A History of the Eye (Exploring the Body lecture series)
When:
—
Venue:
External
No booking required
From ancient times to popular self-help books today, eyes have been viewed as “windows to the soul”. The interpretation of eye shape and colour have been used to distinguish between different degrees of “civilization” (scientific racism), to identify personality traits, and to detect terrorists (recent research carried out by the CIA and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration). In some Asian societies, “double eyelid” surgery is popular. This lecture explores the politics of scientific theories about eyes.
A History of the Eye is part of a series of lectures on the body given by Professor Joanna Bourke, Professor of History at Birkbeck University of London, and Gresham Professor of Rhetoric.
Attendance is free. No reservations are required. The lecture is run on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Doors will open 30 minutes before the start of the lecture. More information about the talk can be found here.
You can read more about the series on the Birkbeck website.
Barnard's Inn Hall, Gresham College:
https://www.gresham.ac.uk/about/venues/barnards-inn-hall/
Contact name:
Department of History, Classics and Archaeology