Lectures to explain cause
of events
By Jamie Teibel
Senior
Writer
Matthew Abraham wants to discover a way to introduce
the entrance of academics and humanities into the public sphere, in
order to find the role of academics in political issues.
Abraham, a graduate student, said academics are
seen as irrelevant in the real world to some people, when, in fact,
they have a profound influence.
To further his research, Abraham organized an event
to illustrate that.
The 2001 Theory and Cultural Studies Colloquium
presents "Contemporary Representation of the Intellectual Inside and
Outside of the Academy: A Call to Responsibility Through Secular Criticism"
from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 8 p.m. Friday in the Krannert Auditorium.
He said the day's lectures will cover various events,
past and present, which have occurred throughout the world and try to
help students understand the causes of such events.
"Causes may go back many years, but we can look
at it in the context of the present," said Abraham.
Some lectures will address topics such as Tuesday's
bombing of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the role of the
United States in the Israel/Palestine conflict.
The basis for the colloquium is to respond to concerns
expressed by the public what roles philosophy, literary studies, political
science and history play in relation to world events, said Abraham.
Some lectures look at particular figures within
disciplines, such as English, whom have gained prominence in the political
eye because their work has covered political issues. He said the lectures
will also address the roles that professors play in commenting upon
those same events.
"I think we've done a very poor job of relating
our work to pressing contemporary and relevant issues within the political
sphere," Abraham said.
The keynote speaker, Jason Hill, from DePaul University,
will speak on the American intellectual in the age of moral energy crisis,
and nine other students, professors and scholars will lecture throughout
the day.
One of the speakers, John King, a graduate student,
will be speaking at 1 p.m. on his paper, "Invisible Critics and Ubiquitous
Mouse Town," that addresses the role of interdisciplinary work in Walt
Disney World scholarship.
King's paper surveys the work of academics, but
takes an angle of his own. He said that Disney World is an important
piece of American culture, but not respected by most academics.
"There's a severe academic bias toward (Disney
World) because a piece of culture has more influence than they do,"
said King. "A lot of academics have a hard time digesting the enormity
of its influence."
King will also discuss the meaning of Disney World
in American behavior.
"The risk of being a huge icon of American values
suggests something of its importance, which is a difficult thing to
talk about," he said. "Among other things, its something that a lot
of people take for granted or don't think about, most being non-academics."
"I think that most people absorb some of it and
reject some of it," said King. He said people have difficulty with the
theme park because it compares its history and vision of America with
real history and real America. "(They) grow sickened that Disney World
has significant influence."
In addition to topics such as these, the colloquium's
main focus is to suggest that participation of academics in society
can be beneficial to society, according to King.
"By doing smart, balanced work we can better fulfill
our purpose of having a relationship to our society; to have the term
academic not be a synonym for 'pointless,'" said King.
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