Linking World War I and modern social media

Historic City News lives in the high-tech world of social media in St. Augustine, and, on Tuesday, November 8th, the Flagler College Community Lecture Series will continue at 10:00 a.m. with an examination of the intersection between the First World War and modern-day social media.

Flagler senior Jeanette Vigliotti, under the guidance of Wayne Riggs, Ph.D., assistant professor of Humanities, will present, “The Echo Effect: World War I, Modernism and Social Media.”

Vigliotti is a senior majoring in English with history and creative writing minors. Her interest in exploring the connections between the First World War and contemporary culture was inspired by Riggs’ Historical Methods course, as well as a course in Contemporary American Literature taught by Darien Andreu, Ph.D.

She will discuss how the extreme emphasis on the individual in contemporary literature and social media can be traced to the carnage of World War I. Vigliotti will describe the parallels between the literature produced following the First World War and the literature created in our increasingly digital society.

Exploration of this topic will demonstrate that the “echoes of modernism” directly influence actions and phenomena in contemporary culture and illuminate the narcissism of the younger generation.

Riggs received his Ph.D. and M.A. in modern European history from Marquette University, and his B.A. in history from Grove City College. He specializes in modern Britain, and his dissertation focused on British religion during the First World War. In addition to his teaching service to the college, Riggs serves as coordinator of the Flagler College history program. He is particularly interested in the role of religion in the evolution of social structures and national identities.

The Flagler College Community Lecture Series was established in 2007 and offers educational and cultural opportunities to the St. Augustine community. Topics are provided by local experts and Flagler faculty.

Tickets are $5 per person for a single lecture, or $15 for the semester. Active military personnel may attend at no charge. Lectures begin at 10 a.m. in the Flagler Room at Flagler College, 74 King Street in St. Augustine. Reservations are required as space is limited. The lecture will last approximately one hour and will be followed by a coffee and pastry reception.

Call (904) 819-6282 for reservations or more information.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News contributed photograph by Brian Thompson