9.8 hours
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Van Pelt Library
Free Tickets Available
Thu, 18 Sep, 2025 at 08:45 am to 06:30 pm (GMT-04:00)
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Van Pelt Library
3420 Walnut St, Philadelphia, United States
Wolf Humanities Center • University of Pennsylvania
2025–2026 FORUM ON TRUTH
Conference
The Edges of Truth: Secrecy, Artifice, and the Limits of Knowledge brings together scholars across disciplines to explore how what we perceive as truth has been constructed, obscured, misunderstood, contested, and reimagined throughout history. The conference opens with a keynote by Michael D. Gordin (Princeton), who reflects on how the boundary between institutionally recognized and marginalized knowledge has been shaped over time. The following day continues this conversation with talks on the trial and error behind invention and exploration, the practices of secrecy and deception, the art of reconstructing and visualizing the past, and the critical study of both intentional and unintentional forgeries. Together, these talks trace how imagination, quest for understanding, spirit, and artistry have continually pushed against the limits of what is accepted and known – and what is permitted. Held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Museum and Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, this two-day conference probes the fragile edges of truth – and the social and intellectual stakes of who gets to define, transform, or defend it.
More information: https://wolfhumanities.upenn.edu/events/edges-truth
Widener Lecture Hall, Penn Museum, 3260 South Street
5:30pm–7:00pm | Keynote*
*Please for the keynote
Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion; Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts; 6th floor, Van Pelt Library, 3420 Walnut Street
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9:00am–9:10am | Welcome Remarks
(University of Pennsylvania)
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9:10am–10:50am | Session 1
Constructing Knowledge: Error, Uncertainty, Variation
Chair: Priyamvada Nambrath (University of Pennsylvania)
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11:00am–12:10pm | Session 2
The Social Lives of Secrets: Concealment and Control of Information
Chair: Paul Cobb, (University of Pennsylvania)
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1:10pm–2:10pm | Session 3
Asserting Authority: The Art of Lies, Idle Talk, and Victory
Chair: Ada Kuskowski (University of Pennsylvania)
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3:00pm–4:10pm | Session 4
Visualizing Histories: Is All Truth That Meets the Eye?
Chair: Lynn Ransom (Penn Libraries)
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4:20pm–5:30pm | Session 5
The Value of the Fake: Forgery as Historical Testimony
Chair: Nicholas Herman (Penn Libraries)
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5:30pm–7:00pm | Closing Reception
Conference cosponsored by Penn's Departments of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, English, History, History of Sociology and Science, and The Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
The Wolf Humanities Center values inclusivity and we aim to create a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds. Please feel free to note any accessibility needs or concerns in your registration, or connect with us by email or phone (215.573.8280).
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Tickets for The Edges of Truth: Secrecy, Artifice, and the Limits of Knowledge can be booked here.
Ticket type | Ticket price |
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General Admission (In-Person) | Free |
General Admission (Online) | Free |