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Amanda Swarr to Present 9th Annual Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture

swarr photo 2013_webAmanda Lock Swarr, UW associate professor in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies, will deliver the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity’s ninth annual Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture on Thurs., April 18. A reception will be held at 5 p.m. at the Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center followed by the lecture at 6:30 p.m. in the Alder Hall Commons Auditorium.

Dr. Swarr’s lecture topic, “Racing the Boundaries of Gender and Sexuality: Rethinking Apartheid and Transitional South Africa,” is extended from her recent book and will expose the junctures of gender, sexuality and race, suggesting new ways to think about the inherent contradictions not only of South Africa but of social categories more broadly.

eNews-Spring-2013Dr. Swarr received a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from Bucknell University (1995) and a master’s degree in anthropology (1998) and Ph.D. in feminist studies (2003) from the University of Minnesota. Her research addresses queer and trans* concerns, medical inequalities and feminist politics inside and outside of the U.S.

She was Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at Barnard College of Columbia University (2003-2005), a fellow with the UW Simpson Center Society of Scholars (2009-2010) and a two-time recipient of the UW Royalty Research Fellowship (2006-07, 2013-14). Dr. Swarr authored the 2012 book “Sex in Transition: Remaking Gender and Race in South Africa” and co-edited the 2010 anthology “Critical Transnational Feminist Praxis” with Richa Nagar, as well as publishing numerous articles in journals including “SIGNS: Journal of Women in Culture and Society and Feminist Studies.” Her current book project is titled “Forcing Sex: Violent Contestations over South African Masculinities.”

Inaugurated in 2005, this annual lecture is named in honor of the late Dr. Kelly, UW’s first vice president for the Office of Minority Affairs (1970), and dedicated to acknowledging the work of distinguished faculty by spotlighting nationally recognized research focusing on diversity and social justice.

Past lecturers include Dr. Alexes Harris (Department of Sociology, 2012); Dr. Luis Fraga (Department of Political Science, 2011); Dr. Richard Ladner (Department of Computer Science and Engineering/Electrical Engineering/Linguistics, 2010); Dr. Biren (Ratnesh) Nagda (School of Social Work, 2009); Dr. Joy Williamson (College of Education, 2008); Dr. Karina Walters (School of Social Work, 2007); Dr. Devon G. Pena (Department of Anthropology/American Ethnic Studies, 2006); and Dr. Quintard Taylor (Department of History, 2005).

The lecture is free and open to the public. To register, please contact cpromad@uw.edu or call 206-685-9594 by April 15. For more information, visit the Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture web site.