Defending Space: Race/Ethnic Studies, Gender/Sexuality Studies, and Human Rights in Uncertain Times
DECEMBER 5, 3-5pm KONOVER Auditorium
Born of student protest, the ‘interdisciplines’ of ethnic studies and gender and sexuality studies have become crucial spaces, locally and nationally, for the teaching and learning not only of tolerance and diversity, but of the fundamental hierarchies of race, gender, sexuality, and class that divide us. They have made possible transformations in American Studies and Human Rights which have foundationally committed themselves to these tasks as well.
What will be the future of these interdisciplinary spaces in a Trump administration? Will they come under direct attack from federal authorities, and if so, how? How has the knowledge produced in such spaces prepared us for the political turn that we are now seeing? What kinds of solidarity can our students and faculty expect to find in this moment of danger? And what is our strategy going forward?
This panel brings together leaders and faculty of interdisciplinary units devoted to social justice at UConn to address these questions, and to engage the audience in dialogue.
The panelists include:
Debanuj DasGupta, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies
David Embrick, Africana Studies
Kathryn Libal, Director, Human Rights Institute
Glenn Mitoma, Director, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
Mark Overmyer-Velàzquez, Director, El Instituto
Cathy Schlund-Vials, Director, Asian and Asian American Studies
Jeffrey Shoulson, Director, Center for Judaic Studies
Chris Vials, Director, American Studies
This event is co-sponsored by the UConn Humanities Institute, American Studies, Institute for Asian and Asian American Studies, El Instituto, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Africana Studies, Judaic Studies, the Dodd Center, and the Human Rights Institute.
For more information, contact: Alexis Boylan at Humanities Institute