Watson Events

A conversation on motherhood with scholars and authors Emily Oster and Sarah Knott, who approach the phenomenon from the vantage point of different disciplines. Oster, professor of economics and international and public affairs at Brown, is the author of “Cribsheet: A Data-driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, From Birth to Preschool.” For “Cribsheet,” she combed through hundreds of studies on a variety of parenting issues, separating the good from the less-​­good ones to determine which common recommendations were supported by data. Knott, associate professor of history and gender studies at Indiana University, is the author of “Mother is a Verb: An Unconventional History.” In her book, Knott examines how maternity has changed over time and cultures, blending memoir and history to craft a new kind of historical interpretation. Moderated by Seth Rockman, associate professor of history at Brown University.

Sponsored by the Pembroke Center and the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs.