Event overview
Goldsmiths Literature Seminar
Scott Ellis (Goldsmiths):
'Lost Dogs: Masculine Identity in the Canadian Graphic Novel'
An exploration of a National male identity through the sequential art of Jeff Lemire, Dave Sim, Seth and Bryan Lee O'Malley, paralleled with the hyper masculine image of the American Super-Hero. I will discuss the authors' use of the epic format of storytelling, the galvanising of masculine identity through sport, and masculinity on the frontier. I hope to communicate the similarities and explore the differences between a group of disparate and highly original Canadian graphic novels.
AND
Anna Derrig (Goldsmiths):
'Memoir and Issues of Consent'
When writing about one’s own life, inevitably the stories of others are involved. Their stories may be told – often without their permission, or even their knowledge, prior to publication. Consent, implied or agreed, may have different meanings for participants, where there is cultural or cognitive dissonance.
I am researching instances where mainly non-consensual memoir exposure has caused collateral damage within families or other relationships and looking at creative ways to handle issues of consent. I will be querying a major orthodoxy of life writing that you write the story and worry about what you can and can’t include, afterwards. If your PhD is published on the internet or stocked in a college library, you may need ‘consent’ in advance, to avoid possible legal action.
For the creative part of my PhD, I am writing a consensual memoir about a relative, who has a learning difficulty. They have chosen not to write their own story. Ideally, in writing about those with disabilities in ‘moral non-fiction’ as Frank calls it, in The Ethics of Life Writing, “we engage in the unfinalized dialogue of seeking the good.”
Nonetheless, I question my subject’s understanding of the implications of what I write, and the ethics of my endeavour and possible outcomes. The question of ‘mental capacity’ and ‘informed consent’ has legal consequences, and creates personal, philosophical and literary complications.
I will use case studies to illustrate examples, featuring subjects ranging from a murderer to family members, where ‘consent’ has caused ethical conflict.
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 2013 | 6:30pm - 8:00pm |
Accessibility
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