Dr Patricia Baker from the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies has just co-authored a chapter with Helen King and Laurence Totelin entitled ‘Teaching Ancient Medicine: The Issues of Abortion’ in the collection From Abortion to Pederasty: Addressing Difficult Topics in the Classics Classroom (Ohio State University Press, 2015), edited by Nancy Rabinowitz and Fiona McHardy.

The overall collection has just received the inaugural 2015 Teaching Literature Book Award, an international, juried prize from Idaho State University.

The specific chapter addresses the difficulties of teaching the subjects of abortion, embryotomy and gynaecology to undergraduate students studying the history of Greco-Roman medicine. Patty and her co-authors each contribute their experiences teaching these sensitive subjects, the problems that arise in the classroom when students have difficulties engaging with such topics, and how they are resolved. It is a significant review of pedagogical practice that advises creative ways to encourage critical thinking and student engagement with delicate material.

For details of the collection, please see the publisher’s page here:
https://ohiostatepress.org/index.htm?books/book%20pages/Rabinowitz%20McHardy%20Difficult.html

Dr Antonio da Silva from the Department of Modern Languages will be a guest speaker at an International Conference entitled ‘Remapping Brazilian Cultural Studies’ at the University of London on Friday 25 September 2015.

This one-day conference, supported by the Institute of Latin American Studies, University of London, hopes to provide a space for scholars working in the UK and mainland Europe to present cutting-edge research on cultural studies and cultural analysis in the Brazilian context and, in particular, to reflect on the current direction the research area is taking in the UK and Europe. The event will also launch a new Brazilian cultural analysis research network, Rede Europeia de Brasilianistas de Análise Cultural (REBRAC).

Antonio will present a talk entitled ‘When Language Teaching and Cultural Studies go Hand in Hand: A Snapshot of an Approach to Brazilian Studies at University Level.’ His talk will explore the importance of the dialogue between cultural studies and language teaching at university level. Although there is much fragmentation in practice across the sector not only in Brazilian and Portuguese studies but also other languages, it will show some practical examples of an approach in which the students develop their linguistic and cultural competences as an interlinked experience, rather than as two separate pathways. Moreover, it will highlight possibilities and needs that are mostly ignored in the curriculum, such as language registers, genres and cultural representations from ‘low to high culture’.

Further details  can be found at the conference website.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the University of Kent, the Department of Religious Studies has launched a new booklet entitled From the Local to the Global: 50 Years of the Study of Religion in the Humanities at the University of Kent, 1965-2015.

The booklet was launched on Tuesday 8 September at a reception in Darwin College and was followed by a 50th anniversary lecture entitled ‘Religion and the City: A Comparative Perspective on Asia and the Rest’ given by Professor Peter van der Veer of the Max Planck Institute for the study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Gottingen, Germany.

The study of religion is built on an early vision of the University of Kent to establish effective interdisciplinary research that explores and challenges the given assumptions in order to establish knowledge that is of value to the world and public engagement. This booklet shows how the study of religion in the Humanities has changed over the last 50 years.

You can view the publication at: http://issuu.com/unikentsecl/docs/bt_119277_basr_final_web/1?e=0

Anna Louise Walter, a student DJ on Canterbury’s local Community & Student Radio station (CSRfm) is taking to the air on Friday 11th September for a 12 hour marathon to fundraise for Make-a-Wish UK.

She’ll be broadcasting from 9.00 to 21.00 and will be bringing listeners a huge variety of content, from interesting guests, funny features, challenges (with consequences), games, stimulating discussions, to great music and live performances.

Please find below a link to an article on the CSRfm website explaining Anna’s fundraiser, the guests she has scheduled, as well as how people can support her fundraiser.

http://www.csrfm.com/your-station/anna-louise-walters-12-hour-radio-challenge/

Anna has had incredible success in her time as a CSRfm presenter so far, recently winning two awards for Best Female and Best Entertainment show at the Canterbury KiC awards – which celebrate local student talent, as well as being very highly commended for her radio demo at the recent national Student Radio Association conference, held in Exeter in April 2015.

Originally Anna had planned to fundraise £500 during the live broadcast on Friday but has since been overwhelmed by generous donations from friends, family, businesses and local residents of Canterbury and has already surpassed her target – before even taking to the mic.

With her total now being raised even higher, we’re approaching as many contacts as possible to help us spread the word and support Anna in her efforts to raise money for an incredible cause.

Listeners can tune into the show, taking place on Friday, September 11, worldwide online at www.CSRFM.com or on 97.4 FM if local to Canterbury.