[Air-l] Day School: Researching and Teaching the Sexually Explicit: Ethics, Methodology and Pedagogy

[Attwood, Fiona]

Apologies for cross posting


Researching and Teaching the Sexually Explicit: Ethics, Methodology and Pedagogy

A Day School hosted jointly by De Montfort University and Sheffield Hallam University

Room 0.01 Clephan Building, Faculty of Humanities, 
De Montfort University, Leicester, UK

Friday 18 May 2007
11.00 am – 4.00 pm

Speakers:

Martin Barker (University of Wales, Aberystwyth)

Professor Barker will discuss his recent research on sexual violence for the BBFC, and address the question: what does the term 'porn' mean to audiences today, and how is it used as a vernacular category to measure expectations?  How do people feel about and deal with the question of 'unacceptable arousal'?  How do people reflect on the meanings of 'rape' through fiction film?

Brian McNair (University of Strathclyde)

Professor McNair has been studying sexuality and the media for more than two decades, first as a university student, then as an academic teacher and researcher. His presentation will explore the changing political climate within which mediated sex has been taught and researched in the UK, and his recent experiences presenting courses on pornography and related material at Stirling and Strathclyde universities.

Clarissa Smith (University of Sunderland)

Although pornography has been a feature of syllabi from social science to literature for at least two decades, a key element in its discussion as a subject for teaching is the necessity to ensure that students are not offended by the material studied. Often controversy can be avoided if the purpose of the module or teaching session is to disclaim pornography and show students just how bad the material is. Dr Smith’s presentation discusses whether offence is the only response students might have to pornography screened in the classroom.  What happens if we want to examine sexually explicit representations in terms of their pleasures?


The event is free but places are limited. For information and bookings, please contact either Feona Attwood (f.attwood at shu.ac.uk) or Ian Hunter (iqhunter at dmu.ac.uk).