The Philosophy Department’s Rukavina Lecture invites a scholar to give a talk on contemporary philosophical issues, giving attendees the opportunity to engage in dialogue with leading scholars on issues that impact their lives.
2026 Lecture Series
Philosophy of Humor and Pop Culture, Dr. Elizabeth Cantalamessa
16 April 2026, 5:30-7:00 pm, Humanities Building, College Commons
Dr. Elizabeth Cantalamessa (St. Bonaventure University) will offer a thought-provoking lecture on the philosophy of humor, exploring how memes, irony, and satire reshape our shared norms of responsibility and accountability. Dr. Cantalamessa is known for her work in pragmatism and philosophy of language, where she examines humor not as entertainment but as a powerful cultural tool for negotiating meaning, authority, and social identity. See more about this event on the Events at Gonzaga calendar.
Loving Strangers, Dr. Meghan Sullivan
30 September 2026, 5:00-7:00 pm, Hemmingson Auditorium
Meghan Sullivan is the Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, and founding Director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good. Sullivan is currently working on a book about the role of love in our moral lives. She is also directing a major grant project with scholars and nonprofit leaders to expand the love ethic, as well as a major planning grant considering the role of Christian thought in AI ethics. Sullivan was a featured speaker at the 2025 TED Next Conference.