Sociology Professor Lynn Owens is bringing in a guest lecturer this Friday. Professor Jeff Ferrell’s lecture, “Empire of Scrounge: Inside the Urban Underground of Dumpster Diving, Trash Picking and Street Scavenging,” Lynn warns, may verge on the “freakin’ awesome.”
For Jeff Ferrell, professor of sociology, criminal justice and anthropology at Texas Christian University, dumpster diving and trash picking is more than just a way to meet day-to-day survival needs. It is also provides an entry into analyzing and understanding the intersections between consumer society, global economies, and the regulation of legal and illegal activity. In his public lecture, “Empire of Scrounge: Inside the Urban Underground of Dumpster Diving, Trash Picking and Street Scavenging,” Ferrell will share his experiences and insights gleaned after quitting his job as a tenured professor and living for 8 months from whatever he could find in the trash.
Date: Friday, December 1
Time: 4:30pm
Place: PAC 002
Lynn will be hosting an informal get-together at his home after the lecture with the promise of snacks. If you are interested in attending to meet Jeff and talk about his adventures on the streets, please feel free to contact Lynn at lowens@wes for details.