Science on Screen Series: The Sting with Speaker Josh Wakeham

6:00pm: Doors open for an informal “meet the speaker” patio reception.

6:30pm: 30 Minute Discussion with Josh Wakeham: Hollywood loves a good con. Join Josh Wakeham, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Plymouth State University, for a discussion on con artists, their history, their techniques, and the psychology behind why we fall for them. Then, stick around for a Q&A after the film to look into cons we see in The Sting.

1973 The Sting: Following the murder of a mutual friend, aspiring con man Johnny ****** (Robert Redford) teams up with old pro Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to take revenge on the ruthless crime boss responsible, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). ****** and Gondorff set about implementing an elaborate scheme, one so crafty that Lonnegan won’t even know he’s been swindled. As their big con unfolds, however, things don’t go according to plan, requiring some last-minute improvisation by the undaunted duo. Director: George Roy Hill. Cast: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw.

About the Speaker: Josh Wakeham is a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Plymouth State University. He received his B.A. in Sociology from Williams College and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University. He has published research on a wide variety of topics, including organizational behavior, policing, juvenile justice, gang intervention work, corruption, Somali pirates, ********, and con artists. Josh lives in Bethlehem, NH, with his wife and three daughters.

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