VICKI KIRBY

GENERAL PROFILE

Vicki Kirby (BA, Dip. Ed., MA (Hons Prelim, Sydney: PhD (University of California at Santa Cruz) teaches and researches in the areas of poststructuralism, feminist theory, posthumanism and technology studies. Her particular research focus is a deconstructive rethinking of matter, language and "system". In Telling Flesh: the substance of the corporeal, (Routledge, 1997), she explores these questions in terms of the body. She has published widely on the question of sexual difference and the politics of cultural representation, and her more recent work is an engagement with technofutures, genetics, cybernetics. She has been the recipient of many academic awards over the years and will be the Visiting Humanities Professor at the George Washington University, Washington DC in Fall Semester, 2001.

Postgraduate thesis supervision topics include:
"Fur and Fashion"
"Where Two Paradigms Meet: The Humanities and Social Sciences as a Site of Disjunction"
"Corporealities and the Internet
"Posthumanism and the Question of Technology"
"The Status of the Human"
"Cyberspace and Embodiment"
"Re-Cognising Power: A Discourse Analysis of Power Relations"
"Well Being Through Movement: Exploring the PhD Degree

Curriculum Vitae

Areas Of Specialty

Contemporary Critical Theory, Cultural Studies, Feminism, Technology and the Post-Human.

Education

June 1992: awarded PhD, History of Consciousness Program, University of California Santa Cruz 'Corporeographies: the body at the scene of writing'. (Examining Committee: James Clifford, Hayden White, Elizabeth Grosz, Victor Burgin)
1986: awarded Master of Arts (Prelim.) First Class Honours in Social Anthropology, University of Sydney.
1974: awarded graduate Diploma of Education, University of Sydney.
1973: awarded Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney (Major: English).

PUBLICATIONS
BOOKS
Telling Flesh: the substance of the corporeal New York: Routledge, 1997.

Reviews - Current and Forthcoming*

Social Semiotics: A Transdisciplinary Journal in Functional Linguistics, Semiotics and Critical Theory
Australian Humanities Review
UTS Review: Cultural Studies and New Writing
The Australian Journal of Communication
The Australian Women's Book Review
Australian Feminist Studies
Postmodern Culture (PMC)
Configurations: Journal of Literature, Science and Technology
Constellations: International Journal of Critical and Democratic Theory
*Semiotic Review of Books
*Sophia: Journal for Philosophical Theology and Cross-Cultural Philosophy of Religion
*Hypatia: Journal of Feminist Philosophy

EDITED PAPERS

Issues in Feminist Theorising University of Waikato Women's Studies Occasional Paper Series, No. 8, October 1992.

BOOK CHAPTERS

'Culpability and the Double-Cross: Irigaray with Merleau-Ponty', D. Olkowski and G Weiss (eds.), Feminist Interpretations of Merleau-Ponty under consideration.

'Just Figures' in D. Wills (ed.), Book/Ends: Transformations of the Book seeking publisher.

'Language Trouble' in Judith Butler: Ten Years After Gender Trouble in M. Soenser Breen and W. S. Blumenfield (eds.), Kluwer forthcoming.

'Theory Incorporated' in M. Texler Segal and V. Demos (eds.), The International Feminist Challenge to Theory Elsevier Press, forthcoming.

'Quantum Anthropologies' in H. Worth and L. Simmons (eds.), Derrida Downunder: Deconstruction at the Millennium DunmorePress, forthcoming.

'On the Cutting Edge: Feminism and Clitoridectomy', in O. Nnaemeka (ed), African Women and Imperialism: Refocusing the Circumcision Debate, Lawrenceville NJ: African World Press forthcoming.
'Keskin Kenarda: Feminizm ve Kliteridektomi', in M. Mutman, F. Keyman and M. Yegenoglu (eds.), Hegemonya ve Fark Istanbul: Iletisim Yayinlari, 1996.

'Response to Jane Gallop's "The Teacher's Breasts": Bad Form', in Jill Julius Matthews (ed.), Jane Gallop Seminar Papers Humanities Research Centre, The Australian National University, Canberra, 1994.

'Viral Identities: Feminisms and Postmodernisms', in A. Burns and N. Grieve (eds.), Australian Women: Contemporary Feminist Thought Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1994.

' "Feminisms, reading, postmodernisms": Rethinking Complicity', in S. Gunew and A. Yeatman (eds.), Feminism and the Politics of Difference Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1993.

'Corpus Delicti: the body at the scene of writing' in R. Diprose & R. Ferrell eds., Cartographies: Poststructuralism and the Mapping of Bodies and Spaces Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1991.

