UVU Honors Program to Welcome Renowned Scholar Bell Hooks

On Monday, March 29, the Utah Valley University Honors Program will welcome award-winning cultural theorist, philosopher and social activist bell hooks, who will give an address entitled, ”Ending Domination: Race, Sex and Class.” Hailed as one of the “100 Visionaries Who Could Change Your Life” by Utne Reader, her writings cover a broad range of topics incorporating issues on feminism, race, class, education, mass media and engaged pedagogy.

“We thought it would be impossible to get a scholar of her level to visit us, but this has exceeded all of our hopes and expectations,” said Shannon Mussett, UVU associate professor of philosophy and gender studies coordinator. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have her.

Engaged learning is part of the spirit of her theory, so she really ties into UVU’s community and philosophy. She’s going to bring in a voice that we don’t often get where we are, and it’s a voice that speaks to issues that matter to every person.” bell hooks (née Gloria Watkins) is a distinguished professor of English at City College in New York.

Born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1952, hooks received her B.A. from Stanford University in 1973, her M.A. in 1976 from the University of Wisconsin and her Ph.D. in 1983 from the University of California-Santa Cruz. She has held positions as professor of African and African-American studies and English at Yale University, associate professor of women’s studies and American literature at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, and as distinguished lecturer of English Literature at the City College of New York. She has published more than 30 books and numerous scholarly and mainstream articles, appeared in several documentary films and participated in various public lectures. In 1992, her book “Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism” was named one of the 20 most influential women’s books in the last 20 years by Publishers Weekly.

“bell hooks deliberately writes so that it’s accessible to everybody,” Mussett said. “She intentionally speaks to everyone. Her books are clearly written so that anyone can pick them up and get something out of them. She will speak to many different kinds of students and the paths they take. The event is open for every person to attend, whoever wants to come. It’s the whole spirit of her theory. It’s not in any way to be closed off from anyone.”

The lecture will begin at 4 p.m. in the Ragan Theater of UVU’s Sorensen Student Center. The event will be general admission seating and open to the public. A question-and-answer session will follow her presentation. ###

March 22, 2010 For Immediate Release For more information: Shannon Mussett (801) 863-6264 University Marketing & Communications: Erin Spurgeon, (801) 863-6807
Written by: Chelsey Richardson (801) 863-8504

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