IWU's 'Half Life of Freedom' To Explore Racism

Award-winning author Jelani Cobb will speak at Illinois Wesleyan University's President's Convocation on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m. in Westbrook Auditorium, Presser Hall (1210 N. Park St., Bloomington).

His remarks, "The Half-Life of Freedom: Race and Justice in America Today," will be presented in connection with the University's Summer Reading Program selection, Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. In keeping with Illinois Wesleyan's annual intellectual theme, The Evolution of Revolution, Coates' book calls for a revolution of thought around the social construct of race.

Both men attended Howard University, where they began a continuing friendship and shared discourse on the complexity of race.  

Cobb is the Ira A. Lipman Professor of Journalism at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He has received Fellowships from the Fulbright and Ford Foundations.  

As a staff writer at The New Yorker, Cobb has penned articles about race, culture, the police and injustice. In 2015, he received the Sidney Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism for his columns on police shootings in Ferguson, Mo., and similar happenings. His investigative series Policing the Police, which aired on PBS Frontline in 2016, won the 2017 Walter Bernstein Award from the Writer’s Guild of America. 

His books include Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress;  an insider's exploration of hip hop titled To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic;  and The Devil & Dave Chappelle and Other Essays. His forthcoming book is Antidote to Revolution: African American Anticommunism and the Struggle for Civil Rights, 1931.

"I write because a different world is possible—we must always remember that," Cobb has said of his work.

The President’s Convocation traditionally opens the academic year at Illinois Wesleyan. The event is free and open to the public.

IWU Speaker Examines Gender Segregation

Author and journalist Jenny Nordberg will speak Wednesday at the President’s Convocation at Illinois Wesleyan University. Nordberg is the author of The Underground Girls of Kabul , which was selected for the University’s Summer Reading Program.

Nordberg’s book is based on her extensive research and reporting inside a war zone on the practice of “bacha posh” – how girls grow up disguised as boys in gender-segregated Afghanistan. In 2010, Nordberg broke the story to a global audience in her work published in The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune. The practice of "bacha posh," which had never been previously documented, offers new and previously unknown details about Afghanistan and the inner workings of the deeply conservative society. Nordberg’s book raises new and profound questions about gender in children and teens, nature versus nurture, religion, sexuality, and what roles women play during war. The book has won numerous awards, including the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014. Nordberg has also developed the website bachaposh.com as an online resource for girls who have grown up as boys due to segregation.

Nordberg is an award-winning journalist and foreign correspondent, columnist and television producer. Together with The New York Times’ investigative unit, she worked on projects such as the examination of the American freight railroad system, a series that won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting.

Also with the Times, she worked on a project on U.S. efforts at exporting democracy to Haiti. She has produced and written several documentaries for American television, and she is also a member of the first investigative team at Swedish Broadcasting’s national radio division, where she supervised projects on terrorism and politics. She has won awards from Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Nordberg holds a B.A.in law and journalism from Stockholm University, and an M.A. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

The President’s Convocation, which begins at 11 a.m. in Presser Hall’s Westbrook Auditorium (1210 N. Park St., Bloomington), traditionally opens the academic year at Illinois Wesleyan. Nordberg’s address is free and open to the public. She will also sign copies of the book at 1 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Memorial Center Young Main Lounge.

QUEERTalks Launch September 20 Focusing on 'Spectacular Female Sexuality'

Please join Illinois State University Women's and Gender Studies Program, the LGBT/Queer Studies and Services Institute, Diversity Advocacy and ISU Pride in welcoming the first QUEERtalk of Fall 2016: "Queering Sugar: Kara Walk and Spectacular Female Sexuality" by Amber Jamilla Musser, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. September 20.

QUEERtalks is a lunchtime colloquium series dedicated to learning about new scholarship in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)/queer studies.

The talks will be held at the LGBT/Queer Studies and Services Institute in the Professional Development Annex. Members of the host organizations will meet at 12:15 p.m. at the flagpole located at the north end of ISU's Quad to serve as guides leading to the Institute.

Musser is St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis assistant professor for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is the author of Sensational Flesh: Race, Power, and Masochism, which examines how masochism and its related power structures race, gender, and embodiment in different contexts.

For questions and accommodations, contact Jamie Anderson of the Women's and Gender Studies Program Office at (309) 438-2947.

Novelist/Poet To Give Reading Wednesday on Campus

Celebrated author and scholar Percival Everett will give a reading of his work at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, in the Prairie Room of the Bone Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.

There will also be a Q&A session at 2 p.m. in Stevenson Hall, room 401.

Everett is a distinguished professor at the University of Southern California, and an internationally renown author of more than 25 novels and collections of poetry. His works include the award-winning Erasure, and I Am Not Sidney Poitier.

