Dr. Werner Kelber, Professor Emeritus from Rice University, will present an overview of media and how it has interacted with history and contributed to culture.

Daily we see or hear reports of an event that may affect how we’ll live the rest of our lives. From a different source we see or hear another report of the same event which conflicts with the first, to varying degrees. Which report is accurate and true? How do we decide? How do such conflicts of observation arise? Is this a phenomenon of the digital age in which we now live?  Kelber will discuss changes in media from the ancient oral communication through print to today's electronic forms.  He will explore how each has contributed to significant changes in all walks of life down through the centuries.  Though Kelber will be talking about the past, he intends to draw parallels to current issues so we may better understand our present.