Professors in the Pub: The Dogmatization of Identity

Each month, come to Café Des Taxis to have a drink and discussion with professors and other experts about important events happening in the world. Share your questions and your views, and join the long tradition of politics in the pub. 

This month:

Identity is an act of “othering”; saying what one IS by saying what one IS NOT. In many societies over the last several years, the politics and prejudice tied to identity have begun to be discussed and addressed to a degree that is unprecedented in many instances. In some cases, this has led to a pendulum swing from the side of ignorance of the issue to the other side of hyper-awareness of the issue. This notably led to the removal of various forms of memorials dedicated to individuals who actively participated in horrific acts based upon racial identity, but also occasionally charges to remove memorials of those who opposed such horrible acts. Does this illustrate a demand for unrealistic purity in regards to identity and engagement with identities? If so, does this mean that identity studies are moving away from critical investigation in academia and into a dogmatic, almost religious, realm? Is critical discussion of identity still possible? Come discuss these questions and ask your own.

The lead professor will be William Eddleston, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer of History at AAU.