Virtual Lecture Series
The Association for Cultural Studies is delighted to announce its Virtual Lecture Series: an ongoing programme of online presentations by cutting-edge cultural studies theorists and practitioners.
The next talk in this series, by Ali Meghji (University of Cambridge), titled ‘‘Race’, cultural studies, and postcolonial sociology: A research agenda’ (followed by a Q&A), will take place on January 20th, 4 PM GMT (more information underneath).
To register for this free event, please email: vls@cultstud.org
Please note that email registration is an automated process. If you do NOT receive a reply to your email with the relevant information within an hour, please check your spam folder. If the invitation is not in your spam folder, please email info@cultstud.org for more personal assistance.
Privacy notice: We will use the address you email from to send you an invitation to the talk. The personal details (email address) of those registered are kept for the purpose of event registration only and will not be used for any other purposes. The records will be kept for one month after the registration.
The ACS is the Data Controller of the records collected and is committed to protecting the rights of individuals in line with Data Protection Legislation. Please submit any data subject rights requests or address any complaints or suspected breaches to info@cultstud.org
Ali Meghji (University of Cambridge) – ‘Race’, cultural studies, and postcolonial sociology: A research agenda
January 20th, 2025
4 PM GMT
Abstract: In this talk, I consider how the cultural studies tradition of Stuart Hall may offer insights into how postcolonial sociology can approach the study of race. In particular, I focus on three maxims: to theorise from conjunctures, to historicise contemporary race relations, and to approach culture (including political cultures) as a response rather than a resource. Drawing on both historical and contemporary examples, in this talk I hope to show how cultural studies may offer insights which can help develop the critical capacities both of sociology in general, and postcolonial sociology in specific
Bio: Ali Meghji is an Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Cambridge. He is currently working on a book for Princeton Press titled ‘After Du Bois: theorizing the global colorline’.
Upcoming VLS events (more details TBA):
February 18th, 10 AM GMT – Pieter Verdegem (Westminster University), ‘Critical Perspectives on the Political Economy of Generative AI’
March – Ahtziri Molina Roldán (Universidad Veracruzana)
April – Athambile Masola (University of Cape Town)
May – Gilbert Caluya (Deakin University)
June – Siddhart Soni (University of Southampton)
August – Hsuan Hsu (University of California)
September – Lisa Calvente (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
October – Camilla Mørk Røstvik (University of Aberdeen)
November – Dianlin Huang (Communication University of China)
Abstracts and links to the recordings of the past talks can be found here
Abstracts of the upcoming talks
Pieter Verdegem (Westminster University) – Critical Perspectives on the Political Economy of Generative AI
February 18th, 2025
10 AM GMT
Abstract: Since the launch of ChatGPT, the AI hype has accelerated and Big Tech companies are fueling public discourse about the revolution generative AI will bring about. This talk will offer some critical perspectives on generative AI by analyzing the political economy of generative AI. We will discuss the industrial landscape of generative AI and reflect on who are the winners and losers of the most prominent hype in the world of digital technology. Finally, it will offer some suggestions about how we, as a society, can deal with the AI hype and what we should do to stand up against the power of big tech.