Lectures on Tap - "Dignity & Dissent: Life in the Brutal Economy of Boxing"

Welcome to Lectures on Tap

Join us for an engaging evening where professors, experts, and storytellers bring their thought-provoking lectures to your favorite bar in the Arts District, Los Angeles!

Hosted by the Lectures on Tap team.

🗓️ Date: November 17th, 2025

🕢 Time: 7:30 PM

📍 Location: Arts District, Los Angeles (exact address given in confirmation email)

📚 Lecture: "Dignity & Dissent: Life in the Brutal Economy of Boxing"

🎤 Speaker: Professor, Dr. Rudy Mondragón

In this insightful talk, Dr. Rudy Mondragón draws from seven years of ethnographic and visual fieldwork in professional boxing, sharing original photographs from ringside, locker rooms, and gyms. He delves into what he terms the "brutal economy of boxing" — a system that profits from the bodies and narratives of working-class fighters.

Dr. Mondragón will examine how, despite systemic exploitation, professional boxers assert their dignity and resist through the theatricality of their ring entrances. These moments serve as more than mere spectacle; they are powerful acts of cultural expression that challenge prevailing narratives around race, class, and value in sports and society.

A professor and an interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Mondragón bridges ethnic studies with the sociology of race and sport. His research has been published widely, and he is currently working on a book manuscript titled "On The Ropes," as well as co-editing "Rings of Dissent" (University of Illinois Press, 2025).

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

7:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

7:55 PM – Host introduction

8:00 PM – Lecture begins

8:45 PM – Audience Q&A

9:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

9:30 PM – Wrap up.