by Anna Lemberger
Two speakers, two fields of study, one theme: Theorizing Space Transnationally. Under this unifying heading, Emanuela Guano (Anthropology, Georgia State U) and Carl Nightingale (American Studies, SUNY-Buffalo) kicked off the second installment of the Center for 21st Century Studies’ symposium on Embodied Placemaking in Urban Public Spaces on Friday, April 29. There were a lot of titles within titles within titles on the program so I will try to keep them straight for y’all. (Please excuse the drawl. I just got back from Memphis and am still in Southern mode). For some great guides to the conference and a detailed list of all of the speakers, click here.
The spring symposium was made up of three thematic sections, each with two speakers whose research was tied together on some level. Besides Theorizing Space Transnationally, there were two other sessions on Mapping Urban Space and Engaging Visual Culture. Underneath each session heading, each speaker, of course, had his or her own specific topic. Guano’s lecture was entitled “Inside the Magic Circle: Conjuring the Terrorist Enemy at the 2001 Group of Eight Summit.” I was especially drawn to her research since I had never heard of the protests and police brutality that occurred in Genoa, Italy during the G8 Summit of July 2001. I attribute this to the fact that I was in seventh grade and, like others, was soon consumed with the events of 9/11, which Guano did discuss. Basically, Guano focused on the Italian government’s attempt to exclude Genoa’s residents from the G8 which led to mass uprisings and violent clashes between protesters, police, and guerilla groups. This may be slightly tangential but I was struck by a particular state scare tactic that Guano mentioned. Apparently, the government attempted to demonize protesters by, for example, claiming the protestors were planning to show up to sites with balloons filled with HIV positive blood. While visiting the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis this weekend, I felt as if I were hearing Guano’s lecture all over again. The Genoa violence is extremely reminiscent of the police brutality at the Memphis marches during the Civil Rights Movement. It reminded me that these kinds of horrors do not just happen “over there.”
While Guano’s lecture focused on a tangible line of protestors around the G8 Summit, Nightingale’s talk concerned a strongly felt but less visible line—the color line. His lecture’s title asked, “What Does an Urban Color Line Feel Like? Transnational Sensations from Johannesburg and Chicago, 1900-1920.” This lecture connected quite well with another of my recent travels. I did a winterim study abroad in South Africa and briefly visited Joburg (local name for Johannesburg). Even though Nightingale’s lecture focused on the early 1900s, the lingering effects of state-sanctioned segregation are apparent. Nightingale said that in the city the only people you see walking around are blacks (so true!). The other things that struck me were the fences. Most houses are surrounded by fences, gates, and other security features. There is clearly still a lot of fear. Nightingale highlighted fear as a factor that led to segregation during the times and places of his research.
Overall, it was a great end to the Center’s lecture series.
With graduation weeks away I am signing off for good. Thank you to the Center for an intellectually stimulating semester and to all the people who took the time to read this blog. Please keep supporting the Center’s lecture series and the blog!
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