S&S Dinner Dialogues, with Dr. Ron Grunwald - Invasive Aliens, or Welcome Immigrants? Morality and Conservation Biology
Event Details
Why do environmentalist, who tend to be progressive and fight against anti-immigrant policies in the political arena, suddenly embrace ‘anti-immigrant’ policies and vilify the ‘foreigner’ when it comes to animals and plants, so-called “invasive species”? Can you be a progressive and anti-racist, and at the same time be a genetic purist when it comes to the conservation of ‘natural’ populations? Invasive species and the threat of anthropogenic extinction rank amongst the most pressing ecological challenges of our time. But where exactly are the lines between ‘natural’ and ‘exotic’? And is ‘natural’ the same as ‘good’, is extinction always ‘bad’?
Video & Readings:
- Conceptualizing and Evaluating Non-Native Species – Nature
- We don’t need to save endangered species. Extinction is part of evolution. – Washington Post
- The Pyron Lab – GWU
Dr. Ron Grunwald is Senior Lecturer of Biology in Duke’s Department of Biology.
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Where to meet:
Selected attendees will be notified via email several days in advance of the dinner with details regarding meeting location. All dinners will be within reasonable driving distance to Duke campus.
Science & Society will also provide a shuttle for those unable to arrange transportation to the dinner dialogue location. Shuttles will depart 30 minutes before the scheduled event from the front entrance of the North Building on West Campus. Click here for a map.