NYU Prof Harvey Molotch to Lecture at 'Berg
The Muhlenberg College Center for Ethics presents “Out of the Water Closet: Gender, City, and the Public Toilet,” a lecture by Harvey Molotch, on Tuesday, November 10 at 7:00 p.m., Miller Forum, Moyer Hall.Friday, October 16, 2009 11:22 AM
This event, co–sponsored by the College’s department of sociology and anthropology, is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.
According to Harvey Molotch, Professor of Sociology and of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University, public restrooms are radically unstable places at the intersection of the public and private spheres, providing a window on the social and political world. In his talk he will address question such as: How “public” are public restrooms? How is the line between private acts and public space negotiated in public washrooms? What can the toilet tell us about gender and cultural politics?
Molotch’s lecture is part of the series Ethics of Space: Power of Place, programs that will examine three different sub-themes relating to the concept of “space:” BOUNDARIES, including the invisible, the visible, and the geo-political; CONTROLLING SPACE, considering the differences and overlaps between public and private space, and physical and metaphorical space; and SPACE IN BODIES, which will tackle issues of shared identity, constructing differences, and the spaces between people.
Each year, the Center for Ethics sponsors an intensive series designed to encourage discussion and reflection on a timely, pertinent topic. Center for Ethics programs are free and open to all members of the Muhlenberg campus and the local community. For more information on the series, visit www.muhlenberg.edu/cultural/ethics.
Muhlenberg College gratefully acknowledges the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation’s support of the Center for Ethics.
