The Revelation Fixation:

The Apollo Moon Landings

Dr. Catelijne Coopmans & Prof. Brian Rappert

9th October 2014, 6pm

Level 1 Common Lounge

Register at dev-tembusu-nus.pantheonsite.io

We are working on a book about obsession with dramatic revelations. The claim that the Apollo Moon Landings were faked is an excellent case. Some people argue that if you look at the original videos and photos closely, they ‘reveal’ that the landings were faked. For us, the interesting question is not: “who’s right and who’s wrong?” or “how can the same evidence lead to radically different interpretations?” Rather, it is: what can we learn from this case to understand the pull of revelation in social and political life? Such revelation involves making secrets known, and making previously hidden aspects of the world accessible to all. In this seminar, we will discuss the merits of this new question. We also address the challenge of trying to say something different about a phenomenon that is usually discussed in the same way.