Exploring our attachment to sentimental songs the focus of upcoming PUBlic Professor Series presentation

trevor.kenney — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 20:24:28 +0000

**This event is at capacity**

We all have them, those emotional connections to pop songs from the soundtrack of our past. They invoke real feelings when you catch them on the radio or are featured in TV and movie productions. You might even feel a little guilty admitting they still tug at your emotions — why?

Dr. Emily Gale, an assistant professor of musicology/ethnomusicology in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Department of Music, will examine these sentimental songs and why we should take our sounded feelings seriously in her PUBlic Professor Series talk, Sentimental Songs for Sentimental People, Thursday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m., at The Owl Acoustic Lounge (free event, cash bar, everyone welcome).

Dr. Emily Gale's PUBlic Professor talk will take place at the Owl Acoustic Lounge.

“Feeling remains critical to how and why most listeners engage with popular song,” says Gale. “However, these same songs might be ones you are embarrassed to admit liking or connecting with, a guilty pleasure if you will. Why do we have these ideas and where do these judgments come from?”

Gale’s talk will look at the history of English language sentimental songs over the last 250 years, then focus on two examples of songs from the 1850s and 1960s and their unexpected political histories.

“What are the consequences of relegating sentimental songs to a denigrated status,” she asks. “I’ll then discuss why we should take these sounded feelings seriously.”

Gale’s book in progress, Sentimental Songs for Sentimental People: An Unheard History of US Popular Music, analyzes the politics of affect and sentimentality within US popular music from the late 18th century to the present. Chapters on love, youth, death, tears, home and feels tune in to the counter public reverberations of a repertory long-considered trite, and even embarrassing, revealing unlikely entanglements. She has been broadcasting radio shows about this research since 2019 (on SUB_ʇXƎʇ and on UCC98.3FM) and her voice appears as a pop commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered and in the Los Angeles Times.

This is the fifth of six talks in the annual PUBlic Professor Series lectures which feature thought-provoking discussions on the most relevant topics of the day, bringing together a diverse group of experts and researchers from across the ULethbridge campus and into the community. Every talk is free of charge, but registration is required. For those who cannot attend, the talk will be available on the ULethbridge YouTube channel following the presentation.

See more at ulethbridge.ca/research/public-professor.

Ending homelessness the first topic of engaging 2024-2025 PUBlic Professor Series

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:33:05 +0000

Six topics, six issues and six opportunities to engage with the experts who are at the forefront of research and fostering understanding — the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge presents the lineup for the 2024-25 PUBlic Professor Series.

Dr. Rebecca Schiff says hope is not lost in the struggle to end homelessness.

The annual lecture series designed to spark thought-provoking discussions on the most relevant topics of the day brings together a diverse group of experts and researchers from across campus and into the community. Every talk is free of charge.

“At its core, PUBlic Professor has always been about community outreach and allowing the broader community the opportunity to engage with our faculty members and tap into their insight and expertise,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge’s vice-president (research). “This year’s lineup of speakers is diverse in subject matter, extremely topical and one I’m really excited about. We have some very difficult issues that will hit close to home for many people and others that are more light and extremely fascinating. I think it shows the breadth of study here at ULethbridge and the opportunities our students enjoy every day.”

The first talk of the series, on Thursday, Sept. 26, 7 to 9 p.m., at the Sandman Signature Lethbridge Lodge, features Dr. Rebecca Schiff discussing one of the most pressing issues of the day — Ending Homelessness.

The rate of homelessness has exploded across Canada, and Schiff has an important message: hope is not cancelled. For nearly two decades, Schiff has worked with individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as homelessness agencies and organizations across the country on diverse homelessness research and action-research projects to understand how we can move towards a society where everyone is safely housed.

“Unfortunately, over the past two to three years, homelessness has doubled, tripled or more in most communities across our country,” says Schiff. “In my talk, I’ll share ideas, thoughts, solutions and actions that we can take to ensure that we can end homelessness in Canada.”

A transdisciplinary scholar and administrator whose research spans the fields of health sciences, social sciences, humanities and environmental sciences, Schiff began her role as deputy provost in May 2024. Her research work has included funding from a wide array of sources, including the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). She has been a principal or co-applicant on 50-plus research projects totaling over $13 million in grants and has authored/co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications. She has also produced three books, with her most recent — Pandemic preparedness and homelessness: International lessons from COVID-19 — released in September 2024.

Ensuing talks take place in October, November and January, February and March 2025. The series will also be held at some new venues, including the Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre, The Slice Bar and Grill, and Owl Acoustic Lounge.

“Some of the topics lend themselves well to new venues and hopefully we will welcome some new community members and ULethbridge alumni who have never experienced a PUBlic Professor presentation before,” adds McMartin.

The series lineup is as follows:

2024-25 PUBlic Professor Series

Ending Homelessness — Dr. Rebecca Schiff, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024 — Sandman Signature Lethbridge Lodge

Fiat Lux (Or, why honey bees are practically magic) — Dr. Shelley Hoover, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 — Lethbridge & District Exhibition Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre

Will Generative AI Change the World? — Dr. Sidney Shapiro, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 — The Slice Bar and Grill

Political and Policy Innovation in Alberta: The More Things Change . . . ? — Dr. Lars Hallstrom, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 — Sandman Signature Lethbridge Lodge

Sentimental Songs for Sentimental People — Dr. Emily Gale, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 — Owl Acoustic Lounge

Does Reading Even Matter Anymore? — Dr. Robin Bright (BA ’79, BEd ’82, MEd ’88), Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025 — Sandman Signature Lethbridge Lodge

UNews - Emily Gale

Exploring our attachment to sentimental songs the focus of upcoming PUBlic Professor Series presentation

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Ending homelessness the first topic of engaging 2024-2025 PUBlic Professor Series

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