From January 25th to February 18th, the colleges will have the honour of hosting Professor Stevi Jackson from York University in the UK, as the 39th annual Ashley Fellow.

The Ashley Fellowship is funded by a bequest from the late Professor C.A. Ashley, long-time friend of Trent University and an enthusiastic proponent of the role which the informal contacts of College life can play in the academic pursuits of the university. This is a wonderful opportunity for the Trent community to benefit from the presence of a distinguished intellectual who can enhance our academic programs and collegiate life.

Sociology, Gender and Women’s Studies and Lady Eaton College are thrilled to welcome this year’s Ashley Fellow, Professor Stevi Jackson. Prof. Jackson is an academic and writer working in the field of gender and sexuality. Currently working at the Centre for Women’s Studies at the University of York in the UK, Prof. Jackson has retained her interest in sexuality throughout her career, but has also worked on broader aspects of feminist theory, on family relationships and on childhood. Her current interests include theorizing sexuality, especially heterosexuality; theories of self and subjectivity; modernity, gender and intimacy in Asia and Europe. She was the founding co-editor of the international journal

Feminist Theory, and co-authored Gender and Sexuality with Professor Momin Rahman of Trent University’s Sociology department.

While Professor Jackson is here she will be doing a series of public talks and panels. These events will be open to anyone and everyone. They are as follows: a lecture, Internationalising the critique of heterosexuality: The benefits and pitfalls of thinking beyond the parochially “western”, January 25th, 4pm, Lady Eaton College Pit; a panel Sexualities beyond western modernity: Understanding the similarities and differences in Muslim and Asian sexual diversity. Panelists include: Stevi Jackson, Momin Rahman and Douglas Janoff (LGBT Rights Advisor for Global Affairs Canada), February 1st, 2 – 5 pm, Lady Eaton College 201; a public talk, The Legacy of French Theory with guest speaker: Dr. Elaine Stavro (POST), January 31st, 12 – 1 pm, Lady Eaton College Senior Common Room; a lecture, Activist lives in and after Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement: Challenging authoritarianism in public and private spaces, February 8th, 7pm, Lady Eaton College Pit; a discussion over coffee about Pursuing a graduate education in Gender Studies, February 14th, 9:30 – 11 am, Lady Eaton College Senior Common Room; a panel, Fifty Years of Feminism 150 years since Confederation, and 100 years since equal votes. This panel discussion focuses on the successes and failures of feminism over the last 50 years and the likely future for gender politics, February 15th, 3 – 5 pm, Gzowski College Gathering Space. She will also be a panelist at Enweying 2017: An Event about Extraordinary Ideas on January 28th.

These events will appeal to anyone with an interest in feminism, politics, sexuality, diversity, and anything in between. The colleges encourage students from all departments to take advantage of these events and participate in this discussion. It is an honour to host Professor Jackson and we’re looking forward to many successful events and meaningful discussion.

For additional information about Prof. Jackson and her visit to campus, please go to https://trentu.ca/colleges/AshleyFellowship.php