Gender-based violence topic of WSU Common Reading speaker Amber Morczek Sept. 7
Pullman, Wash. — The Washington State University Common Reading Program hosts a lecture on the connection between rape culture and violence towards women Wed., Sept. 7, at 7 p.m. in CUE 203. Criminal justice and criminology doctoral candidate Amber Morczek will speak about the pervasiveness of gender-based violence at the free public presentation.
A recipient of the 2016 inaugural Student Affairs Outstanding Student Award, Morczek’s research interests include violence toward women, rape culture, and pornography. She currently works with WSU Violence Prevention Programs educating students, faculty, and staff about gender-based violence, and the importance of bystander intervention. Morczek’s delves into many issues similar to those experienced by Malala Yousafzai, author of this year’s common reading book, I am Malala. At the Common Reading Lecture, Morczek will cover the significance of rape culture and how a cultural framework that normalizes and condones violence against women impacts our society.
The Common Reading Program began in Pullman in 2007 to help students, their teachers, and the community better engage in academically centered critical thinking, communication, research, and learning around a body of shared information presented in a single, specially selected book. The two-year “leadership and social justice” theme of the WSU-wide common reading initiative—which is celebrating its 10th year in Pullman—is in keeping with WSU’s Grand Challenges, a suite of initiatives aimed at large societal issues. I Am Malala examines violence towards women through a young Pakistani woman’s personal encounter with the Taliban.