Dorothy Day & Thomas Merton Culture and the Public Good Symposium

The Franco Institute will host its inaugural Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton Culture and the Public Good Symposium on April 10, 2026. Named for two of the foremost socially engaged Catholic thinkers of the 20th century, the signature annual event will culminate a year of themed research support at the institute. It gathers speakers across a range of backgrounds — public figures, artists, and scholars — to consider an urgent yet enduring question and engage in a dialogue that can guide public conversation on the topic.

This year's speakers are Vauhini Vara, Shankar Vedantam, Jenny Odell, and Rainn Wilson.

To coincide with this year's research theme of attention, our speakers will respond to the question "How should we hold attention?"

The Franco Institute has created an "attention" syllabus to correspond with this year's research theme and symposium.

Info: This poster session showcases research from the "Attention" theme grants and the spring 2026 Undergraduate Public Humanities Internships. All attendees are invited to see the poster displays.

Info: Vendor accepts debit/credit card sales only.

Info: Jenny Odell will share her thoughts on the question "How should we hold attention?" based on her art and books How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy and Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock.

Info: Shankar Vedantam will participate in a fireside chat with Professor Kate Marshall, Director of the Franco Institute. The conversation will explore the question "How should we hold attention?" and will draw on Vedantam's writing and work on the Hidden Brain podcast.

Info: Vauhini Vara will respond to the question "How should we hold attention?" by drawing on her journalism and writing about media, technology, and artificial intelligence.

Info: Rainn Wilson will participate in a fireside chat with Professor Kate Marshall, Director of the Franco Institute. The conversation will explore the question "How should we hold attention?" and will draw on Wilson's experience as an actor, writer, and host of the Soul Boom podcast.

Info: All four of our symposium speakers will join the Franco Institute Director on stage for a panel discussion about the theme of attention.

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Host or Publisher Franco Family Institute, University of Notre Dame