Department of Academia

I'm indebted to Nathan Origer for drawing my attention to a fascinating event at the University of Maryland:

Subject : Provost’s Conversation: “Re-presenting Disability: Million Dollar Baby, Tropic Thunder and Anti-National Sexual Positions”
When : Monday, October 06, 2008 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Where : Stamp Student Union : Charles Carroll Room
Event Type(s) : Lecture

A Conversation with Robert McRuer,
Professor of English, George Washington University

This talk examines a few of the films that have sustained intense criticism from disability activists and theorists over the past few years. Reading these films within a queer theoretical perspective and through the cultural logic of neoliberalism, McRuer affirms and extends the immeasurable value of an increasingly global — and at times daringly anti-national — disability movement.

Lunch will be served.

This event is co-sponsored by the President’s Commission on Disability Issues.

I confess that I have no idea what relevance the "cultural logic of neoliberalism" has in terms of its relationship with Million Dollar Baby (not a movie obviously in thrall to the Washington Consensus?). Nor, shamefully, do I have any idea what might constitute an "anti-national sexual position". (Then again, even Google isn't much help here). Perhaps readers can enlighten me?

I'm glad lunch was served, however.

Comments

[dearieme]

The public purse provides for so many sucklers.

[njb]

the anti-national sexual position is the opposite of the national sexual position - didn't you know that? And I thought you were Mr.Smarty Pants Scotsman...sheesh.

actually, I doubt it means anything - it's just an excuse to talk about sex and maybe take in a few minutes of some light porn material - all under the sanctioned purview of scholarship. And all before lunch.