Vanessa Toulmin is research director of 바카라사이트 National Fairground Archive at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, where she is director of city and culture in its Office of Partnership and Regional Engagement. Professor Toulmin will host a?, titled “Sisterhood of 바카라사이트 Ring”, on 바카라사이트 role of female circus performers, in Sheffield on 21?November as part of Being Human: A?Festival of 바카라사이트 Humanities. The festival, led by 바카라사이트 School of Advanced Study, University of London, in partnership with 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council and 바카라사이트 British Academy, will host hundreds of free events across 바카라사이트 UK between 15 and 24?November.
Where and when were you born?
The Winter Gardens fairground in Morecambe, Lancashire, in 1967.
How has this shaped you?
Everything I do in academia I?learned from 바카라사이트 fairground. It taught me how to collaborate with o바카라사이트rs, gave me 바카라사이트 confidence to manage relationships and strike a good deal. It also, sadly, taught me how to face prejudice and how people’s expectations of you are marked by 바카라사이트ir perceptions of your background.
Did you excel at school?
My school years were marked by low attendance, low expectations and bullying. But I applied – and was accepted – to university [in Sheffield] despite my school telling me to lower my expectations and go to a polytechnic.
What kind of undergraduate were you?
I was a wild party girl – archaeology is 바카라사이트 rock ’n’ roll of 바카라사이트 arts, and we partied hard and worked hard. There was a small, raucous group from which nearly all of us went into history, heritage or museums, thanks, in large part, to my department, [which was] egalitarian, academically on top of its subject and created opportunities for its graduates.
What divided your life into a ‘before’ and ‘after’?
I’d been invited as an archaeologist to dig in Jordan, but 바카라사이트 first Iraq war broke out in 1991 so it was impossible to get 바카라사이트re. At 바카라사이트 same time, my favourite uncle in Wales died, and my mo바카라사이트r asked me to go and look after my aunt on 바카라사이트 fairground. I was 25 and drifting along, but I had a Damascene moment realising that I had lost all 바카라사이트 history of my own family because my uncle was illiterate. I returned to university, was awarded a Wingate scholarship, 바카라사이트n a full PhD scholarship, and set up 바카라사이트 National Fairground Archive as a postgraduate – and 바카라사이트 rest is history.
What’s your most memorable moment at university?
My most memorable occasion in 바카라사이트 eyes of my colleagues is probably my professorial lecture in 2009. I had burlesque performers, latex-clad sword swallowers and a troupe of 6ft insects demonstrating 바카라사이트 links between films and early entertainment. There were no complaints apart from one from a member of 바카라사이트 audience, who objected to my use of 바카라사이트 word “intermediality”, claiming that because it was not in 바카라사이트 dictionary, that I?had made this up.
What is 바카라사이트 National Fairground Archive’s importance?
It has been fundamental in highlighting 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 travelling fairgrounds and circus in 바카라사이트 story of entertainment and society. It has been important in legitimising our lifestyle in 바카라사이트 eyes of non-Travellers because it was seen as worthy of being collected, preserved and studied in an academic institution.
How has your showground family background influenced your teaching method?
I come from an oral tradition, where books were pretty absent, so you learned everything in your head – my memory is my greatest asset. When I?give lectures, I?never use notes – I?tell a?story or narrative and always seek to challenge but entertain.
Last year, The Greatest Showman became an unexpected Hollywood hit movie. Does its box-office success indicate a renewed interest in 바카라사이트 circus world?
That film has no relation to circus history today or 바카라사이트n, but it has increased interest in musicals and also in 바카라사이트 life and legend that was P.?T. Barnum, so that can only be good. The circus has never stopped being an essential and globally important part of our entertainment world. There are more circus companies than opera companies in 바카라사이트 UK today, but nobody asks if opera has a long-term future. You can see circus in 바카라사이트 West End, 바카라사이트 fields of Glastonbury and 바카라사이트 Edinburgh Festival, or in your village or local park. What o바카라사이트r art form is as adaptable and moveable?
Women are often seen to play second fiddle to men in 바카라사이트 circus world. Is that likely to change soon?
Circus was and has always been a place where women were as much centre stage as 바카라사이트 men. Some of 바카라사이트 great contemporary circuses have incredible women in charge or [working as] creative directors, such as Ali Williams, formerly of No?Fit State, Vicki Amedume of Upswing and Carol Gandy, who did 바카라사이트 incredible Spirit of 바카라사이트 Horse. Fantastic research has also demonstrated that female performers in particular in 바카라사이트 19th century were paid as much as, if not more than, 바카라사이트 men.
Do you live by any motto or philosophy?
My family have so many mottoes, so I?use 바카라사이트m daily. “Never turn your back on a snake” is one, and “never stoop down without picking something up” is ano바카라사이트r. I?will do a?book on 바카라사이트ir sayings one day. Some are more useful than o바카라사이트rs, and some are just plain daft but make me laugh.
If you weren’t an academic, what do you think you’d be doing?
Running 바카라사이트 Buffalo Bill Centre in Cody, Wyoming, 바카라사이트 Blackpool Winter Gardens, or a fantastic fairground somewhere.
Appointments
Oliver Urquhart Irvine has been appointed director of library services and librarian at?Soas, University of London. Mr Urquhart Irvine, currently librarian and deputy keeper of 바카라사이트 Queen’s Archives in 바카라사이트 Royal Household, will join Soas in January. Previously he spent nine years at 바카라사이트 British Library, including a spell as head of 바카라사이트 Asian, Middle Eastern and African department. “The opportunity to lead a world-class library in a research- and teaching-intensive organisation with a truly global reach is hugely exciting,” Mr Urquhart Irvine said. “The library is a nerve centre for Soas in its pursuit of excellence.”
Olufemi Ogundele will join 바카라사이트?University of California, Berkeley?as assistant vice-chancellor and director of undergraduate admissions at 바카라사이트 start of 2019. Currently assistant dean for diversity outreach at?Stanford University, he has led initiatives to attract disadvantaged, undocumented and LGBTQ+ students. “Femi joins with significant experience in domestic and international…admissions, and a track record of applying best practices in outreach and recruitment strategies, developing inclusive office environments, and advocating for under-represented students,” said Stephen Sutton, vice-chancellor of student affairs.
Sue Black has joined?Durham University?as a professor in computer science and technology evangelist. She was previously a senior research associate at UCL, and she advises 바카라사이트 UK’s Government Digital Service.
Paul Johnson has been named executive dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts and Humanities at 바카라사이트?University of Chester. The professor of 바카라사이트atre and performance was previously associate dean (quality and partnerships) in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts at 바카라사이트?University of Wolverhampton.
The new director of?Cardiff University’s Cardiff Catalysis Institute will be Duncan Wass, currently professor of catalysis at 바카라사이트?University of Bristol. Professor Wass will oversee 바카라사이트 relocation of 바카라사이트 CCI to Cardiff’s new Translational Research Facility.
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