Social and Behavioral Sciences

Oxford University Professor to deliver inaugural talk in Modern Arab History lecture series

The Inaugural Nijad and Zeina Fares Arab-American Educational Foundation Lecture in Modern Arab History will be delivered by the distinguished Palestinian public intellectual, political theorist and historian Karma Nabulsi, D.Phil. on Thursday, March 31 at 7 p.m. in the Student Center Theater. A former Palestinian national representative, Dr. Nabulsi is a senior faculty member and director of undergraduate studies at the Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford University. Her lecture is entitled “Rousseau and Palestine: A Radical Tradition of Popular Sovereignty.” read more

What’s Next:

Upcoming Faculty and Staff Lectures, Performances and Presentations

Rheeda Walker, associate professor of clinical psychology, will be a featured speaker at the April 22 Suicide Awareness and Prevention Conference that is part of the Sharon K. Burrows Conference Series at Houston Baptist University. This year’s conference theme is “Fostering Resilience in Children and Adolescents” and Dr. Walker, director of the Culture, Risk and Resilience Lab, will deliver her lecture, “How to Communicate with Someone Who May Be Suicidal.” The conference is from 9 a.m. – noon on the HBU campus. read more

Humanities

Public policy experts, philosophers and political activists gather for Restorative Justice conference

The Hobby Center for Public Policy and the Eastern Society for Women in Philosophy are sponsoring a two–day Restorative Justice conference that is free and open to the public. The conversations between philosophers, professionals and activists will be held in the Honors College Commons of the M.D. Anderson Library, starting at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 8 and at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 9. Read Hobby Center Post–Doctoral Visiting Scholar and conference organizer Johanna Luttrell’s article which is part of the Hobby Center‘s white paper series. read more

What’s Next:

Upcoming Faculty and Staff Lectures, Performances and Presentations

Many faculty, students and alumni of the UH Creative Writing Program (CWP) will be moderators, panelists, readers and book signers at the annual conference of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP). The 2016 convening is March 30 – April 2 at the Los Angeles Convention Center with dozens of off-site events throughout Los Angeles. More than 15,000 people are expected to attend this major convention of creative writers in the United States. Review the comprehensive list of CWP-related AWP events here.

Historian Robert Zaretsky will discuss Albert Camus with the New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik at the New York Public Library on April 14 as part of a “Camus: A Stranger in the City,” a monthlong festival of performances, readings, film screenings and other events celebrating the 70th anniversary of Camus’ three-month visit to New York City. The New York Times published a festival preview and interviewed Dr. Zaretsky, a professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages.

Literary, Performing and Visual Arts

Center for Arts Leadership hosts annual summit: Valuing the 21st Century Creative Economy

Creative industries contribute to a city’s quality of life and economic bottom line. Art is a measure of a community’s vitality and its financial success. Houston’s creative economy hit $26 billion in 2014, but what does that really mean? The Center for Arts Leadership hosts its annual Leadership in the Arts Summit on Monday, April 11. The 2016 convening will explore the role of the individual, for- and non-profit organizations, and the entrepreneur in the twenty-first century creative economy. read more

Madison Artist Series presents opera superstar Bryn Terfel in concert and conversation

The Madison Artist Series brings performances and lectures by the world’s top musicians to the University of Houston campus. On April 25 and 26, the series presents opera superstar Bryn Terfel, the renowned baritone who was awarded a 2013 Grammy for his contributions to the Metropolitan Opera's recording of Richard Wagner’s “Der Ring Des Nibelungen.” Terfel will deliver a lecture on April 25 and sing in concert on April 26 in the Moores Opera House. read more

What’s Next:

Upcoming Faculty and Staff Lectures, Performances and Presentations

CounterCurrent is a free festival of bold experimental art organized by the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. This year the festival begins on Tuesday, April 12 and ends on Sunday, April 17. CounterCurrent 2016 headquarters are at the MATCH (Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston) and events take place all over the City of Houston, from street corners to museums to theaters to the University of Houston campus. Festival venues are integral to the art itself, offering new ways to experience our city. Stephan Hillerbrand, associate professor of photography in the School of Art, is one of this year’s featured artists.

The African American Studies Annual Scholarship Banquet

Friday, May 6, 2016 at 7 p.m.
University of Houston Hilton Hotel

The University of Houston African American Studies Program annual scholarship banquet supports student scholarship for books, tuition and international studies. This year’s keynote speaker is Dallas Jones, president and CEO of Elite Change, Inc., a public affairs and strategic communications firm. Jones and his firm have managed several Houston area political campaigns.