This past year the Institute for Global Studies cosponsored an event series called Seeking Refuge in a Changing World. We invited scholars, activists, teachers, students, and the public to talk, listen, and learn about the experiences of people forced to leave their homelands because of political and ecological upheaval.
At a time of unrest in South Africa, Marna Wal had the opportunity to experience protest culture firsthand. While studying abroad at the University of Cape Town, Wal was immersed in a student movement organized around increased tuition rates. This unique social atmosphere gave her insight into the complicated political culture of post-apartheid South Africa.
Senior Mariam Salama had the opportunity to speak at last year’s CLA Bright Lights celebration, where she offered insights from her experiences as an undergraduate. Her journey through college brought challenges, rewards, and wisdom to share with others. Salama reflects on her travel to Uganda and the impact that serving as a CLA ambassador has had on her life.
How can a country’s culture and migration regulations affect an immigrant’s ability to adjust? Professor Cawo Abdi studies the diaspora of Somali people and how they’ve adjusted to their new homelands. She finds that while Somali refugees remain hopeful that they will find a sense of belonging, they face unexpected challenges when adjusting to life in a new country.
Assistant Professor Hassan Abdel Salam explores the relationship between Islamic law and how it interacts with human rights in his research for the Institute of Global Studies. Abdel Salam hopes to discover how Islamic clerics conceptualize human rights, how everyday Muslims express their devotion, and how Islamophobia is produced in the United States and the world as a whole.
Christie Nicoson graduated in 2013 from the University of Minnesota with a global studies major. Since then she has been developing her professional skills and working toward a master’s degree in climate change, peace and conflict while studying at Uppsala University in Sweden.
The Global Studies Student Advisory Board is a student-run community outreach organization that was founded just last year. Kate Denney and Roman Yannish, among several other founders, created this group to provide an opportunity for students who were eager to participate in local activism and to welcome new global studies students to the program.
Having served as director of the Human Rights Program since 2001, Barbara Frey is heavily involved in engaging students and researchers with real-world human rights issues happening in the United States and countries around the world.
Are you a K-16 educator Interested in incorporating action into your course of study? Thinking about how to build empathy and understanding for local action in a global context? Wanting to...
The African Studies Initiative is pleased to announce a paid opportunity for experienced K-14 teachers working with African content who are attending the summer institute Taking Action:...
