If you were sitting in a humanities class at SF State in the early 90s, chances are you would have known Bettina Stockton. Vivacious and tenacious, Stockton’s passion about her beliefs and politics got her into many heated debates throughout her life.

“She was so intellectual she’d go off on tangents and you’d have to reel her back in,” Humanities Professor Sandra Luft said, recalling Stockton’s days as a student. “She was so passionate about ideas.”

But as Stockton was pursuing her Ph.D in Sociology at the University of Oregon (UO) in 2005, she was diagnosed with terminal Ovarian Cancer — one verdict she could not dispute.

The disease may have silenced Stockton two years ago, but her friends and colleagues will gather on October 8 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. to celebrate her enthusiasm of art and sociology with “Art as Social Praxis: The Bettina Stockton Memorial Symposium,” featuring distinguished humanity and sociology scholars.

Receiving her M.A. in Interdisciplinary Humanities at SF State in 1993 and her B.A. in Studio Art from UC Santa Barbara, Stockton was interested most in how art affected life and social structure.

“She understood art very well,” Luft said. “Her mind was very imaginative and her thinking had become very well disciplined over the years.”

And through her doctorate dissertation at the UO, which also incorporated the work of German activist and performance artist Joseph Beuys, Stockton strove to erase the dichotomy between art and sociology.

The Symposium hopes to do just that as it includes Luft; UO sociology professor John Bellamy Foster; Sue Ellen Case, Chair of Critical Studies at UCLA’s theatre department; Richard Litchman, professor emeritus at UC Berkeley’s Wright Institute; and SF State
Liberal Studies professor Tanya Augsburg to discuss improvements in humanities and give performances in honor of Stockton.

SF State professor of theatre arts, Joel Schechter, will also speak at the event, discussing theatre art and Stockton’s favorite artist, Beuys. Although Schechter had never met Stockton, he’s excited about the event and the people it’s bringing together.

“It’s interesting the way it crosses several mediums,” Schechter said in reference to Stockton’s interests in art and sociology.

When Stockton was working on her Masters thesis, Luft invited her to guest lecture one of her classes. She spoke animatedly, enlightening the students on the subject of political art attempting to open people’s minds and eradicate distinctions between art and life.

“Many students later told me that it had been the most fun they’ve ever had in class,” Luft said.

When Stockton found out she had ovarian cancer she was worried that she wouldn’t have enough time to make the impact she wanted. But Luft, who remained good friends with Stockton until her passing, made sure her work wouldn’t be forgotten.

“We’re gathering to acknowledge the importance of her work and her commitment to social justice,” Luft said.

The symposium will take place in HUM 587 and is open to all faculty, staff and students.

For more information please visit www.sfsu.edu/~collhum/symposium.html.