Abstract

This presentation analyses the role of ‘public’ human remains in political, social and cultural narratives.  First, I examine the export of human skeletons from India and their use in medical teaching in Australia.  Second, I explore the role of human remains in post-genocidal and post-conflict societies, where human remains are deployed in the development and display of political narratives, using the comparative cases of Ba Chuc, in An Giang Province, Vietnam, and Wat Stuung in Kampot Province, Cambodia.

About the speaker

Dr Fiona Gill’s research interests focus on subjectivity, particularly the management and performance of ambiguous identities. She has on-going interest in national identity, gender and sexual identities and the sociology of sport and the body. Current research interests include science and technology studies, community studies and rural sociology. Fiona is researching the impact of economic rationalism and scientific discourse on an Australian dairy farm. Future research directions include the place of the body and the use of performance enhancing drugs in elite and non-elite sports, economic rationalism and the individual and online identities.

Event is open to the public. All are welcome.

Note: Please be aware, as part of the presentation, Fiona would like to include some photographs of genocide memorials, mainly from Cambodia, that have formed an important part of her research. Many such memorials in Cambodia include clearly visible human remains and paintings depicting graphic violence.  All pictures were taken with the explicit consent of the people responsible for the memorials.  However, your attendance is more important than showing the pictures!  So if for any reason, you feel uncomfortable with the subject matter of the images, please contact Fiona directly before the seminar, and alternative images will be used.