Past Events: Activities: Renaissance Studies Program: Indiana University

“Transatlantic Touching in the Early Modern World,” a Lecture by Whitney Sperrazza

Friday, January 31, 2025, 4 p.m.—Friday, January 31, 2025, 6 p.m.

As part of a new series on “New Approaches to the Senses in the Renaissance,” the Renaissance Studies Program presents a lecture by Whitney Sperraza, Assistant Professor in the Department of English at Texas A&M University. The lecture will be followed by a roundtable with IU scholars Penelope Anderson (English), Kyung Cho (English), and Olimpia Rosenthal (Spanish & Portuguese), Q&A, and a reception.

“Embodied Politics through Music, Dance, and Emotions in Early Modern Spain,” a Lecture by Sherry Velasco

Friday, March 07, 2025, 3:15 p.m.—Friday, March 07, 2025, 5:30 p.m.

Our “New Approaches to the Senses in the Renaissance” series continues with a lecture by Sherry Velasco (University of Southern California). The lecture will be followed by a roundtable with IU scholars Massimo Ossi (Musicology), Matt Peisen (Spanish and Portuguese), and Sonia Velázquez (Comparative Literature and Religious Studies), by a Q&A, and a reception.

Film Screening: We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe (2024)

Friday, April 11, 2025, 4 p.m.—Friday, April 11, 2025, 7 p.m.

The Renaissance Studies Program presents a screening of the documentary film We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe (2024) by Fred Kudjo Kuwornu, followed by a roundtable with the director and IU scholars Olimpia Rosenthal (Spanish and Portuguese) and Alicia Kozma (Indiana University Cinema); Q&A; and reception.

“Indian Texts on Scented and Intoxicating Mixtures,” a Lecture by James McHugh

Friday, January 30, 2026, 4 p.m.—Friday, January 30, 2026, 6 p.m.

Our series on “The Senses in the Renaissance” continues in January with a lecture by James McHugh, Professor of South Asian religions at the University of Southern California.

Past Events

Archive of events

Renaissance Studies Program resources