Students in Desiree Hellegers’s Native American Literature course spent two class sessions in a 15-person, 36-foot tribal canoe on the Columbia River. Chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation Tony Johnson led the canoe portion of the class, themed “Mni Wiconi, Water is Life.” They began with instructions in the Cathlapotle Plankhouse near Ridgefield, Wash., followed […]
Why do non-Indigenous sports teams steal the names and symbols of North America’s first peoples? McGill University’s continued use of “Redmen” for its teams has many on campus grappling with that question. The name is considered an anti-Indigenous slur. When it emerged in the 1920s, the name Redmen was intended to describe the school’s signature colour, […]
U.S. journalist Megyn Kelly got fired after she made comments on air that appeared to condone the use of blackface in Halloween costumes, a major backlash ensued, and she lost her NBC talk show. The problematic custom dates back to about 1830, and so-called “minstrel shows”—white performers caked their faces in greasepaint or shoe polish […]
The fall 2018 issue of the Journal of Hate Studies focuses on the resurgence of hate crimes and divisive rhetoric in the 2016 election. The journal draws papers and guest editors from universities around the country. One of the guest editors for the upcoming issue is David J. Leonard, a professor in the School of […]
Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo, a professor of comparative ethnic studies at WSU, has been named inaugural director of the new School of Languages, Cultures, and Race (SLCR) in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). She brings to her leadership role extensive experience in teaching and research as well as several years of mentoring graduate students […]
Dr. David Leonard, an author and associate professor in comparative ethnic studies at Washington State University, spoke about the intersection of race and narratives about athletes Monday, March 26. This is a topic which he wrote about in his most recent book, “Playing While White: Privilege and Power On and Off the Field.” This event […]
Two professors are warning in a forthcoming anthology that video games and gaming culture “perpetuate injustice” and hurt “marginalized bodies.” “Woke Gaming: Digital Challenges to Oppression and Social Justice” is edited by Kishonna Gray, a professor at Arizona State University, and David J. Leonard, who teaches classes on social justice and black studies at Washington […]
“The annual CHINA Town Hall aims to help people nationwide understand the challenges and opportunities of what has been characterized as the most important bilateral relationship of the twenty-first century,” said Lydia Gerber, clinical associate professor of history and director of the WSU Asia Program, the local event sponsor. As the top U.S. state exporter […]
Themes of resilience from multiple regional and disciplinary perspectives will be explored as the WSU Asia Program’s “East Meets West” lecture series continues Sept. 19–Oct. 24 on the WSU Pullman campus. The 2017 series features seven lectures and one documentary film. All events are free and open to the public. “We chose the theme of […]
The Society of American Archivists has presented its Council Exemplary Service Award to the Sustainable Heritage Network, a project led by Washington State University for digital preservation of cultural heritage. The SHN is managed by the Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation (CDSC) at WSU and works in partnership with the Association for Tribal Archives, […]