He is the recipient of the Pen Center Award for Fiction, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, the Academy Award in Literature, the Dos Passos Prize, and the New American Writing Award, among others. Everett’s most recent work are Assumption: A Novel, Percival Everett by Virgil Russell: A Novel, and a collection of short fiction titled Half an Inch of Water.

The event is free, open to the public, and sponsored by Illinois State’s Creative Writing Program, Department of English, the Harold K. Sage Foundation, and the Illinois State University Foundation.

Bonilla-Silva: 'New Racism' Thriving in U.S.

This year the Illinois State University Department of Sociology and Anthropology is honored to bring to campus Dr. Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, chair of the Department of Sociology at Duke University.

One of his Bonilla-Silva's most relevant books, Racism Without Racists: Colorblind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in the United States, has been adopted for classes at ISU, and is currently being read by a group of sociology students.

In his book, he challenges the notions of a “post-racial,” “color blind” society to expose the contemporary contours of racial inequality in the United States. Bonilla Silva will visit campus Thursday and Friday, first guesting at a 3:00-5:00 p.m. reception at Medici in Uptown Normal. At 7 p.m., he will lecture on “The Sweet Enchantment of Post-Racial Racism in America,” in the Old Main Room of Bone Student Center.

Bonilla-Silva will examine the contours of America’s racial landscape since the early 1970s. His main claim is that racism, viewed in structural terms, has remained a central organizational principle of American life, albeit in changed form. The nation has moved away from traditional segregation and discrimination, but a “new racism” has taken its place. This new racial system relies on subtle, seemingly non-racial practices to reproduce white privilege, Bonilla-Silva maintains.

Along with the “new racism” structure, a new racial discourse has emerged to organize racial transactions and discussions — the ideology of “color-blind racism.” Bonilla-Silva will examine the component parts of this new ideology in detail. At the end of his talk, he will suggest various strategies to fight discrimination in this new racial order.  

The Robert G. Bone Distinguished Lecture Series was established by the late Illinois State University President, Robert G. Bone (1956-1967). It is a yearly lecture shared by the departments of History, Politics and Government, and Sociology and Anthropology. It is designed to bring to campus distinguished scholars to deliver a public lecture and to meet with the faculty and students. 

Cross-cultural Filmmakers at IWU March 25-26

Influential independent filmmaker, screenwriter, and author John Sayles and his longtime collaborator Maggie Renzi will visit Illinois Wesleyan University March 25-26 to cap off a weeklong festival of their films. All events are free and open to the public.

Sayles has twice been nominated for Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay (Passion Fish and Lone Star). His novel Union Dues (1977) was a finalist for a National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Sayles also received an O. Henry Award for his first published short story, “I-80 Nebraska.”

The film Amigo, which was written and directed by Sayles and produced by Renzi, will be screened at 7 p.m. March 26 in Wesleyan's Hansen Student Center. Sayles and Renzi will lead a discussion following the film. Amigo (2011) is set in 1900 during the Philippine-American War and stars frequent Sayles’ collaborator Chris Cooper.

New York Times film critic A.O. Scott wrote: “Amigo is a well-carpentered narrative, fast-moving and empathetic, stepping nimbly from gravity to good humor. It has points to make, but Mr. Sayles frequently allows his ideas about how the world works to be overridden (or undermined) by his curiosity about how people behave…All in all, he is a pretty good history teacher, the kind who knows how to make even difficult lessons entertaining and relevant.”

Sayles will also read from his most recent novel, A Moment in the Sun, at 4 p.m. March 25 in The Ames Library’s Beckman Auditorium. A New York Times Notable Book of 2011, A Moment in the Sun begins in 1897 during the Yukon gold rush and takes the reader into the Spanish-American War, the Filipino fight for independence, racial injustice and the plight of working people in the U.S. Lucia Silva of NRP’s “Morning Edition” said: “…Sayles has managed to create a work that is both cinematic and literary in its scope and style—a blend so entrancing that you could polish off its 955 pages in one long weekend…Short, powerful chapters follow four unconnected characters to create a mosaic of America as a nascent superpower, underscoring the personal and cultural consequences of its ambitions.”

Sayles and Renzi met in the early 1970s as students at Williams College in Massachusetts.  Longtime collaborators and partners, Renzi has produced a number of films directed by Sayles including Honeydripper (2007); Silver City (2004); Sunshine State (2002); Lone Star (1996); and Matewan (1987).

Lone Star, set in a small-town Texas that was rigidly segregated until recently, deals with a sheriff’s investigation into the murder of one of his predecessors. It stars Cooper, Kris Kristofferson, Matthew McConaughey and Elizabeth Peña. Lone Star was screened at IWU March 17. In a 1997 review, the late Roger Ebert said the film “…..shows how Chicanos, blacks, whites and Indians shared a common history, and how they knew one another and dealt with one another in ways that were off the official map…this film is a wonder.”

