Empress Josephine's Beheaded Statue
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Major
Aerospace Engineering
Research Advisor
Merfeld-Langston, Audra L.
Advisor's Department
Arts, Languages, and Philosophy
Funding Source
Arts, Languages, and Philosophy
Abstract
Empress Josephine's beheaded statue in Fort-de-France, Martinique symbolizes Martinican culture both politically and socially. Through research about the statue's creation and significant events surrounding the statue, how Empress Josephine's statue represents social and political contradictions in Martinique was explored. It was discovered the symbolism of Empress Josephine's statue has changed through history from a symbol of white supremacy to a site of political protest of departmentalization and assimilation, and refusal to forget complexities of Martinique's history.
Biography
Paige Berg is a junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in French. She is the Vice-President of French Club, Resource Manager for Missouri S& T Satellite Research Team, and Secretary of Society of Women Engineers, as well as being a member of Phi Sigma Rho, Sigma Gamma Tau, Student Union Board and Honors Academy. In her free time, she loves to read, watch movies, embroider, and sew.
Research Category
Arts and Humanities
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Award
Arts and humanities poster session: First place
Location
Upper Atrium
Presentation Date
16 Apr 2019, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Empress Josephine's Beheaded Statue
Upper Atrium
Empress Josephine's beheaded statue in Fort-de-France, Martinique symbolizes Martinican culture both politically and socially. Through research about the statue's creation and significant events surrounding the statue, how Empress Josephine's statue represents social and political contradictions in Martinique was explored. It was discovered the symbolism of Empress Josephine's statue has changed through history from a symbol of white supremacy to a site of political protest of departmentalization and assimilation, and refusal to forget complexities of Martinique's history.
