Professor Thandwa Z Mthembu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Durban University of Technology cordially invites the DUT community to a virtual inaugural professorial lecture of Professor Jean-Philippe Wade, Head of Department: Video Technology, Faculty of Arts and Design, on Friday, 26 March 2021 via MS Teams.
The Title of his lecture is Burning Desire: The Strange Story Of Izikhothane. The talk examines a South African youth subculture, which publicly destroys expensive brand commodities, and argues that its strange behaviour can be read as a post-modern critique of the waste generated by consumer capitalism.
Elaborating more on his topic, Prof Wade said that he was prompted to research the topic of Izikhothane because of his interest in consumer culture, which he has taught for many years as part of his teaching of Cultural Studies.
“The outrageous behaviour of the members of the Izikhothane subculture makes us consider to what extent it is a celebration of consumer culture and to what extent it is a fascinating critique of it. It also seemed to me to display a contemporary kind of resistance, which speaks of the postmodern articulation of individual autonomy,” he said.
Biography
Prof Wade completed his BA (Honours) in English Literature at the University of Natal (Durban) before going into exile to avoid military conscription into the apartheid armed services. While living in England, he completed an MA degree in cultural theory and a PhD on the South African novel at the University of Essex.
Returning to South Africa, he co-founded the Centre for South African Literature and Languages at the University of Durban-Westville, a post-graduate and Research centre. He eventually became its Director. With the merger of UDW and the University of Natal, Prof Wade joined the Department of Media and Cultural Studies, of which he soon became the Head.
Prof Wade joined DUT in June 2018, as Head of Department of the Department of Video Technology. He has published widely in literary studies and cultural theory.
His areas of teaching and research include cultural studies, screen studies (film, television, the Internet), and cultural theory.
Today, Friday, 19 March 2021 is the final day for registering for this event. The link to the inaugural lecture will be shared with registered participants by 24 March 2021.
Go to https://www.dut.ac.za/events/inaugural-lecture-professor-j-p-wade-faculty-of-arts-and-design-virtual/, for more information on how to register until today.
Pictured: Professor Jean-Philippe Wade
