Dr. Deis Influences International Conference

Elizabeth Deis, whose warm smile and genuine interest invites conversation, is Elliott Professor of Rhetoric and Humanities at Hampden-Sydney College. It's no wonder that she was awarded the Senior Class Award this year for her contributions to the College, its students, and the community. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the American Men's Studies Association. The Association strives to advance the critical study of men and masculinities by encouraging the development of teaching, research and clinical practice in the field of men's studies. 

The Association is interdisciplinary and includes teachers, researchers, students, and practitioners in both the social sciences and the humanities. Deis, who was chair of the 24th annual conference planning committee, wanted to ensure this year's conference was intentionally interdisciplinary. That's when she came up with the theme "(Un)Masking Masculinities: Constructing and Deconstructing Representations of Masculinities." The metaphor pulled the conference together and achieved what Deis and the Board had hoped to accomplish. 

Matt Carter '18, Terrance Harris '16, Ethan Sabo '16, and Teddy West '16 attended and presented at the conference. Their participation included a panel titled "Teaching Men's Studies 'by Committee' at a Liberal Arts College for Men", an exhibit of original photographs entitled The Dance, and a poster presentation titled "Fighting the Male Stereotype at an All-Male College." After the presentations, the students had discussions with attendees at which they had to answer any question thrown at them. According to Teddy West, "the conference provided [us] with an opportunity to ... receive critique of [our] work in a professional manner, as well as to attend workshops and panels that were informative and constructive." 

Students who have gone to the conference have found the experience to be thought provoking. It is witnessing this development in the students that has inspired Deis to pursue a new idea. Her dream is to have the AMSA sponsor an undergraduate conference. The existing conference has 300 attendees from all over the world including Indonesia, Poland, and Chile, as well as a flood of proposals to present. This limits availability for student participation. The new conference would provide opportunities for more undergraduates to present and have discussions among their peers. 

The discussions at the conference, however, start in a Hampden-Sydney classroom. Students are encouraged to have meaningful discussions in which they can express their opinions but must be able to defend their thoughts with purposeful arguments and reflection. Deis strongly feels that this strengthens their liberal arts education. She feels that masculinity should be studied, particularly with Hampden-Sydney's unique place as an all-male institution. When asked about her thoughts on the College's status, she admits that there was a time she wondered if H-SC should become co-ed. Now she realizes that it's an exciting time to be a men's college and to explore conversations surrounding gender studies in this setting. 

Hampden-Sydney faculty and students at the AMSA conference.

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