Brooks Lecture Series: The Culture of Narrative
Date: September 25, 2026
Location: Moffett Center, Room 115
The Rozanne M. Brooks Lecture Series will explore the multifaceted nature of storytelling in the 2026-27 theme “The Culture of Narrative.” This series seeks to examine the meanings narratives hold and their impact on society.
SUNY Distinguished Professor Sharon Steadman, the series organizer, noted, “Stories, or narratives, tell of the past, predict the future, and serve as vessels that explain the universe. In short, stories rest at the nexus of human experience.”
This series honors the late Rozanne M. Brooks, a distinguished professor in sociology and anthropology, who contributed significantly to the field and established the Brooks Museum in 2001 with her collection of ethnographic objects.
Schedule of Lectures
Lecture 1: Wednesday, November 11
Topic: Looking to the Past and the Future: Using Braided Storytelling in Community-Based Archaeology
Presenter: Hollis Miller, Assistant Professor of Sociology/Anthropology
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Description: This lecture will explore storytelling methods in archaeology through community-based projects in Old Harbor, Alaska, revealing how different storytelling threads shape our understanding of Sugpiaq lifeways.
Lecture 2: Wednesday, February 24
Topic: The Story of Ahalya and More: Unsavory Narratives of Sexual Assault in South Asia
Presenter: Anisha Saxena, Associate Professor of History
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Description: This talk will address narratives of sexual assault in South Asian traditions, discussing how certain accounts have been marginalized while glorifying male authority has been preserved.
Lecture 3: Wednesday, April 7
Topic: The Exception Principle: Fantasies of Inclusion in Shakespearean Drama
Presenter: Willnide Lindor, Assistant Professor of English
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Description: In this talk, critical whiteness studies will be examined to identify how narratives of privilege and marginalization shape discussions about race and gender in Shakespeare’s works.
Additional Information:
All events are free and open to the public. Pre-lecture receptions will take place at 4 p.m. in the Brooks Museum (Moffett Center, Room 116). Seating is limited.
For questions or more information, please contact Sharon Steadman at email or call 607-753-2308.
