Feb. 18 ‘In Theory’ talk show to
focus on Haiti relief, recovery

What happened in Haiti? Or, is the better question, what happened to Haiti to make the earthquake disaster one of the worst in recent history?

These questions and others will be mulled by a diverse group of Texas A&M disaster relief and sustainable reconstruction experts in “Missing Haiti,” a special fifth episode of “In Theory,” the live Internet talk show moderated by associate architecture professor Peter Lang.

The upcoming webcast will be taped in front of a live audience in the Langford Architecture Center’s Wright Gallery and streamed live over the Internet noon - 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18. Web viewers can access the show via Channel 6 on the TTVN network.

“Missing in the Haiti debate are many critical answers that could help explain why a country within close proximity to one of the richest nations in the world is barely able to survive day-to-day,” said Lang. “Hurricanes, floods, deforestation, extreme poverty and political instability have kept this small island country reeling from one disaster to another. Were it not for the solidarity of its many compatriots living abroad, Haiti would be close to unsustainable,” he said. “Neither the big nations nor big banks have ever been able to provide the kind of helping hand that would have brought this country the dignity it so badly deserves.”

Considering a broad range of issues that go beyond the banner headlines, during the Feb. 18 webcast Lang will task his distinguished guests to explore the wider ramifications of emergency relief, long-term reconstruction projects and strategies for preserving existing community structures.

Joining Lang for the “Missing Haiti” episode will be Pliny Fisk, founder of the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems; Carla Prater, faculty fellow with the Hazard Reduction and Recover Center, Walter Peacock, HRRC director and holder of the Rodney L. Dockery Endowed Professorship in Housing and the Homeless; and Cecilia Giusti, assistant professor of urban planning.

“How do we go beyond the hype and spectacle to finally reach some kind of understanding about what has really happened here?” Lang asked. “Are we helping to stabilize the situation in Haiti or improve the plight of its people, or,” he said, “are we cynically preventing its population from escaping towards our comfortable shores?”

The Feb. 18 “In Theory” taping in the Wright Gallery is open to the public, though seating is limited and doors will be closed when the talk show begins. The gallery is located on the second floor of the Langford A building.

Previous episodes of "In Theory" can be viewed on the program website or on the College of architecture's Vimeo website:

"Ugly Form" (Oct. 6, 2009), an interrogation into the question of otherness, the unknown, the uncanny with special guests Theodore George, philosophy; Joshua Bienko, visualization; and Gabriel Esquivel, architecture department.

"Awful Beauty"  (Oct. 6, 2009), examining the unnatural, the unthinkable, the place of sublime terror, with special guests Chuck Taylor, literature; Yauger Williams, visualization; Weiling He, architecture and Gabriela Campagnol, architecture.

"Tinker-Toy" (Nov. 10, 2009), asked if science and technology help to understand human nature, with special guests Kristi Sweet, philosophy; Philip Galanter, visualization; and Sarah Deyong, architecture. This episode also debuted the video feature with Josh Bienko’s short, "A Big Box Paradox, A big Box Parallax.”

"Dis-Played" (Dec. 3), which posed the question, "How do you look?" will soon be posted online with the other episodes. This fourth episode featured Daniel Humphrey, assistant professor, film studies and women's and gender studies; Antonio La-Pastina, associate professor of communications; and Stephen Caffey, assistant professor of architecture.

Posted: Feb. 16, 2010