MacDowell Downtown: “Legal Lines, Legal Ambiguity"

Join us Friday, August 1 at 7:30pm for MacDowell Downtown: ?Legal Lines, Legal Ambiguity,? a special evening with journalist April Dembosky and writer Jessie Allen. The thought-provoking discussion will feature two writers using different lenses with which to explore the intersection of law, mental health, and personal narrative. April Dembosky, health journalist with NPR San Francisco, will share insights from her forthcoming nonfiction book, which follows a murder trial delving into the science of schizophrenia and the complexities of the insanity defense. She?ll be joined by Jessie Allen, law professor and former performance artist, who is currently working on a genre-blending memoir and legal critique of Blackstone?s Commentaries on the Laws of England?a centuries-old text that continues to be cited with surprising frequency in decisions reached by U.S. Dembosky and Allen will grapple with some of the ways that culture, subjectivity, and ambiguity permeate legal reasoning, particularly as related to mental health and justice. Don?t miss this opportunity to hear from and engage with two compelling thinkers confronting intersecting forces between the legal system and mental health, personal responsibility, and justice. MacDowell Downtown is held at the Monadnock Center for History and Culture in Peterborough. The free series of presentations by MacDowell Fellows is open to the public. It takes place on the first Friday of the month from March to November. Each season of MacDowell Downtown features a wide array of programming, including film screenings, readings, artist talks, interviews, musical performances, and more.