When world-renowned author Toni Morrison visited Northeastern University’s Boston campus in 2013, she told the audience of nearly 1,000 people that the quiet force of goodness—a force often overlooked—was more powerful than violence or hatred. “Evil and violence take the stage—all of it. It needs so much to call our attention,” Morrison said. “But goodness doesn’t need…
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African American Studies
Affiliated faculty member Margaret Burnham named Carnegie Fellow
Affiliated faculty member of the Department of African American Studies, Margaret Burnham, has been named to the 2016 class of Andrew Carnegie Fellows, a prestigious honor recognizing scholars for their significant work in the social sciences and humanities…
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Northeastern researchers examine the Zika pandemic
On April 6 an interdisciplinary panel discussion called “The Global Response to the Zika Pandemic” featured three distinct perspectives on the crisis: Those of Richard Wamai, assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies..
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What Ebola and HIV/AIDS can teach us about the Zika virus pandemic
Richard Wamai, assistant professor in the Department of African American Studies and an expert in international global health and development, talks about the Zika virus’s history, puzzling trajectory, and public health interventions that could stem its spread…
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Student named to global END7 advisory board
After taking just one class taught by Richard Wamai, an assistant professor of African American Studies, international affairs major David Obadina realized his passion to help eradicate neglected tropical diseases worldwide…
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Students join push to end neglected tropical diseases
A group of Northeastern students has joined the crusade to bring an end to the 17 neglected tropical diseases that affect more than 1 billion people around the world. Called NEU END7, the group has been working since October to raise awareness of NTDs and help eradicate the seven most common tropical infections by 2020….
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The leader in the room
Elikya Bokanga, SSH’16, showcased award-winning diplomatic acumen and strong management skills at the 12th Annual National Model African Union Conference in Washington, D.C. last month. As Zambia’s representative on the Technical Committee on Regional Economic Communities, he ended a quarrelsome debate over a proposal to establish a uniform African currency before it divided the group….
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Racial divisions in Obama's America
In March, Northeastern University professors Amílcar Barreto and Richard D. O’Bryant will convene a score of scholars for a daylong conference on gender and identity in the age of Obama. The experts will present scholarly papers on topics ranging from feminism to family, the best of which will be co-edited by Barreto and O’Bryant and…
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Mandela’s life, local ties celebrated
Civic leaders, activists, and humanitarians convened in Northeastern University’s Blackman Auditorium on Thursday afternoon to honor the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, the former South African president and anti-apartheid icon who died last month at the age of 95. The 90-minute ceremony featured a video collage from Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 and…
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The untold stories of slavery
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Douglas Blackmon, who has extensively researched African American slavery in the late 19th and early 20th century, said he is often asked why he wrote a book portraying such terrible events. His answer: it’s a way to infuse personality into stories that were originally written in dehumanizing ways. “I think it’s important we…
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