Welcome to my 2020 fat academic year in review. Presenting an academic year in review is useful in reflecting on how I did in the past year in meeting my goals, identifying areas of growth going forward, and being honest about mistakes made and my failures. As a middle career academic, this is an important yearly activity for me (you can 2018 and 2019 here). Due to CV19, it was a different kind of year. After Feb, there was no more travel, even within New Zealand. Events were cancelled, postponed, or moved online.
Two things stand out to me about this year: first up, I was pleased to be invited to examine two PhDs and one Masters. This is one of the best thing about becoming established in your field as an academic, the opportunity to work with emerging scholars. I have not had many chances to formally supervise Fat Studies scholarship, which is a downside of where I am located. But being able to come on board and evaluate work that these emerging Fat Studies has done was so exciting; I hope there is much more of this in my future!
Secondly, I am very proud of FSNZ20. Before the sickness came, FSNZ20 was supposed to be held in Auckland, New Zealand, in the middle of the year. We had to move it entirely online thanks to COVID, but the end result was glorious. We had over 400 participants from around the world, and still managed to facilitate engagement and networking in the cyber arena. I’m already planning for the next fully online FSNZ in 2022; watch this space!
Journal articles
Pausé, C. J. (2020).Ray of Light: Standpoint theory, Fat Studies, and a new fat ethics. Fat Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Body Weight & Society, 9(2), 175-187.
Book chapters
Pausé, C. J. (2020). Like it or not: A dose of fat activism for the medical community. In J. Andrew & M. Friedman (Eds.), Body stories: In and out and with and through fat (pp. 177-187). Bradford, ON: Demeter Press.
Funding
Zip. Zip. Zero. Surprisingly, no one is interested in funding fat positive scholarship.
Conference
FSNZ20 took place online in June with over 400 participants from over 24 countries around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Poland, Iceland.
Conference presentations
Pausé, C. J. (2020, 8 July). Fattening scholarship. Closing paper presented at Fat Studies: Past, Present, Futures, Online [CV19].
PhD Examinations
Simpson, A. (2020). A fat chance in health. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Kotow, C. (2020). Big, beautiful affect: Exploring the emotional environment of BBW social events and its relationship to fat women’s embodiment. Unpublished PhD Thesis, York University, Canada.
Masters Examinations
Jolie, J. (2020). Body Positivity as Public Pedagogy? The Case of the #effyourbeautystandards Movement on Instagram. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Lakehead University, Canada.
Journal reviews
Fat Studies
Humanity and Society
Health
Invited seminars
Pausé, C. J. (2020, 8 November). In fat solidarity. Keynote [Camp Boom/Fat Camp], House of Boom, Silverstream, New Zealand.
Invited panel
Pausé, C. J. (2020, 15 February). #FATFEB Fat Babe Pool Party Panel. Fat Babe Pool Party [50]. Vunilagi Vou.
Invited lectures (Fat Studies)
Pausé, C. J. (2020, 12 May). Fat politics, nutrition, and you. 214.131 Introduction to Food and Nutrition [30]. Massey University.
Podcasts
Radke, J. (2020, 26 November). Fat Activism by Charlotte Cooper with Cat Pausé [Audio podcast]. https://fatgirlbookclub.simplecast.com/episodes/fat-activism-by-charlotte-cooper-with-cat-pause Produced by Fat Girl Book Club.
King, H. (2020, 27 September). Fat isn’t a four-letter word. [Audio podcast]. https://www.planetaudio.org.nz/archive/the-c-word/fat-isnt-a-four-letter-word/668759 Produced by Planet FM104.6
Media
Barnett, A. (2020, 3 Nov). When is the right time to use the word ‘fat’? Stuff [Online]. https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/300147403/when-is-the-right-time-to-use-the-word-fat
Du Plessis-Allan, H. (2020, 12 Oct). Health researcher calls Judith Collins’ obesity comments “heartless”. NewstalkZB [Online]. https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/dr-cat-pause-judith-collins-obesity-comments-heartless/
1News. (2020, 13 Oct). Judith Collins says obesity is ‘generally’ a weakness, urges personal responsibility over blaming the ‘system’. 1News [Online]. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/judith-collins-says-obesity-generally-weakness-urges-personal-responsibility-over-blaming-system
Barnett, A. (2020, 26 Aug). The strawberry dress saga: Tess Holliday calls out fashion for what it is – fatphobic. Stuff [Online]. https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fashion/122566689/the-strawberry-dress-saga-tess-holliday-calls-out-fashion-for-what-it-is–fatphobic
Heritage, E. (2020, 26 April). Fat activism in Aotearoa is having a moment. The Spinoff [Online]. https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/26-04-2020/fat-activism-in-aotearoa-is-having-a-moment/
Sommer, A. (2020, 17 Feb). How to stop being afraid of the word ‘fat’. ReNews [Online]. Retrieved from https://www.renews.co.nz/how-to-stop-being-afraid-of-the-word-fat/
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