Event announcement: Dr. Psyche Williams-Forson lecture
Dr. Psyche Williams-Forson, Associate Professor of American Studies at University of Maryland, will be visiting BU and discussing her studies of visual and material culture as they relate to food in a lecture called "Do You See What I See? Bringing Visual and Material Culture Approaches to the Study of Food." Here's additional information about the lecture topic:
Objects speak! Objects speak volumes, in fact. They tell us much about how they were made, who made them and when they were made as well as their social, cultural, and political contexts. In his essay “Mind in Matter," Jules Prown writes “material culture is the study—through artifacts—of the beliefs–values, ideas, attitudes, and assumptions–of a particular community or society at a given time.” In addition to bespeaking our communities, objects also denote our class and social status, among other aspects of our lives. Food, as an object of material culture, is no exception. This discussion will consider groups of foods—singular and collective—and argues for ways that methods like object analysis inform our lives, histories, and cultures, laying it all bare and making it all the more porous.
EVENT INFO
Tuesday, March 8
6-7:30pm
Room 527, College of Graduate Studies Building (871 Commonwealth Avenue)
Report from the front lines: TEDx Manhattan
by Emily Olson
The TEDx Manhattan "Changing the Way We Eat" conference was an assault on the senses. Music was heard, experts were seen, and food was tasted and touched. I was thrilled and excited to attend the conference in person, but I didn't know what to expect other than a “TED” style of learning. The event focused on sustainable food and farming, with the goal of creating new connections and collaborations across various disciplines (academia, restaurants, writers, farmers, and researchers).
Stepping into the Prince George Ballroom, gilded chairs were set in tightly packed rows forcing a bit of networking and creating a sense of intimacy for participants and presenters. The conference’s main organizer, Diane Hatz of The Glynwood Institute for Sustainable Food & Farming, opened the conference with some TED house rules: turn all technology off, be open to the possibilities of new ideas and people, and have fun. The program kicked off with ETHEL, a three-piece string “house band” performing a portion of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida”.
The day was divided into three parts: what happened, where are we, and where are we going. In total, 22 speakers delivered powerful and thought-provoking messages in rapid succession. No lengthy introductions, and no question-and-answer session from the audience. Each speaker had the spotlight for 10-15 minutes. Distilling all the information from the 22 presenters was difficult to do. Below are three presenters, one from each session, who delivered something I found innovative, remarkable, and actionable.
Click to read more about the speakers (and food) that left a lasting impression on Emily.