Train and Engage funding call now open

[[{"fid":"13691","view_mode":"large","fields":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Jeremy Bentham Auto-Icon","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"large","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Jeremy Bentham Auto-Icon","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][title]":"","field_caption_heading[und][0][url]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_float_left_right[und]":"none","field_file_image_decorative[und]":"0"}},"attributes":{"height":"500","width":"800","class":"media-element file-large"}}]]Born in London in 1748, Jeremy Bentham was one of the world’s great thinkers and reformers. Bentham studied law and was called to the Bar in 1769, but quickly abandoned the practice of the law in favour of a lifetime seeking to reform it. Bentham is famous for developing the doctrine of utilitarianism — that an action is right if it increases happiness — as a critical standard by which to judge laws, institutions and practices. Bentham's liberal and egalitarian ideas inspired the founders of UCL and, by chance, his preserved body ended up here too. You can still see his Auto-icon on display in the Student Centre. The Auto-Icon is the preserved skeleton of Jeremy Bentham. It was prepared according to his own instructions, wears his own clothes, sits in his own chair and carries his own stick which he nicknamed Dapple. But how did Bentham come to such a radical decision about his body?  The answer to this question lies, in part, in his many Wills which have now been transcribed by UCL Research Dr Tim Causer. It was common for people in the 1700s to make multiple Wills, particularly before travel or after changes in family status. Bentham’s Wills tell the story of how he refined his plan to leave his remains to benefit medical science over decades, and it was not the last whim of an eccentric Englishman.  From at least the age of 21, Bentham had thought about how he might benefit humankind after his death by donating his body to science for dissection. You can trace this line of thought from his first will of 1769, to his last will and testament made a few days before his death on 6 June 1832.The research highlights a range of fascinating snippets and insights into Bentham’s life:•    In his first will of 24 August 1769, made when he had come of age, Bentham first mentioned leaving his body to medical science ‘to the intent and with the desire that Mankind may reap some small benefit in and by my decease, having hitherto had small opportunities to contribute thereto while living’. He requested that his remains be delivered to the renowned Scottish physician George Fordyce - whose daughter, Mary Sophia, married Bentham’s younger brother, Samuel, in October 1796.•    Bentham’s second will of 17 August 1785 was made near Paris when he was setting out to visit his brother Samuel in Russia, presumably in case he didn’t survive the voyage.•    His third will, made on 15 July 1792 not long after his father’s death and on Bentham’s becoming head of the family, is very short and simply revokes his earlier wills, leaving all of the family property to Samuel.•    In a codicil to the will of 1792, dated 29 March 1824, Bentham restated his desire to leave his body to science, and for the first time described how his remains might be assembled—he does not use the word ‘auto-icon’—and brought to a meeting of his friends at ‘a club in commemoration of my birth and death … at one end of the table, after the manner in which, at a public meeting, a chairman is commonly seated’.•    In Bentham’s final will and testament of 30 May 1832, he revoked all of his previous wills, and in an annex described how the auto-icon was to be assembled. There are some intriguing insights into Bentham’s private life too. For instance, the will of 1785 reveals that he travelled to Russia in the company of a Scottish explorer called Logan Henderson, and Henderson’s two nieces; Bentham subsequently discovered that one of the women was in fact Henderson’s mistress, and she and Bentham hated one another. Meanwhile, his last will and testament of 1832 is revealing about the elderly Bentham’s domestic arrangements. He left money to his servants William Stockwell, Mary Watson, and Ann Lay, as well as to his long-serving gardener John Elrick. The list of individuals to whom he bequeathed twenty-six gold mourning rings—including his dentist, Thomas Cartwright, the Marquis de Lafayette, Sarah Austin, and the Guatemalan politician José del Valle—is revealing about Bentham’s friendships and international influence.Want to find out more?Ten Things you Didn’t know about Jeremy BenthamHelp transcribe more of Bentham’s writings via the Bentham Project 

About the programmePrejudice in Power: Contesting the pseudoscience of superiorityThe Prejudice in Power programme is a programme of cultural activism for change against structural discrimination. It explores how eugenics has marginalised voices and shaped society. With collaboration and co-creation at the heart of this programme, we’re engaging with marginalised groups to prompt inclusive thinking. In sharing the lived experiences of those impacted and excluded by eugenic ideas, we hope to provide a platform for societal change and reparative healing.About the projectThe Digital Legacy of EugenicsThis project, led by researcher Lila Brustad, forms part of the Prejudice in Power programme and will explore the relationship between a pseudo-scientific method of photography developed by eugenicists, and the statistics that determine what images users see on TikTok and Instagram. It will include a digital exhibition, as well as a programme of social media activism.What you will be doingParticipants will develop a programme of social media activism and content to encourage critical participation on TikTok and Instagram. Through use of UCL Culture’s platform, participants will create meaningful messages about the impact of eugenics and social media in our lives today.Participants will look to the history of eugenic thought and photographic methods to develop a piece of art that will be placed in the digital exhibition. They will also co-produce an object history and there is scope for participants to propose and produce other outcomes for the project.The project is expected to run from December 2023 to February 2024 and will be roughly 8 hours of time commitment for participants, including being involved in 4 one-hour workshops and regular meetings every other week. Exact dates and timelines to be determined.There will be opportunities to gain skills in activism and engagement, and learn about archival research and museum curation. In addition to skills gained, participants will receive Love2shop vouchers appropriate to their time commitment. Alternative payment options may be available.Who we are looking forWe aim to recruit 5-8 visual artists, content creators, activists, or researchers (broadly defined) of all experience levels. Applicants should have experience creating content for TikTok and Instagram. Individuals whose lives have been impacted by eugenic thinking are especially encouraged to apply.This opportunity is open to people within and outside of UCL.How to applyApplicants should submit a paragraph (max. 300 words) outlining why they want to be involved with this project and what perspective or experience they hope to contribute. If you’re unable to submit a paragraph, you can submit a short video/audio recording.Please include a link to your social media accounts, or an example of content created for social media (this can include an example post created specifically for this application). We are interested in your ability to think creatively and critically about social media.Please submit applications to k.karhu@ucl.ac.uk by Monday 4 December 2023, 5pm.Download this call-out as a PDF:[[{"fid":"16775","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default"},"link_text":"Prejudice in Power - The Digital Legacy of Eugenics Call-out 2023.pdf","type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default"}},"attributes":{"class":"file media-element file-default"}}]] Contact for enquiriesLila Brustad, Project Facilitator: The Digital Legacy of Eugenics, lila.brustad@outlook.com Kaissa Karhu, Co-Creation and Content Manager: Prejudice in Power, k.karhu@ucl.ac.uk