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History professor Rosalyn LaPier helps create bison exhibit at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — An exhibit tracing the cultural and ecological legacy of American bison opens May 7 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. “Bison: Standing Strong” commemorates both the 250th anniversary of the nation and the 10th anniversary of the naming of the bison as our […]
Illinois professor’s book shows how ‘lawful fictions’ are used to manage immigration, citizenship
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — José A. de la Garza Valenzuela, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of Latina/Latino Studies, looks at the experiences of queer migrants, and at how immigration practices shape particular fictions about them, in his new book “Queer in a Legal Sense: Brown Citizenship and Other Lawful Fictions.” The book combines literary and […]
How has political populism affected transatlantic relations?
The European Union is in an excellent position to emerge as a leader in international cooperation, trade, security and democratic values, says University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign anthropology professor Jessica R. Greenberg, the co-editor of the new policy report “Populism and the Future of Transatlantic Relations: Challenges and Policy Options.”
Paper: HBCUs promote social, economic mobility for Black children who live nearby
New research from a team of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign economists estimates the social mobility effects of four-year public historically Black colleges and universities on Black children who live in the same county as an HBCU.
Book chronicles how citizens, writers remain hopeful in face of environmental harms
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Citizens and writers remain hopeful in the face of environmental harms in “Reading Better States: Utopian Method and Environmental Harm in the Global South,” the new book by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign English professor Rebecca Oh. Oh said she was interested in how people and writers in the Global South see their […]
Study: Demographic forms can undermine sense of belonging in Latino Americans
The way Latino Americans’ identity is represented on demographic forms can undermine their fundamental sense of belonging in the U.S., says new research by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign psychology professor.
Illinois English professor explores his lost family history in new poetry collection
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Poet Ángel García examines his disrupted family lineage in his new collection of poetry, seeking answers about where he came from and trying to fill the many gaps in his family’s story. “Indifferent Cities” is the second book by García, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign English professor. The book was the winner […]
At 250 years after Jane Austen’s birth, why do her novels remain so popular?
This week marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth — she was born Dec. 16, 1775 — and fans of her novels have been celebrating with tea parties, brunches and balls. Her novels — including “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma” — enjoy immense popularity. They are the subject of numerous academic […]
What can we learn about our country’s origins from ‘The American Revolution’ documentary?
Filmmaker Ken Burns’ new documentary — a six-part series on the American Revolution — aired on PBS in November and is now streaming. The documentary describes the American Revolution as “a war for independence, a war of conquest, a civil war and a world war,” and it aims to provide “an expansive, evenhanded look at […]
Historic Native American robes — the subject of an Illinois-led project — to be displayed at Versailles exhibition
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Stunning robes created more than 300 years ago by Inohka, or “Illinois people” — Native American tribes whose homelands include Illinois — will be on public display at a special exhibition at the Palace of Versailles in France that opens this month. The exhibition will include one of the most famous existing […]
Book looks at treasure trove of scientific data from 19th-century HMS Challenger voyage
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The voyage of the HMS Challenger in the 1870s was a sprawling 3-1/2-year expedition to explore the world’s oceans. The scientists aboard the vessel collected 100,000 specimens of sea creatures, discovered 5,000 new species, mapped the ocean floors and took hundreds of measurements of sea temperature and chemistry that formed the basis […]
Illinois professor’s New Yorker story, set in his hometown, examines racial, class struggles
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — David Wright Faladé examines race, class and gender through the eyes of a young college woman spending time in her small Texas hometown in his new short story, “Amarillo Boulevard,” which was published in Oct. 6 issue of The New Yorker. Faladé, an English professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, writes […]