Please join us for the inaugural meeting of The CENES Salon, an informal gathering of UBC staff, faculty and students that centres on intellectual exchange and fostering community. Salons dedicated to specific topics will take place once per term, where a presenter or team of presenters will introduce a topic with the intention of stimulating conversation among attendees. These are casual gatherings with the objectives of bringing people together, sharing work and advancing research, teaching, community engagement and administrative success.
Title: “432,000 Dead Warriors, or, Valhalla as a Tourist Experience”
Abstract: According to Norse Mythology, 432,000 Valhalla warriors will participate in the final battle at Ragnarok. Why that number? And what was Valhalla anyway? According to one theory, it was directly modelled on a Roman amphitheatre full of gladiators. It is a strange proposal, but one that offers a back door into the politically fraught question of national mythological appropriations.
Presenter: Dr. Geoffrey Winthrop-Young
The first portion of the Salon will be an informal mix and mingle to get to know colleagues over coffee and tea. This will be followed by a short, 10- to 15-minute presentation, which will then be opened up to discussion with the larger group for the remainder of the time. The CENES Salon is meant to be fun, casual and collaborative – a space to learn from and with each other. You do not need to know anything about the topics to participate.
Questions? Feel free to reach out to event co-organizers Dr. Ervin Malakaj (ervin.malakaj@ubc.ca) and Hillary Hurst (cenes.dept@ubc.ca).
