GRANVILLE -- The Denison University Lecture Series will host James South to discuss "Buffy, Faith and the Meaning of Life." This event, set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday (Oct. 21) in the Burton-Morgan Lecture Room, is free and open to the public. South's newest book,Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale, will be the subject of this multimedia presentation. In the tradition of classic horror films, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" addresses ethical issues that have long fascinated audiences and South's discussion will examine crucial ethical and metaphysical aspects of the "Buffyverse" (the world of Buffy).

South served as editor of the Buffy volume, a collection of 23 essays by young professional philosophers based on the movie and popular television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Designed as a multilevel story with most of its meanings deeply buried in heaps of heavy irony, the show explains to Americans the nature of the powerful forces of evil continually threatening to surge into our world of everyday decency and overwhelm it. Although the show has already received much scholarly attention, South's book is the first to fully disinter intellectual issues from the pop-culture phenomenon.

South has served since 2002 as an associate professor of philosophy at Marquette University. He also worked as an instructor in philosophy from 1991 to 1994 at Duke University and as an assistant professor of philosophy at Marquette University from 1995 to 2002. South graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of South Carolina in 1980, and also earned a master's degree from the University in 1990 and his doctorate from Duke University in 1995.

South is also the author of several articles and essays including "All Torment, Trouble, Wonder and Amazement Inhabits Here: The Vicissitudes of Technology in Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "My God, It's Like a Greek Tragedy" and "Intellectual Knowledge of Material Particulars in Thomas Aquinas: An Introduction." He is a member of several professional organizations such as the Renaissance Society of America, American Philosophical Association, Society for Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy and American Culture Association. South, along with John Jentz, was awarded a Mellon Grant in 2000 for the Logic and Information Literacy Project.

During his visit at Denison, South will participate in a philosophy colloquium titled "Suarez, Pomponazzi and Aquinas: The Immortality Controversy in Context" at 3:30 p.m. on Friday (Oct. 22) in Room 212 of Samson Talbot Hall. He also will attend a philosophy class where he will speak on the topic, "The Aristotelian Account of Soul and its Aftermath," and meet with students over lunch.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575