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Reading Group: "The World Beyond Your Head" with Dr. Ryan Womack

Wed, Oct 31

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The Perry-Castañeda Library, 4.120 B

What does it mean to be have agency, to see the effect of one's choices in the world? In an increasingly virtual and engineered world of experience, the power to feel and know one's agency is more difficult. Join Dr. Womack for this weekly seminar in anticipation of Dr. Crawford's November visit!

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Reading Group: "The World Beyond Your Head" with Dr. Ryan Womack
Reading Group: "The World Beyond Your Head" with Dr. Ryan Womack

Time & Location

Oct 31, 2018, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

The Perry-Castañeda Library, 4.120 B, 101 E 21st St, Austin, TX 78712, USA

About The Event

What does it mean to be have agency, to see the effect of one's choices in the world? In an increasingly virtual and highly engineered world of experience, the power to feel and know one's agency is more difficult. Matthew Crawford's fascinating book, The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction, provides some profound insights into agency, attention, and the value of the skill in a distracted age. The reading group will anticipate Dr. Crawford's lecture in Austin on November 29th. Join Dr. Womack for this five-week reading group. Books are graciously provided by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, who is sponsoring this reading group.

Ryan Womack is the Director of Academic Programs at the Austin Institute. Originally from Moore, Oklahoma, he received his B.A. from Oklahoma Baptist University and Ph.D. in English from Baylor University specializing in the intersections of literature and religion, as well as the integration of science and religion in recent Catholic fiction. At Baylor​ he​ taught writing composition and Honors College colloquia and​ was Brooks College Graduate Tutor of Arts and Letters​. Before coming to AI he taught at the ​University of Mary​ in Bismarck, North Dakota,​ where he was a Residence Life Scholar​, Assistant Professor of English,​ and Catholic Studies Fellow.​

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