MADURAI: The importance of respecting human dignity can be taught as part of curriculum for students and everyone must understand the feeling of inherent human value and worth of others, Dr.Roderic Owen, Professor Emeritus, Mary Baldwin University-USA, has said.
He delivered the ‘Dr.Elizabeth George Memorial Endowment Lecture VI 2021-22’ at the annual lecture series organized by the Department of Social Sciences of Lady Doak College in Madurai on March 16th 2022 through virtual platform. In the endowment lecture titled as ‘Understanding and Upholding Human Dignity, Dr.Owen highlighted the role of dignity-leadership and working through conflict’.
He said that dignity has been defined as the feeling of inherent human value and worth, and it has been proposed as core human value across cultures. In the lecture he narrated about what is human dignity and what does recognition of dignity have to do with mediation and moving through conflict whether towards resolution or positive transformation. “Respect for human dignity can be taught as part of the curriculum. Recognising and honouring expressions of dignity, the identification of dignity violations, relationship between effective, ethical leadership and upholding human dignity were stressed in this endowment lecture.
Dr.Christianna Singh, Principal and Secretary, Lady Doak College, in her introductory remarks recalled the contributions of Dr.Elizabeth George as the first Principal of Women’s Christian College in Chennai and later in various capacities at LDC in Madurai. Dr.Elizabeth George served as Professor and Head of Department of Philosophy in other capacities at Lady Doak College here from 1953 to 1963. The endowment lecture was instituted in the year 2016 by Ms.Shanti Manuel, former Principal of LDC.
Faculty and students from the Department of Social Sciences, professionals working for women empowerment, human rights and in civil society attended the lecture besides faculty members from other departments in the college, according to a press release received from the college.
Dr.Anita Christine Tiphagne, assistant professor and head incharge, Department of Social Sciences, welcomed the gathering while assistant professor Dr.John Joyce Georgina proposed a vote of thanks. Mrs.Alice Eliza Sherina, associate professor, introduced the speaker Dr.Roderic Owen who delivered the endowment lecture.
