Dialogue and Debate: Questioning Commemorations
Date: Nov 13
7:00 pm
- 8:30 pm
Where: Theatre
How do we commemorate war? Whose stories get told? And when do we tell them? Join The Rooms and Memorial University for Dialogue and Debate: Questioning Commemorations to challenge our ideas and preconceptions on what it means to remember.
Dialogue and Debate is an event series that invites experts from Memorial University to discuss and expand on the collections and exhibitions featured at The Rooms. The discussions are lively, informative and designed for the public.
This is a free event but a ticket is required. Reserve your free ticket online or by calling (709)757-8090.
Featured Debaters:
Dr. Vicki Hallett
Dr. Vicki Hallett is a settler Newfoundlander and an associate professor in the Department of Gender Studies at Memorial University, where she teaches on topics such as feminist theory, genders and sexualities, and masculinities. Currently interim academic editor of Memorial University Press, she also researches and writes about the complex ways identity and place are created and expressed through life narrative. Her primary focus in these endeavours is the people of Newfoundland and Labrador whose stories have shaped and been shaped by this place, yet haven’t received the attention and honour they deserve. Dr. Hallett has authored multiple scholarly works, including the book Mistress of the Blue Castle: The Writing Life of Phebe Florence Miller (ISER Books, 2018), which was shortlisted for the Newfoundland and Labrador Book Awards in 2019.
Dr. Lucian Ashworth
Dr. Lucian Ashworth is a professor of political science at Memorial University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Prior to joining Memorial, he taught and researched at the University of Limerick in Ireland for 16 years. He is the author of A History of International Thought (Routledge, 2014), and his main area of research interest is international relations. He is currently writing a book on international relations and time for the Routledge Worlding Beyond the West series, and he teaches the popular course, The Global Politics of the End of the World (As We Know It).
Today's Events & Programs
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon with Gemma Hickey, renowned author, humanitarian, and architect of change.
Gemma does not simply tell stories; they move systems. From quiet rooms to global stages, grassroots movements to halls of power, Gemma’s voice has challenged governments, confronted the Catholic Church, and amplified the rights and recognition of marginalized communities worldwide. Their art and advocacy rise from lived experience, razor-sharp insight, and a wit that disarms even as it demands attention.
In this candid conversation, Gemma reflects on childhood, gender fluidity, and a life lived beyond the boundaries others tried to impose. Anchored by the enduring love of their Nan, these stories trace a powerful arc; from vulnerability to resilience, silence to truth, survival to change, and show how one voice, spoken without fear or apology, can echo far beyond the room, changing lives, laws, and futures at home and beyond.
The event includes a live audience Q&A. Includes admission to the exhibition Erica Rutherford: Her Lives and Works.
Tickets: $12 plus HST. Free for Rooms members. Get your tickets online or by calling 709-757-8090.