REFEREED ARTICLES

'Interview with Judith Butler' (several interviewers), International Journal of Sexuality and Gender Studies, forthcoming Spring, 2001.

''Turning Corporeal' : Horst Ruthrof Semantics and the Body: Meaning from Frege to the Postmodern. (1997) Toronto, Buffalo, London: University of Toronto Press', Semiotic Review of Books Volume 10, Number 1, 1999.

'Human/Nature', Australian Feminist Studies, Vol 14, No. 29, April 1999, 19-29.

'Review - Warren Shapiro and Uli Linke (eds.) Denying Biology: Essays on Gender and Pseudo-Procreation. Lanham Maryland: University Press of America, Inc., 1996', The Australian Journal of Anthropology, Vol 9: No. 1, April 1998, 122-124.

'Feminisms and Postmodernisms: Anthropology and the Management of Difference', Anthropological Quarterly, Vol. 66, No. 3, July 1993, 127-133; reprinted as ' "Feminisms, reading, postmodernisms": Rethinking Complicity', in S. Gunew and A. Yeatman (eds.), Feminism and the Politics of Difference Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1993.

'Corporeal Habits: addressing essentialism differently', Hypatia: Journal of Feminist Philosophy, Vol. 6, No. 3, Fall 1991, 9-24; reprinted as Addressing essentialism differently... some thoughts on the corpo-real University of Waikato, Women's Studies Occasional Paper Series, No. 4, August 1992; reprinted as 'Corpus Delicti: the body at the scene of writing' in R. Diprose & R. Ferrell (eds.), Cartographies: Poststructuralism and the Mapping of Bodies and Spaces Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1991.

(Invited) 'Comment on Frances E. Mascia-Lees, Patricia Sharpe, and Colleen Ballerino Cohen "The Postmodernist Turn in Anthropology: Cautions From A Feminist Perspective" ', Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, Vol. 16: No. 2, Winter 1991, 9-15.

'Re-writing: Postmodernism and Ethnography', Mankind, Vol. 19: No. 1, April 1989, 36-45.

'Capitalising Difference: Feminism and Anthropology', Australian Feminist Studies, No. 9, Autumn 1989, 1-24.

'Corporeographies', Inscriptions: Journal for the Critique of Colonial Discourse, Vol. 5, 1989, 103-119; reprinted as
'Corporeographies', West: an interdisciplinary journal, Vol. 1: No. 1, 1989, 8-11.

'On the Cutting Edge: Feminism and Clitoridectomy', Australian Feminist Studies, No. 5, Summer 1987, 35-55; reprinted as 'Keskin Kenarda: Feminizm ve Kliteridektomi', in M. Mutman, F. Keyman and M. Yegenoglu (eds.), Hegemonya ve Fark Istanbul: Iletisim Yayinlari, 1996; reprinted as O. Nnaemeka (ed.), African Women and Imperialism: Refocusing the Circumcision Debate, Lawrenceville NJ: African World Press forthcoming.

'Review - Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography', Oceania, Vol. 58: No. 4, June 1988, 315-316.

ARTICLES

'Value' in P. Bouissac (ed.), Encyclopedia of Semiotics New York: Oxford University Press, 1998, 624-627.

'Cultural Difference' in P. Bouissac (ed.), Encyclopedia of Semiotics New York: Oxford University Press, 1998, 153-157.

Catalog essay - 'Reality Bytes', Apparitions by Vital Signs for Site94, University Art Gallery, University of California San Diego, 1994.

'Dangerous Liaisons: Feminisms and Lacan', Afterimage, Vol. 18: No. 3, October 1990, 14-15; reprinted as 'Changing the Subject', Refractory Girl, No. 37, December 1990, 49-51.

'Interview: Debra Dawes and Vicki Kirby', West: an interdisciplinary journal, Vol. 2: No. 1, 1990, 12-13.

'Habeas Corpus', Afterimage, Vol. 17: No. 3, October 1989, 8-9.

'Primitive Collage: On Writing Anthropology', The Age Monthly Review, Vol. 9: No. 6, September 1989, 19-21.

'Telling Flesh', Art & Text, No. 33, Winter 1989, 101-104.

'Killing Time' (co-authored with G. Batchen), Photofile, Vol. 3: No. 2, Winter 1985, 25-26.

