Elske v.P. Smith Lecture: Theorizing Political Martyrdom: George Floyd, Ashli Babbitt, and the Crisis of American Democracy
Wednesday, September 21 at 11 a.m.
Richmond Salons I-II, University Commons
Please join VCU's College of Humanities and Sciences for the Annual Elske v.P. Smith Lecture. This year our distinguished lecturer is Andrew Murphy, Ph.D., formerly of the Department of Political Science. Murphy will give his talk, "Theorizing Political Martyrdom: George Floyd, Ashli Babbitt, and the Crisis of American Democracy." Register below.
George Floyd and Ashli Babbitt died just over seven months apart: Floyd on a Minneapolis street corner in late May 2020, Babbitt while attempting to enter the Speaker’s Lobby through a shattered window during the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Their deaths reverberated across the nation in powerful ways, with viral images and voluminous commentary circulating almost instantly, and rival social movements attempting to discern broader meanings in their respective deaths. Many of the participants in these discussions invoked the imagery of martyrdom, variously presenting Floyd’s and Babbitt’s deaths as pointing to something larger than themselves. But what makes a martyr a martyr?
The Elske v.P. Smith Distinguished Lecturer recognizes an outstanding professor in the College and was established in honor of retired faculty member and former dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences, Elske v.P. Smith, Ph.D. The annual lecture is intended to welcome faculty, staff, students, the community, and friends. The lecture is free and open to all.
