First-year common book Nudge causes much debate within the AC Community
Hannah Brencher
Issue date: 10/16/09 Section: Lead Stories
Since attending summer orientation in June, first-year students spent the summer with their minds occupied by thoughts of new roommates, the end of home-cooked meals and the concept of a "nudge."
Nudge, written by economist Richard H. Thaler and legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein, was put into the hands of the class of 2013 as their first-year common book for the fall semester. On Tuesday, October 6, 2009, the main concepts of the book became the centerpiece for an intellectual debate. Taking place in the Hagan Campus Center Hall and with nearly two-thirds of the class in attendance, the debate was one of the most successful events for first-year students in the past few years.
The debate featured four faculty participants from separate disciplines. "I really wanted to showcase our faculty that we have here, because these are the people that they will take classes with," said Jennifer Morrison, associate dean for the First Year. "This will allow them to gain an appreciation of how different disciplines form our perspectives."
The participants took a stand from their own discipline, all looking to answer a common question: Can we nudge our way to a better society? Supporting the argument was Professor B.J. Dobski, department of Political Science and Professor Smriti Rao, department of Economics and Global Studies. Opposing the argument was Professor Richard Gendron, department of Sociology and Anthropology and Professor Amy Lyubchik, department of Psychology.
Moderated by Professor Geoffrey Vaughan from the department of Political Science, the debate allowed students to see the book from the viewpoints of the economist, the sociologist, the political scientist and the psychologist. This wide variety of standpoints on the issues in the book gave students the ability to agree and disagree with arguments while continuing to develop their own connections with the book.
"I walked into the debate with an open mind," said Bonnie Srubas, a first-year student who attended Tuesday's event. "The book really got me thinking."
Nudge, written by economist Richard H. Thaler and legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein, was put into the hands of the class of 2013 as their first-year common book for the fall semester. On Tuesday, October 6, 2009, the main concepts of the book became the centerpiece for an intellectual debate. Taking place in the Hagan Campus Center Hall and with nearly two-thirds of the class in attendance, the debate was one of the most successful events for first-year students in the past few years.
The debate featured four faculty participants from separate disciplines. "I really wanted to showcase our faculty that we have here, because these are the people that they will take classes with," said Jennifer Morrison, associate dean for the First Year. "This will allow them to gain an appreciation of how different disciplines form our perspectives."
The participants took a stand from their own discipline, all looking to answer a common question: Can we nudge our way to a better society? Supporting the argument was Professor B.J. Dobski, department of Political Science and Professor Smriti Rao, department of Economics and Global Studies. Opposing the argument was Professor Richard Gendron, department of Sociology and Anthropology and Professor Amy Lyubchik, department of Psychology.
Moderated by Professor Geoffrey Vaughan from the department of Political Science, the debate allowed students to see the book from the viewpoints of the economist, the sociologist, the political scientist and the psychologist. This wide variety of standpoints on the issues in the book gave students the ability to agree and disagree with arguments while continuing to develop their own connections with the book.
"I walked into the debate with an open mind," said Bonnie Srubas, a first-year student who attended Tuesday's event. "The book really got me thinking."
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