PRESENTATIONS (Last 6 years)

2000

Invited Speaker - "Just Figures", Bookends: Transformations of the Book SUNY, Albany, October 11-14, 2000.
Departmental Seminar, "'Cultural Constructionism' - a Conservative Doxa?" School of Media and Communications, University of New South Wales, August 23, 2000.
Invited Speaker - "Quantum Anthropologies", McGill University, Montréal April 27, 2000.
Panelist: "From the Tactile to the Embrace" Uncommon Senses Conference, Concordia University, Montréal April 27-29, 2000.
Panelist: "Quantum Anthropologies", International Association for Philosophy and Literature SUNY Stonybrook May 9-13, 2000

1999

Keynote Speaker: 'Reflections of a Naive Realist, or, Doing Deconstruction the Hard Way' - Annual Meeting of the Sociological Association of Aotearoa, New Zealand, November 26, 1999.
Panelist: 'Quantum Anthropologies', Society for Literature and Science Annual Conference, University of Oklahoma, Norman, October 8, 1999.
Invited Speaker: 'Quantum Anthropologies' - Derrida Downunder Conference, University of Auckland, August 18-19, 1999.
Invited Speaker: Seminar on Telling Flesh, Institute for Research on Gender, Auckland University, August 17, 1999.
Invited Speaker: Response to Stelarc: Extra Ear/Exoskeleton/Avatars', Museum of Sydney, February 20, 1999.

1998

Panelist: 'Letter Sensations and Embodied Life', Modern Language Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, December 29, 1998.
Invited Speaker: Natural Bodies Seminar - 'Human/Nature', The Department of Gender Studies and the Research Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (RIHSS), University of Sydney, September 16, 1998.
Invited Speaker: 'Toward a Corporeal Sociology' PreCongress (Women in Society) ISA XIV World Congress of Sociology, with The McGill Centre for Research and Teaching on Women, MontrŽ al, Canada, July 21-25, 1998.
Invited Speaker: 'Why Post-Humanism?', Communication and Cultural Studies Programme, University of Wollongong, June 4, 1998.

1997

Invited Speaker: 'Beyond Humanism: Science Studies Engages Feminism', Seminar Series, Centre for Women's Studies, University of Sydney, October 30, 1997.
Invited Speaker: 'The Word as Flesh: Why Critical Theory Matters', Centre for the Study of Sexually Transmissable Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, October 15, 1997.
Invited Speaker: 'Telling Flesh', Conference: Endings and Transformations: Cultural Studies and the Millenium' Cultural Studies Program,Trent University, Canada August 19-24, 1997.
Invited Speaker: 'The Culture Fix', Historical and Cultural Theory Conference California Institute of the Arts - Los Angeles, April 3-4, 1997.
Departmental Seminar: 'Reality Bytes' The Annenberg School of Communication University of Southern California, April 2, 1997.

1996

Departmental Seminar (SOCC) 'Conceiving Data' The University of New South Wales October 9, 1996.
Invited Speaker: 'Conceiving Data' The Ultimo Series - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences University of Technology, September 18, 1996.
Invited Speaker: 'Data', Conference: Bold The Graduate Programme in Women's Studies and the Department of Philosophy Australian National University, July 21, 1996.
Keynote Speaker: 'Data: Conceiving Artificial Life', Conference: Bodies, Technologies, and the Post-Human Condition, Postgraduate Association, Melbourne University, May 31, 1996.
Invited Speaker: 'Data: Conceiving Artificial Life', Conference: The Gift: Theory and Practice Philosophy Department and the Graduate Program in Methodologies for the Study of Western History and Culture Trent University, Canada May 17-19, 1996.
Invited Speaker: 'Substance Abuse', Conference: Sites of Theory and its Sites Graduate Program in Methodologies for the Study of Western History and Culture Trent University, Canada February 14-16, 1996.

1995

Keynote Speaker: 'Substance Abuse', Colloquium: The Culture Concept in Contemporary Criticism Institute for Critical and Cultural Studies, Monash University June 10, 1995.
Speaker: 'Accommodating Matter', Centre for Women's Studies, Monash University May 22, 1995.
Invited Speaker: 'Accommodating Matter', Centre for Women's Studies, Australian National University May 17, 1995.
Invited Speaker: 'Reality Bytes', Conference: Stages of the Virtual The Center for the Critical Analysis of Contemporary Culture, Rutgers, and the Program in European Cultural Studies, Princeton April 6-8, 1995.
Invited Speaker: 'Reality Bytes', Panel - Virtual Women, Society for Photographic Education Annual Meeting Atlanta Georgia March 16-19, 1995.
Invited Speaker: 'Accommodating Matter', Conference: The Unrepresentable Graduate Program in Methodologies for the Study of Western History and Culture Trent University, Canada February 3-5, 1995.

