For anyone who might be interested/available, I thought I’d let you know that I’m giving a talk in Leeds tomorrow (Thurs 6th March) at 5pm – and anyone is welcome to attend, either in person or online via Teams! Details below…

If you do come along in person, PLEASE come up and say hello – it’s always such a treat to meet people I’ve known online but never seen in the real world!

I’m looking forward to visiting Leeds, and to having a chance to ramble about one of my favourite subjects!

Update: Room has now been changed to Parkinson Building B.22, and the accessibility details and directions are here: https://students.leeds.ac.uk/buildings-and-rooms/1710/parkinson-sr-b-22 

Classics at Leeds is delighted to announce its spring programme of research seminars, the first under the aegis of the brand new Leeds Centre for Ancient World & Classical Reception Studies.

Important: to ensure we have adequate room capacity for all in-person participants, please ensure you complete this form if you plan on attending: https://forms.office.com/e/H2HqibwkFU

Seminar 11
Dr Cora Beth Fraser on ‘Minotaurs, monstering, and the representation of autism in popular culture.’

“Autism in popular culture is frequently visualised as a maze or labyrinth. The maze represents confusion, detachment and fear, and there is sometimes a monster within it. The Minotaur in the maze can represent the autistic person, monstrously part-human, unable to communicate, cut off from family and community. Sometimes Autism itself is the monster, stalking its prey through a maze of dangerous traps. Yet there is another side to the monster. We also see the Minotaur being represented as happily different, set apart by choice, living in an environment he can control and shape. And the autistic character isn’t always lost in the labyrinth; sometimes they’re solving it.

Focusing on the Minotaur and his maze in a range of representations both ancient and modern, this talk will explore the implications of monstrous hybridity for framing perceptions of autism, alongside the cultural impetus to unmonster the Minotaur.”

Cora Beth Fraser is an Associate Lecturer and Honorary Associate in Classics at The Open University, where she works with adult distance learners. Her teaching-related scholarship focuses on practical interventions to recognise and support neurodiversity in online learning. At The Open University she created and developed the Relaxed Tutorial Project, which has helped to roll out autism-friendly adjustments to thousands of students. Beyond the OU, in 2021 she founded a national organisation called Asterion, dedicated to celebrating and supporting neurodiversity in Classics. In 2024 she was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship. Cora Beth is also interested in neurodivergence in the reception of classical myth, and is currently working on a book on Autism and the Minotaur, exploring representations of isolation and monstrous difference in popular culture.

Time/Date: Thursday 6 March 17:00-18:30 UK time

On campus: Michael Sadler 1.01 [note room change!], University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds (Accessibility Guide: https://www.accessable.co.uk/university-of-leeds/access-guides/michael-sadler)

Online: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3aKoGMMhO0_kFzfJD4CW0SznjYVIbE_iduSTwjdqyv3jw1%40thread.tacv2/1737375589449?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22bdeaeda8-c81d-45ce-863e-5232a535b7cb%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22c08fc715-6978-4b0a-9c1a-822807db1957%22%7d

By attending this talk online, you will be agreeing to abide by the University of Leeds’ policy on dignity and mutual respect, which can be found at https://hr.leeds.ac.uk/info/6/support-for-staff/260/dignity-and-mutual-respect