Religious Studies is pleased to present Dr. Robert Jensen, Ph.D. in media law and ethics, from the University of Texas-Austin, as our guest speaker tonight, Friday, 4 October, in Glass Hall 102, on the topic, The Ethics of Pornography.

Dr. Micki Pulleyking (MSU Religious Studies), will introduce our speaker with a brief talk, “What Is the Problem?”  Dr. Jensen will give two talks/discussions: “Patriarchy, Power, and Pornography” (5:15-6:00 p.m.), and “Navigating a Porn Saturated Society” (6:15-7:00 p.m.). This event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Pulleyking will also hold a workshop on Saturday, 5 October, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., at Westminster Presbyterian Church Gymnasium (1551 E Portland, Springfield), to explore questions, such as: What is pornography? Who is watching porn? At what age are children seeing porn on the internet? What does pornography do? To women? To men? What happens in the production of porn? Is there a relationship between porn and sex trafficking? What about porn and violence? What is the ethical response?

Dr. Jensen, also a guest speaker and panelist at MSU’s Public Affairs Week, is a nationally known author and speaker. He is the author of Getting Off: Pornography and The End of Masculinity, The End of Patriarchy, Pornography: The Production and Consumption of Inequality (co-author with Gail Dines), and Arguing for Our Lives: A User’s Guide to Constructive Dialogue, as well as many other books and articles.

Dr. Pulleyking is a senior instructor at Missouri State University in the Religious Studies Department.