Political Circus 2024 - Panel Discussion October 2024

The Center for Peace, Justice and Human Rights (PJHR) is co-sponsoring the visual culture exhibit Political Circus 2024 at the Schmidt Gallery at FAU.  On October 15, the Gallery held a panel on human rights in relation to the 2024 United States presidential campaign in the Schmidt Gallery. 

About seventy-five people came to the event, including students, staff, faculty and members of the community.  The panel opened with a joint presentation,  “LGBTQ+ Human Rights," from Comparative Studies PhD Candidate Peyton Sibert and undergraduate Honors program, Sociology major and WGSS minor Tori Jones. They offered a detailed comparison of each presidential and vice-presidential candidate regarding their policies in relation to LGBTQ+ rights.

This was followed by presentations from PJHR Affiliate faculty. Professor Karen Leader (Art History) gave a punchy talk “Cats Are Human Too” on the significance of felines to 2024 election discourse, while also providing a brief account of their ancient symbolic meanings. 

Professor Luisa Turbino-Torres summarized the issue of reproductive rights, pointing to key items of material culture from the assembled popular artifacts that illustrated these. 

Professor Jane Caputi (WGSS), who curated the popular culture segment of the show, drew on language from the Declaration of Human rights regarding the “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family" as being "the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” She criticized messages across the political spectrum that “weaponize disgust” to destroy the dignity of candidates. 

Professor Allan Barsky (Social Work) drew upon principles of peace and justice to suggest ways to dialogue across political difference in the most effective ways, stressing the need for community building rather than line drawing. A lively discussion then ensued among all. 

The Political Circus 2024 exhibit will be on display through November 24, 2024. More information at fau.edu/galleries