The Department of Central American Studies Distinguished Lecture Series

Claire Colebrook

Monday, May 6, 2019 Sequoia Hall 104

4:00-5:30pm ClaireColebrookEdwinErleSparksProfessorofEnglish,Philosophy,andWomen's,Gender,andSexualityStudiesPennStateUniversityThislectureexplorestheconceptsofextinctionandpost-apocalypseinculturalproductionandcinema.Itmightseemalltooobviousthatpost-apocalypticcinemaisanexpressionofendtimes-thatourdimawarenessofthesixthmassextinctionexpressesitselfinawholeseriesofnarrativesofcollapse,threatandannihilation.Climatechangeisbutoneofmanymotifswithinthegenreofthepost-apocalyptic,oftenaccompaniedbyotherimaginedcatastrophessuchasviralpandemic,alieninvasion,ortechnologicaldystopia.Despitethismanifestcoupling,Iwillarguethatthepost-apocalypticimaginaryprecludesanypossibilityofanethicsofextinction,andisperhapsbetterthoughtofasahyper-humanistreactionformation.

This event is made possible by the Department of Central American Studies and the College of Humanities Academic Programming Fund, as well as the departments of English, Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Journalism.