The 16th Annual Shasha Seminar for Human Concerns, held Oct. 27–28 on campus, convened experts, including Wesleyan alumni, from across the country to examine current debates about the role of guns in American history, society, law and politics. The Shasha Seminar is an educational forum for Wesleyan alumni, parents and friends that provides an opportunity to explore issues of global concern in a small seminar environment. Endowed by James Shasha ’50, P’82, the Shasha Seminar for Human Concerns supports lifelong learning and encourages participants to expand their knowledge and perspectives on significant issues.
Seminar organizer Jennifer Tucker, associate professor of history and associate professor of science in society at Wesleyan, noted in a previous article that “Firearms possession is possibly one of the most divisive topics in the country.” Her goal was for the event to “create a forum for conversations about current gun ownership and laws with room for a variety of perspectives on this topic. We want for this university seminar to be a forum for discussions and a meeting point for current research about firearms possession and use from a number of different fields,” she said.