Frank G. Karioris: “Students who graduate from AUCA have the opportunity to give back to their country and community..."

February 2, 2017

Today we want to introduce you to Frank G. Karioris, an Assistant Professor in Sociology and General Education. Professor Karioris has a PhD in Comparative Gender Studies with a Specialization in Sociology & Social Anthropology, an MA in Social Development, and a BA in History and Education. Frank is one of our newest professors, and below he will share a little about his work at AUCA:

Could you please, tell about yourself? Where are you from? Where did you go to school? Your background information, career path.  

I grew up just outside of Milwaukee, WI in the USA. Growing up I always had a deep love for books, so when I went to university I majored in History and Education with the hope of becoming a high school History teacher. After graduating I moved to Chicago where I worked at the Illinois Institute of Technology as the Operations Coordinator for Housing & Residence Life, managing the campus’s residential hall on a day-to-day basis. I moved to Brighton, UK to pursue a Master’s in Social Development, after which I worked as a Research Assistant on a number of projects connected with gender issues. In 2012 I began my PhD at Central European University. In May 2016, I defended my dissertation titled ‘Between Class & Friendship: Homosociality in an All-Male University Residence Hall in the U.S.’

I see myself as a broad ranging scholar working on issues related to gender, masculinity, and higher education through the fields of sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies. At root, though, I am an educator first; by which I mean that I pursue education – for myself and others – as my primary drive. Taking from my undergraduate education, I believe that education should not be solely about course content, but follow the motto ‘cura personalis’, which is Latin for “care for the entire person.” This is the ethos I bring into the class every day and that I take with me into my collegial interactions and my scholarly work.

Why did you decide to work at AUCA?

I decided to teach at AUCA because of its strong connections with CEU and as a brilliant place for me to learn. AUCA students have a lot to teach me, and I excited to be a part of the community. This semester I am teaching First Year Seminar, ‘Sociology of Gender’, and ‘Contemporary Social Theory Part I’ (for Master’s students in Sociology and Anthropology). Next semester, I believe I will be teaching First Year Seminar, ‘Contemporary Social Theory Part II’ (for Master’s students in Sociology and Anthropology), and then an elective course on Masculinities and Sexualities.

Tell us more about your academic achievements over the past two years.

In the past two years I have worked on a variety of research projects. Most recently I have had an article, co-authored with Dr. Jonathan A. Allan, Canada Research Chair for Queer Theory at Brandon University, accepted for the publication in the Journal of Men’s Studies titled ‘Grow a Pair!: Testicles and Masculinity in Men’s Studies’. In March a book I co-edited with Andrea Cornwall and Nancy Lindisfarne Masculinities Under Neoliberalism was published by Zed Books. I also had a chapter in this book based on my dissertation fieldwork. Beyond this, I recently co-edited a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Culture Unbound with Dr. Harmony Siganporia on conceptions of permanent liminality, rupture, and exile. This special issue also included an article of mine on notions of temporality and new ways of thinking about a distinct form of nostalgia.

          Building on all of this, my upcoming research continues looking at men’s social lives and conceptions of sociality more broadly. In this, I seek to explore sexuality through an understanding of sociality and the linkages between the sexuality/sociality Janus. I am currently in the middle of a number of articles, including one on conceptions of the ‘perfect penis’ with Dr. Jonathan A. Allan. Dr. Allan and I are currently putting together an edited volume reflecting critically on the history of the field of Men’s Studies. In addition to this, I have been invited to co-edit a book on heteronormativity with Dr Sertaç Sehlikoglu, a Fellow at the University of Cambridge; we are currently putting together a conference on this topic as well that will take place in the UK in June 2017.  

Dr. Jonathan A. Allan, Dr. Chris Haywood and I are putting together a Call for Papers for a conference/workshop on the topic of Sex and Masculinity that will take place in the UK in June 2017. In addition, with my colleagues from the Sociology Department and Division of Social Sciences at AUCA, we are putting together a Call for Papers for a conference to be hosted by AUCA. We are currently finalizing the topic and the call for papers, but are very excited to have an international conference at AUCA that will draw scholars, activists, and students from both the region (Central Asia) and further abroad. In June I co-hosted and was an invited speaker at a Book Launch event at the School of Orientation and African Studies, University of London for Masculinities Under Neoliberalism. The event was sponsored by Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies and Zed Books.

In the past two years I have presented my work internationally in eight countries at conferences on anthropology, sociology, ethnography, men’s studies, gender studies, philosophy, and sexuality studies. In April 2015 I was invited and gave a public lecture at Masaryk University titled ‘(Hetero)sexuality, (Homo)sociality, and Masculinity’.

How do you try to motivate students to study and be active in your classes?

I try to motivate students by putting them – as much as possible, while still recognizing the structural hierarchies and possibilities – in charge of their own learning. I begin class by laying out my general teaching philosophy for the students, which includes the phrase “I don’t know everything.” It is important to move away from a notion of faculty members as omniscient beings, and to create a situation where students recognize the knowledge that they themselves bring into the classroom. My teaching methods follow closely with that of the First Year Seminar, taking also from a modified version of Robert M. Hutchin’s ‘great books’ project. My favorite part of teaching is learning. Learning from students, from colleagues, from my own experiences.

How do you contribute to your department’s administration?

Having just arrived, I haven’t been able to assist the department too much as of yet. I have recently been elected to AUCA’s Faculty Senate. In this position I am hopeful that I will be able to assist both my department and the broader university continue its record of success.

What kind of opportunities does an education at AUCA afford it’s student after graduation?

Students who graduate from AUCA have the opportunity to give back to their country and community, to bring their learning to assist in improving themselves and others. Their education in English provides them a global foot in the door, while the connection to Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan keeps them connected to the local communities. The international student body provides students the opportunity to learn from each other about different cultures, and to practice communicating with diverse communities.

Being new to AUCA, I haven’t gotten a full feel for students yet. So far, though, students are excited and motivated, bringing energy and enthusiasm to the materials and the classroom. I think that, from what I can tell so far, students at AUCA are like students at other universities: looking for opportunities to be their own learners, seeking out the social aspects of university, and are hopeful. These are all positive traits, and ones we should encourage.

What do think about AUCA’s new campus?

It is absolutely beautiful! It’s also fascinating. You could take the new building and drop it directly onto a US liberal arts college and it would fit right in.

What do you think about Kyrgyzstan so far?

I haven’t been able to explore the country too much so far, but I have been enjoying the food – particularly lagman. All of the people that I have met so far have been fantastically friendly and kind. The countryside is amazingly beautiful, particularly Ala Archa National Park.

Any closing remarks to your colleagues and students?

I can only wish for students and colleagues that they find themselves asking questions, rather than expecting answers; seeking out solidarity rather than being solitary; and that they encourage each other through acts of kindness, support, and love. As with many things, I would leave colleagues (faculty and students) with a quote from Paulo Freire: “Human existence, because it came into being through asking questions, is at the root of change in the world. There is a radical element to existence, which is the radical act of asking questions… At root human existence involves surprise, questioning and risk. And because of all this, it involves actions and change” (Learning to Question: A Pedagogy of Liberation).

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