Baha'i Chair Annual Lecture: Dr. Seth Kaplan

When:
Thu, Sep 18, 2025 - 7:00PM
to
Thu, Sep 18, 2025 - 8:30PM

Where:
Colony Ballroom, Adele H. Stamp Student Union

Host:
The Baha'i Chair for World Peace; BSOS; the BSOS Anti-Black Racism Initiative

Speakers:
Dr. Seth Kaplan

 

Join us for Dr. Kaplan's lecture, "Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time."

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Dr. Seth Kaplan is a Professorial Lecturer at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University

Seth D. Kaplan is a leading expert on fragile states. He is a Professorial Lecturer in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and OECD as well as developing country governments and NGOs. Seth is the author of several books, including "Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time" (2023).

ABSTRACT  
The neighborhoods we live in shape nearly every part of our lives: who we know, the opportunities we access, the quality of our schools, our sense of security and belonging, and even how long we live. Yet too many communities face rising crime, school violence, family breakdown, addiction, and despair. These issues span zip codes—rich and poor, rural and urban. In Fragile Neighborhoods, fragile states expert Seth D. Kaplan offers a bold vision for reversing social decline in America, one neighborhood at a time. By strengthening local institutions—and the social ties that hold them together—we can turn communities into places where families thrive. Based on his book, audience members will meet innovative individuals and organizations pioneering new approaches to mentoring, urban planning, and family support: people like Dreama, a former lawyer helping youth succeed in rural Appalachia, and Chris, whose Detroit nonprofit transforms vacant schools into community hubs while mobilizing volunteers to repair homes and beautify streets. Along the way, Kaplan shares practical lessons to inspire similar work, reminding us that when change is hyperlocal, everyone has the power to make a difference.practical lessons to inspire similar work, reminding us that when change is hyperlocal, everyone has the opportunity to contribute.