2015 Annual Lecture
Experiencing Oppression: Ventriloquism and Epistemic Violence in Practical Theology
Dr. Courtney T. Goto
The Center for Practical Theology hosted the Eighth Annual Lecture 
Series with Dr. Courtney T. Goto as the guest lecturer for the evening. Dr. Goto’s lecture was entitled “Experiencing Oppression: Ventriloquism and Epistemic Violence in Practical Theology. She is the Assistant Professor of Religious Education at Boston University School of Theology.
Dr. Goto states in her lecture, “epistemic violence, is an experience of oppression from the inside, is ever-present and thus present throughout the academy.” Her lecture explores the experience of epistemic violence in practical theology, where we are given institutional authority to interpret and represent the lived experience of others, as well as the responsibility to shape student experience. She uses the metaphor of ventriloquism to explore practical theologians as performers who, by virtue by our position, makes dummies of those we are attempting to serve, including subjects of research, colleagues, and students.