Conflicted Commitment

29 Nov 2013 - 17:00 / 29 Nov 2013 - 19:00

Old Vic 212 (VC212)
Victoria University
Toronto

Please join a discussion, led by members of the Literature and Critical Theory community, on the topic of how to fit our seemingly ‘extracurricular’ passions and commitments into academic work and life.   It is strange that the interests initially that lead us to university studies can often be the very things that most embarrass us once we get here.  Inspiration from a text, a spiritual or ideological commitment, love of music or art: These things often paradoxically serve as both the sustaining force and the necessarily dismissed ‘other’ impulse that drives us through our lives as students.  Come on Friday evening to hear from graduate scholars and senior undergrads about the specific texts, ideas, and impetuses that have propelled them towards academic investment along with their struggles to sustain the authenticity that very investment along the way.  If there is no solution to the problem of ‘learning’ and ‘loving’ the same object, there are certainly routes to a reconciliation of these desires: We hope you will come with questions and comments of your own to explore this difficult issue.

Speakers will include Professor Rebecca Comay; Professor Julian Patrick graduate student and teacher, Sam Caldwell; graduate student, Keegan Goodman; and senior Lit Crit and Theory undergrads, Fan Wu and Alexa Winstanley-Smith.