arts.
A partnership between Brooklyn Public Library and the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research is at the center of the initiative, combining public library programming with university-level scholarship in accessible neighborhood locations. The series also includes a companion reading list that allows participants to continue exploring each lecture topic before or after attending an event.
All events are free and open to the public.
