Series on culture, race reflects department’s successes

PULLMAN, Wash. – A spring speaker series begins Wednesday, Jan. 23, in celebration of the Department of Critical Culture, Gender & Race Studies at Washington State University. The department was formed nearly three years ago when the comparative ethnic studies and women studies departments merged.

 

CCGRS brings together scholars to examine issues of race, gender and sexuality, engage in scholarly work and offer courses “on the cutting edge of the field,” said David Leonard, department chair. He hopes the campus and broader community will gain a better understanding of the work and myriad issues WSU researchers examine in these fields of study. 

 

“With speakers discussing literature, art, the Black Panther party, health care, science, religion and hip-hop, the series will offer a range of interests and backgrounds that will underscore the many approaches to studying race, gender and sexuality,” he said. “These speakers represent a broad range of experts and brilliant practitioners within their respective fields.”

 

The department strives to communicate established and emergent understandings of culture, race, indigeneity, gender and sexuality to students and to society at large.

 

“We seek to foster understanding, action and hope in an unequal and increasingly interconnected world,” Leonard said. “This speaker series is an effort to highlight this collective vision.”

 

Jan. 23: “An Evening with Adam Mansbach”, co-sponsored by the WSU English department, 6:15-7:45 p.m., Smith CUE 419.

 

Feb. 19: “Temporal displacements and spatial constellations: An overview of the work of Jin-me Yoon”, the Jo Hockenhull Distinguished Lecture, 6 p.m., Kimbrough 101. 

 

Feb. 25: “Henrietta Lacks in Context: African American Responses to Medical Discrimination in the 20th Century” by Alondra Nelson, part of the WSU Common Reading, 5:30-7 p.m., Smith CUE 203.

 

April 16: “Beyond Belief: The search for more (and less) in material culture” by Monica Miller, co-sponsored by the sociology department and dean of students, 5:30-7 p.m., Smith CUE 202.