[csaa-forum] Reminder: Professor Probyn's Inaugural

[Melissa Gregg]

> > The Sydney University Arts Association
> > the School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry
> > and the Department of Gender Studies
> > are proud to announce the Inaugural Professorial Lecture of
> >
> > *Professor Elspeth Probyn*
> > Department of Gender Studies, University of Sydney
> >
> > /Blush: The Faces of Shame/
> >
> > Wednesday 3rd November 2004
> > Refreshments will be served from 6:00pm in the Nicholson Museum
> > Lecture 6:30-8:00pm in General Lecture Theatre 1
> > University of Sydney
> >
> >
> > In this talk Professor Elspeth Probyn will present some of her recent
> > research on shame. In the context of the debates within feminist
> > cultural studies over the last twenty years, she argues that shame
> > returns us to fundamental questions about the body, subjectivity and
> > culture. In her new book, Blush (University of Minnesota Press, and
> > UNSW Press, 2005) she draws on some unusual sources or at least ones
> > that have tended to be shunned in gender and cultural studies. She is
> > interested in what bodies do biologically and physiologically when
> > they are affected by shame.
> >
> > While shame has a bad reputation in our society, she proposes that it
> > should be seen in a very productive light. Shame makes us viscerally
> > aware of our humanity and connects us in fundamental ways to others.
> > It is only when shame is ignored that it becomes toxic. While painful
> > (as many have argued, shame is felt like a sickness of the soul), it
> > demands that we radically reflect on what we hold dear – personally
> > and collectively.
> >
> > Elspeth Probyn has taught media studies, sociology, and literature in
> > Canada and the US, and is now the Professor of Gender Studies at the
> > University of Sydney. Her work focuses on questions of identity,
> > sexuality and bodies. She has been constantly interested in what
> > people think and do with their bodies – from eating, sex, to emotions.
> >
> > Elspeth is the author of several books in these areas, including
> > Sexing the Self, Outside Belongings, Carnal Appetites, Sexy Bodies and
> > Blush. She is also interested in ethics, the media and popular
> > culture, and recently co-edited Remote Control, a book on media
> > ethics, and new forms of television such as reality TV and food shows.
> > She is currently working on a co-authored book with Catharine Lumby on
> > Girl Cultures, stemming from their ARC research project. In addition,
> > she is preparing a popular book, Shameless: how to use bad emotions
well.
> >
> > All welcome. Admission free. No booking required