West Virginia University’s Center for Women’s Studies invites the public to join them Monday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Mountainlair Blue Ballroom for Dr. Anna Clark’s lecture, “Desire and Dissidence in the Victorian Parlor.”

“This is a timely topic with Valentine’s Day around the corner,” said Dr. Ann Oberhauser, director of the Center for Women’s Studies. “Dr. Clark’s lecture will encourage us to think differently about love, marriage and even romance.”

Clark, this year’s Women’s Studies Resident Scholar, will examine the Victorian parlor as a place that forced people to conform to certain conventions of marriage and family. She will explore alternatives to these Victorian conventions by radicals who discussed new ways of living and loving, such as polygamy and communes. There will be a book signing and reception to follow.

Clark received her Ph.D. in Modern European History from Rutgers University. A Professor of History at the University of Minnesota, Clark’s specialties include women’s history and the history of sexuality in Irish, British and European history. Her current project explores issues relating to engendering the state and criminal law in 19th century British Imperial history.

At the University of Minnesota, Clark served as the Interim Director of the Center for Advanced Feminist Studies (2002) and as the Samuel Russell Chair in the Humanities (2005-2011). She also edited the “Journal of British Studies” from 2005-2010. She has authored four books including “Desire: A History of European Sexuality” and “Scandal: The Sexual Politics of the British Constitution.”

The Women’s Studies Residency Program began in 1999 in honor of Dr. Judith Gold Stitzel, the founding director of the Center for Women’s Studies. Each year the Center hosts a scholar who is involved in women’s and gender studies. Residents visit campus for three to five days to participate in classes and various gatherings with students, faculty and staff.

The Center for Women’s Studies supports teaching, research and advocacy that is based on feminist perspectives and centered on analyses of gender and its intersection with race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, age and ability.

-WVU-

02/06/12

Check http://wvutoday.wvu.edu daily for the latest news from the University. Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.

CONTACT: Megan Denny, Center for Women’s Studies, Intern
(724) 833-7848; Megan.Denny@mail.wvu.edu