SUPERVISION

Postgraduates - UNSW - 1996-2000

Harshi Gunawardena - PhD (Joint Supervision) "Where Two Paradigms Meet: The Humanities and Social Sciences as a Site of Disjunction" (began 2000)
Melinda Rackham - PhD (Joint Supervision) "Corporealities and the Internet" (began 2000)
Olivia Harvey - PhD.... "Posthumanism and the Question of Technology" (began 2000)
Carol Sullivan PhD.... "The Status of the Human"
Peta Hinton PhD "Cyberspace and Embodiment"
Anna Bennett PhD "Re-Cognising Power: A Discourse Analysis of Power Relations" under examination.
Kathryn Owler PhD "Well Being Through Movement: Exploring the PhD Degree" - Awarded PhD October, 1999

Honours - UNSW - 1996-2000

Louise Surgenor - "Obtaining the Unobtainable: Penile Enlargement Surgery" Honours First Class 2000 - Awarded APA.
Dita Svelte - "Fashion: Utility/Futility" Honours First Class 2000 - Awarded APA
Natalie Ponting - (Joint Supervision) "Underdevelopment: How the West has Won", Honours First Class 2000
Georgina Isbister - "What is Sexual Difference?: Binary Structures and the Process of Interaction" - Honours Second Class First Division 2000
Olivia Harvey - "Artificial Intelligence and Perceptions of Human-ness" Honours First Class 1999 - Awarded APA
Marta Jary - "Real Life in Cyberspace" - Honours Second Class First Division 1998
Amanda Kaard - "An Altered Corporeal State" Honours First Class 1997

ADMINISTRATION, EXAMINATIONS, COMMITTEES

1996-00 - UNSW

Postgraduate College Committee (00)
Selection Committee - Two Appointments - Lecturer Level B, School of Sociology (1999)
Head of School Nominating Committee (1998)
Higher Degree Committee (1996-1999)
Postgraduate Co-ordinator (1996-00)
Social Sciences and Humanities Library Advisory Committee (1996-1998)
Staff Seminar Co-ordinator (initiated the seminar programme) (1996-1998)
Department Liaison Officer - Vice Chancellor's Working Party on Educational Technology (1997)
Co-ordinator - Professional Development Teaching Skills (1996-00)

2000
Examiner - Carly Harper: BA Honours Thesis: 'The Corporeal & Instrumental: Embodiment of Technoscience' Communication Studies, Murdoch University, Perth.

1999
Examiner - Raya Darcy: BA Honours Thesis: 'The Motorcycle Journey: Blurry Embodiment of Being' School of Sociology, The University of New South Wales Examiner: - Valerie Hazel: PhD: 'Memory: an absent witness' Centre for Women's Studies, Monash University, Melbourne

1997
Examiner - Heather Betty Worth: PhD: 'A Question of Pleasure: Foucault, Sexuality and the Erotic'- Oral Examiner Sociology, The University of Auckland Examiner - Marsha Rosengarten: PhD: 'Blood and the Fragility of Identity' Social Sciences: University of Technology, Sydney Examiner - Stephen Mullins: MA: In the Fields of Difference: Cyborgs and Anthropology Anthropology and Sociology, Monash University, Melbourne

1996
Examiner - Susan Vermeeren: BA Honours thesis: 'Telling The 'Truth' of Gender Women's Studies, Australian National University, Canberra Examiner - Richard Lindell: BA Honours Thesis: 'Fragmented Nation: (A) Hybrid Desire' Sociology, Culture and Communication, The University of New South Wales

1995
Examination Committee - David Weiner: Master of Fine Arts: 'Critical Theory and Photography' School of Art and School of Critical Studies, California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles

1994
First Year Review Committee Examiner - Susan Schuppli: Master of Fine Arts: 'Night Walker' Visual Arts Department, University of California, San Diego

1994
External Examiner - Susan Duncan: Master of Social Science: 'The Siren Song of Categoric (De)construction' University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

1988
Steering Committee Predicaments of Theory Conference Cultural Studies/History of Consciousness, University of California, Santa Cruz

1987-89
Committee Member, Critique of Colonial Discourse Group University of California, Santa Cruz

EDITORIAL BOARDS, JOURNAL REFEREE

2000 Referee Australian Feminist Studies, University of Adelaide.

1991-00 Consulting Editor, Editorial Review Committee Social Semiotics: A Transdisciplinary Journal in Functional Linguistics, Semiotics and Critical Theory Central Queensland University.

1993 & 1999 Referee Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society University of Chicago

1999 Referee UTS Review University of Technology, Sydney

1988 Editorial Committee, Inscriptions (No. 3/4)

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Modern Languages Association
Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy
International Association for Philosophy and Literature
Society for Literature and Science
Research Committee - International Sociological Association

School of Sociology,
The University of New South Wales,
Sydney NSW 2052
Australia

Ph: +612 9385 2290
Fax: +612 9313 7859
E-mail:
V.Kirby@unsw.edu.au

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