Tales of a Tyrant Queen: Charter Myth or Role Model for Modern Somali Women of the Diaspora?
The Center for the Study of Women (CSW) presents a talk by Hilarie Kelly. The topic of this presentation is based on an analysis of a widely known Somali folk tale that has gained new meaning in Somali gender relations.
Tuesday, February 26, 20084:00 PM - 5:00 PM
314 Royce Hall
UCLA campus
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Abstract:
Hilarie Kelly's talk explores various interpretations of a widely-known, traditional folk tale from the Horn of Africa. Is this fantastic tale of a powerful, ancient queen whose cruel reign is overthrown by men a classic example of what some feminist anthropologists call a "charter myth for male dominance?" Are there other messages embedded within it that reveal a more complex and dynamic picture of gender relations in the region? Most intriguingly, Dr. Kelly reveals some examples of how the folk tale has gained new meanings in Somali gender relations in the North American diaspora.
About Hilarie Kelly:
Hilarie Kelly received her Ph.D. in anthropology from UCLA in 1992, specializing in issues of gender, socialization, and socio-economic development. Her dissertation,“From Gada to Islam: The Moral Authority of Gender Relations in an East African Pastoral Community,” explores the economic and political factors accompanying mass conversion and the attendant gender issues. Since then, she has researched the circumstances of women of the Somali diaspora, and is especially interested in following the lives of a cohort she has known for over two decades as they adapt and contribute to life in North America. Dr. Kelly teaches at California State University, Long Beach; she is also a specialist on African ethnography and development.
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And, also presented by the Center for the Study of Women on Wednesday, February 27
Organized Crime and the Trafficking of Women
Lecture Series: Trafficking, Gender, Human Rights, and Health
Keith Height, Detective, LAPD
Wednesday, February 27
Royce Hall 314 at 4 PM
This talk will cover the laws regarding sex trafficking, types of investigations, and a case profile of a Russian organization who was grossing $7 million a year in Los Angeles. Our section approaches the prostitutes as victims.
Detective Keith Haight has served for the Los Angeles Police Department for over 34 years. He has received the North Hollywood Area Officer of the Year award in 1982 for closing down 41 houses of prostitution through red light abatement, and the LA American Legion Detective of the Year award in 2002 for work in prostitution and human trafficking enforcement.
For more information please contact:
Center for the Study of WomenTel: 310-825-0590
csw@csw.ucla.edu
www.csw.ucla.edu
Sponsor(s): , Gender Studies
