November 26, 2018
2018 Vanguard Lecture Series to feature AnaLouise Keating
Submitted by Shawnette Williams
AnaLouise Keating, professor of multicultural women's and gender studies at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas, will present "Collaborating with Spirit: An Anzaldúan Approach to Qualitative Research" as part of the 2018 Vanguard Lecture Series from 10:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Nov. 27, in 21 Bluemont Hall.
Keating will discuss Gloria Anzaldua's politics of spirit, or what she named "spiritual activism," and explores its usefulness for inclusive, social-justice oriented qualitative research. As one of the first openly lesbian Chicana authors, Anzaldua (1942-2004) played a major role in defining Chicana/o, queer, and female identities. And as editor or co-editor of three multicultural, multigenre feminist anthologies, she played an equally crucial role in expanding narrow approaches to feminism, challenging limited definitions of multiculturalism, and developing inclusionary movements for social justice. Although Anzaldua's contributions to these areas have been acknowledged and explored, her politics of spirit has been avoided. For the past 20 years, Keeting has worked closely with Anzaldua and her writings. Since Anzaldua's untimely death in 2004, Keating has continued her work with Anzaldua, publishing "The Anzaldua Reader" and "Light in the Dark/Luz en lo oscuro: Identity, Spirituality, Reality."
In addition to discussing the ways Anzaldua's spiritual activism influenced her work, Keating will draw on her experiences working with Anzaldua to offer recommendations for inclusive approaches to qualitative research and writing.
The lecture is sponsored by the K-State educational leadership department, Qualitative Research Student Organization and the DOW Center for Multicultural and Community Studies. It will be available via Zoom.