September 25: Screening of “Loving Lampposts” by Todd Drezner ’94 (7 pm, Weitz Cinema)
Todd Drezner ’94 is an English major whose first documentary film, Loving Lampposts: Living Autistic, has garnered critical acclaim and won the Best Feature Documentary award at the 2011 Peace on Earth Film Festival. The English department has arranged a screening September 25 at 7pm in the Weitz Cinema.
September 26: “Whose Freedom of Speech Counts?”, by Omid Safi (Noon, Athenaeum)
Going back to (and before) the episode of The Satanic Verses, freedom of speech has always been contested in various Middle Eastern contexts. Omid Safi’s talk, “Whose Freedom of Speech counts? Perils of speaking truth to power in the Middle East,” will go over debates about Rushdie in Middle East and beyond, as well as more recent debates in Iran, Turkey, and elsewhere. Omid Safi is Professor of Religious Studies, UNC, Chapel Hill. Before Professor Safi’s talk Arnab Chakladar from the department of English will briefly discuss the literary context of Rushdie’s novel.
September 27: 200 Years of Austen (Opens at 9 am, Gould Library)
English professor Constance Walker has curated an exhibit that celebrates the publication of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, 200 years ago on January 28, 1813.
September 27: Convocation by Todd Drezner ’94 (10.50 am, Chapel)
This week’s convocation speech will be delivered by Todd Drezner, an English major from the class of ’94. He will be discussing his documentary film Loving Lampposts: Living Autistic and his own experience as a father of a child with autism.
September 27: Career Panel with Todd Drezner, Erika Drezner, and Erika Leemann Price–all ’94 alumni (4 pm, Laird 212)
The English department will host a Career Panel featuring three English Majors from the class of ’94, now working in film, education, and medicine.