Dr. Louis P. Masur will present the Fall 2009 Henry Rutgers Scholars Lecture, Runaway Dream: Bruce Springsteen’s American Vision.  Dr. Masur, who specializes in American cultural history and visual culture, examines the seminal album Born to Run to analyze the making and meaning of Springsteen’s American vision. 

7:30 pm, Thursday
November 5, 2009
Rutgers Student Center
College Avenue Campus
 

He may have started in the “swamps of Jersey,” but Bruce Springsteen has become a national and international icon.  His soaring music and sing-along lyrics have addressed some of the central themes in American history and identity: the dream of escape, the search for meaning, the struggle to create a community.  In this lecture, Dr. Masur will look at earlier versions of some of Springsteen’s classic songs and show how the themes of his work have evolved over more than three decades.  And he will explore what it means when people say that Springsteen’s music changed their lives–he should know, because it changed his.

Dr. Masur, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of American Institutions and Values and Director of the American Studies Program at Trinity, has received fellowships from the Whiting Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Mellon Foundation, and has twice received awards for excellence in teaching.  In 2003, he was elected to membership in the American Antiquarian Society, and in 2005 he was elected a fellow of the Society of American Historians.  Dr. Masur is also the author of numerous books and articles, including the recently published volume Runaway Dream: Born to Run and Bruce Springsteen’s American Vision.

The lecture will be held in the Multipurpose Room and Main Lounge of the Rutgers Student Center, located at 126 College Avenue in New Brunswick.  A reception at 6:30 p.m. will precede the 7:30 p.m. presentation.  RSVP is required; please send acceptances only to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (732) 932-7025.