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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 […]
Video series highlights history of skin in the early modern world
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A series of eight videos available online highlights the research of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign history professor Craig Koslofsky on ways of marking and understanding skin in the early modern world. Koslofsky – who studies early modern European and global history – is writing a book, “The Deep Surface: Skin in the […]
Mellon-funded project tracks how stories of racial violence spread, were reported
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A project led by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign information sciences and English professor Ryan Cordell will examine the way in which stories about racial violence circulated in late 19th century and early 20th century newspapers and how those stories relate to social media reports of racial violence today. “The Virality of Racial […]
Site of integrated Illinois town founded by former slave is newest national park
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The New Philadelphia National Historic Site in western Illinois, commemorating the first U.S. town to be legally founded by African Americans, is the nation’s newest national park. The national park designation in late December is the result of years of work by descendants of New Philadelphia’s inhabitants, Pike County residents living near […]
What led to the attempted coup in Brazil, what comes next?
Jerry Dávila is the Lemann Chair in Brazilian History at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and executive director of the Illinois Global Institute. Dávila, who specializes in the history of Brazil in the 20th century, spoke with News Bureau business and law editor Phil Ciciora about civil unrest in Brazil. What was behind the Jan. […]
Illinois anthropology professor awarded NEH Fellowship
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign anthropology professor Erin Riggs has been awarded a 2022 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship. Riggs is a contemporary and historical archaeologist with interests in welfare state initiatives, materiality, national belonging and displacement in the recent past. “Congratulations to Professor Riggs on her NEH Fellowship,” Chancellor Robert J. […]