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U. of I. alum Joanne Lee Molinaro – ‘The Korean Vegan’ – to give talk, cooking demo on campus
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumna Joanne Lee Molinaro, known as “The Korean Vegan,” will return to her alma mater for an appearance in September. Molinaro – a lawyer, TikTok star and best-selling cookbook author – will speak and give a cooking demonstration on Sept. 21 at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts as part of the PYGMALION […]

New paper points to better way to assess noncognitive abilities
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — New research led by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert who studies personnel psychology shows a better way to assess noncognitive abilities such as a job candidate’s personality and vocational interests using the “graded forced-choice format.” The scientific study of a person’s soft skills heavily relies on self-reported measures – for example, […]

Illinois professor examines the overlooked role of food in civil rights struggle
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Food was used as both a weapon and a tool of resistance in the Mississippi Delta during the Civil Rights Movement. Bobby J. Smith II, an African American studies professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, looked at how the Civil Rights Movement expanded to include struggles around food in his book […]

Illinois professor describes how whaling shaped U.S. culture even after petroleum replaced it
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The whaling industry helped drive industrialization in the 19th century, with whale oil used to light lamps and lubricate machinery. Even after petroleum replaced whale oil as an energy source in the U.S., whaling continued to be part of our cultural imagination and helped develop the idea of an energy industry, said […]

How will a new Illinois law help with teaching the history of Native Americans in the state?
Illinois public schools will be required to teach students about Native American history in the state beginning with the 2024-25 school year. The legislation, which was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Aug. 4, requires that schools teach about the contributions of Native Americans in government, arts, humanities, sciences, and economic, cultural, social and political […]

What does the recent rebellion by armed forces in Russia mean for Putin’s future?
In late June, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group that has been fighting for Russia in Ukraine, seized control of Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, then began an armed march toward Moscow. Prigozhin has been a harsh critic of Russian military leadership and claimed he was trying to force a change […]

Illinois professor examines lasting legacy of al-Andalus for Arabs, Muslims today
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Before it was home to Spain and Portugal, much of the Iberian Peninsula was ruled by a succession of Islamic dynasties for almost 800 years during the Middle Ages. Known as al-Andalus, its influence is still reflected in art and politics today – not only in Spain and North Africa, but also […]

Two Illinois researchers receive ACLS Fellowships
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Two researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have been awarded 2023 American Council of Learned Societies Fellowships. José de la Garza Valenzuela, a professor of Latina/Latino studies, and Yuridia RamÃrez, a professor of history, are among 60 scholars selected through a multi-stage peer review process from nearly 1,200 applicants, according to […]

Book describes how Hong Kong media waged Asia’s cultural cold war
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In the post-World War II period, Hong Kong became a battleground for the competing ideologies of China, Taiwan and the U.S. in a cultural cold war. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign history professor Po-Shek Fu described how the propaganda and psychological warfare intertwined with the local historical experiences and cultural formation of Hong […]

Should educators worry about ChatGPT?
The artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT can, among other things, generate essays and write computer code. Since being released to the public for testing late last year, it has raised concerns about students using ChatGPT to complete their homework and led some secondary public schools to ban it and college professors to change their course assignments. […]

Illinois historian examines how emotional intimacy became politically valued in post-WWII Britain
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In the decades following World War II, the intimate emotional life of families took on unprecedented social and political value in Western democracies. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign history professor Teri Chettiar looks at how the British government prioritized emotional well-being and viewed it as necessary for a stable democracy in her new […]

Is Russia-Ukraine war heading toward stalemate?
Edward A. Kolodziej is Emeritus Research Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and author of the book “Global Governance: Evaluating the Liberal Democratic, Chinese, and Russian Solutions.” He spoke with News Bureau business and law editor Phil Ciciora about the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the one-year mark. One year into […]