Tendencies at Twenty

To celebrate queer history month, Valentine’s Day, and the 20^th anniversary of the publication, in 1993, of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s groundbreaking queer-theoretical text Tendencies, the Centre for Modern Studies will be hosting an inter-disciplinary symposium where 12 diverse scholars will each offer a short position paper on a chapter from the book, before a roundtable discussion at the end of the day. 

Confirmed speakers include

• Alex Beaumont (University of York)
• James Boaden (University of York)
• Victoria Coulson (University of York)
• Nicole Devarenne (University of Dundee)
• Jason Edwards (University of York)
• Helen Finch (University of Leeds)
• Denis Flannery (University of Leeds)
• Izzy Isgate (University of York)
• Sarah Monks (University of East Anglia)
• Bob Mills (University College, London)
• Ben Nichols (King’s College, London)
• Pamela Thurschwell (University of Sussex)
• Jo Applin (University of York)
• Claire Westall (University of York)
• Carol Mavor (University of Manchester)

Timetable

1.15-2.15 Queer Tutelage, chaired by Jason Edwards

• Jason Edwards(University of York), ‘Welcome and Introduction: T Times and Queer and Now’
• Nicole Devarenne (University of Dundee), ‘Privilege of Unknowing: Diderot’s The Nun’
• Ben Nichols (King’s College, London), ‘Tales of the Avunculate: The Importance of Being Earnest’
• Denis Flannery (University of Leeds), ‘Is the Rectum Straight: Identification and Identity in The Wings of the Dove’

 2.15-2.30 Tea

 2.30-3.30 Crossing of Discourses, chaired by Claire Westall

• Izzy Isgate (University of York), ‘Jane Austen and the Masturbating Girl’
• Helen Finch(University of Leeds), ‘Nationalisms and Sexualities’
• Bob Mills, (University College, London), ‘How to Bring Up Your Kids Gay: The War on Effeminate Boys’
• Alex Beaumont (University of York) ‘Epidemics of the Will’

3.30 to 3.45 Coffee

 3.45-4.45 Across Genders, Across Sexualities, chaired by Jo Applin

• Pam Thurschwell (University of Sussex) ‘Willa Cather and Others’
• Victoria Coulson (University of York), ‘A Poem is Being Written’
• James Boaden(University of York), ‘Divinity: A Dossier, A Performance Piece, A Little Understood Emotion (written with Michael Moon)’
• Sarah Monks (University of East Anglia), ‘White Glasses’ and ‘Memorial for Craig Owens’

 4.45-5.15 Round Table, chaired by Jason Edwards and Carol Mavor