Chicago Humanities Festival on “The Body” to begin Oct. 24 on UChicago campus

The 21st annual Chicago Humanities Festival will kick off in Hyde Park on Sunday, Oct. 24 with a variety of events related to this year's theme, "The Body." Speakers from throughout the University of Chicago community will address everything from opera to anatomy to the notion of the body politic.

Hyde Park Day, presented in partnership with the Karla Scherer Endowed Series, will feature 12 events on the UChicago campus. The Chicago Humanities Festival continues Nov. 2-14 with programs throughout the city.

Eric Whitaker, Executive Vice President for Strategic Affiliations and Associate Dean for Community-Based Research at the Medical Center, will lead a panel discussion on the findings of the South Side Health and Vitality Studies and their implications for improving community health.

Other highlights include a lecture by UChicago President Emerita Hanna Gray, who will explore Machiavelli's conception of the body politic in The Prince; a conversation between Renaissance Society curator Hamza Walker and artist Tania Bruguera; and a dance performance by the BAM! dance ensemble.

For a full program of events and information on purchasing tickets, visit http://www.chicagohumanities.org.