Dr. Nikki Lane will explore queer black feminisms among women in popular music, especially focusing on Janelle Monae. 

Nikki Lane is an Assistant Professor in Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies at Duke University. Trained as a Cultural and Linguistic Anthropologist, Dr. Lane is an Interdisciplinary Scholar. In her writing, classrooms, and public lectures, she explores the connections between popular culture and critical theories of race, gender, class, and sexuality. She works along the edges of academia, making contemporary critical theory accessible. She brings what folks do in Ivory Towers down-to-earth, putting complex ideas in common sense, everyday language anyone can understand and specializes in using popular culture as an entry point for discussing theoretical concepts. Hosted by the Center for Gender and Sexuality and the Department of English.