Prof. Christine Balance, the 2024 CUNY Thomas Tam Visiting Professor at the CUNY Graduate Center, will present ongoing research and writing from her book project, Making Sense of Martial Law. In it, she studies what the diverse and contradictory poetics of Philippine martial law (1972-1986) perform and reveal about authoritarianism and cultural memory, as illustrated by both U.S.- and Philippines-based performances and productions. Making Sense of Martial Law also aims to illuminate important facets of the relationship between art and politics in dictatorships across the globe.

Balance will offer a short presentation addressing the book’s main arguments, themes, and structure, and her research & writing process, as a way to open up discussion with others working in the fields of performance studies, cultural studies, transnational American studies, Filipino/Filipino American studies, and Southeast Asian studies, as well as those interested in bridging critical & creative writing, scholarly & public humanities projects.