Our need for stronger social ties could hardly be clearer at a time when so many Americans are feeling the effects of the loneliness epidemic and a decline in platonic relationships that has been dubbed a “friendship recession.” A panel will discuss what we can learn from past and present approaches to friendship, from ceremonies that honor platonic relationships to communal living arrangements. They'll use these examples to imagine the role of friendship in our lives moving forward. The evening will conclude with the performance of a song about friendship.
Join guest curator Rhaina Cohen, the author of the bestselling book The Other Significant Others, in conversation with a panel that brings both research expertise and first-hand experience with building a life with friends.
ASL Interpretation will be provided.
More About the Curator: Rhaina Cohen is the author of the bestselling book The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center and an award-winning producer for NPR’s documentary podcast, Embedded. Her work, which often focuses on social connection, has aired on numerous podcasts and radio shows, including Hidden Brain, Invisibilia, and Morning Edition, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic and elsewhere. Her book research was supported by a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholars Program.