Sayles’ long and eclectic career also has included screenwriting work, from genre classic The Howling to Apollo 13 to The Quick and the Dead, to directing three music videos for Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA, I’m on Fire and Glory Days. The videos were also produced by Renzi.

During their time at IWU, Sayles and Renzi will meet with student groups. Their visit is sponsored by the Center for Human Rights and Social Justice, the Chaplain’s Office, the Department of History, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s 3D series of programming.

Sayles will also read from his most recent novel, A Moment in the Sun, at 4 p.m. March 25 in The Ames Library’s Beckman Auditorium. A New York Times Notable Book of 2011, A Moment in the Sun begins in 1897 during the Yukon gold rush and takes the reader into the Spanish-American War, the Filipino fight for independence, racial injustice and the plight of working people in the U.S. Lucia Silva of NRP’s “Morning Edition” said: “…Sayles has managed to create a work that is both cinematic and literary in its scope and style—a blend so entrancing that you could polish off its 955 pages in one long weekend…Short, powerful chapters follow four unconnected characters to create a mosaic of America as a nascent superpower, underscoring the personal and cultural consequences of its ambitions.”

Sayles and Renzi met in the early 1970s as students at Williams College in Massachusetts.  Longtime collaborators and partners, Renzi has produced a number of films directed by Sayles including Honeydripper (2007); Silver City (2004); Sunshine State (2002); Lone Star (1996); and Matewan (1987).

Lone Star, set in a small-town Texas that was rigidly segregated until recently, deals with a sheriff’s investigation into the murder of one of his predecessors. It stars Cooper, Kris Kristofferson, Matthew McConaughey and Elizabeth Peña. Lone Star was screened at IWU March 17. In a 1997 review, the late Roger Ebert said the film “…..shows how Chicanos, blacks, whites and Indians shared a common history, and how they knew one another and dealt with one another in ways that were off the official map…this film is a wonder.”

Sayles’ long and eclectic career also has included screenwriting work, from genre classic The Howling to Apollo 13 to The Quick and the Dead, to directing three music videos for Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA, I’m on Fire and Glory Days. The videos were also produced by Renzi.

During their time at IWU, Sayles and Renzi will meet with student groups. Their visit is sponsored by the Center for Human Rights and Social Justice, the Chaplain’s Office, the Department of History, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s 3D series of programming.

Illinois Author Explores Judaism, Visits IWU

Best-selling and critically acclaimed author Joshua Ferris will give a reading of his latest work, To Rise Again at a Decent Hour, on March 18 at Illinois Wesleyan University. Sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta English honor society, Tributaries and Lyrical Graffiti, the free event will begin at 7 p.m. in the Hansen Student Center and is open to the public.

Published in 2014, To Rise Again at a Decent Hour follows an atheist dentist and Red Sox fan who longs to be a part of the Jewish community—even though he doesn’t believe in God. Hailed as “an impressive investigation of faith and doubt” by The Paris Review, the novel won the Dylan Thomas Prize, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and was chosen as a Best Book of 2014 by National Public Radio.

“To Rise Again at a Decent Hour discusses issues like identity theft, religion, technology and, oddly enough, oral hygiene,” said Erica Kucharski ’15, co-president of Sigma Tau Delta. “It's hilarious and absurd at times, but really makes you think about your place in the world.”

Joe Ruskey ’15, co-president of Sigma Tau Delta, invited Ferris to campus. “What separates Ferris from other writers is that his novels delve into challenges our generation constantly faces, and the tone and voice of his writing provides the reader with a sense of truth that is not often seen,” Ruskey said.           

Born in Danville, Illinois, Ferris earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree from the University of California-Irvine. Ferris’ first novel, Then We Came to the End, is a satire of a Chicago advertising agency at the end of the dot-com boom. The national bestseller was a 2007 National Book Award finalist and a 2007 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Fiction winner. In 2010, Ferris published The Unnamed, about a marriage, a family, and the unseen forces of nature and desire.

Ferris has also published numerous short stories appearing in The Iowa Review, Best American Short Stories, Tin House, The Guardian and The New Yorker, among others. He was named to The New Yorker’s “20 Under 40” list of ‘fiction writers worth watching’ and is a winner of the Barnes and Noble Discover New Writers Award.

Activist-Journalist Keynotes Black History Month Dinner

University Housing Services is pleased to welcome activist, journalist, and television personality Dr. Marc Lamont Hill for the Black History Month Cultural Dinner Monday, February 2 at 5 p.m. in the Brown Ballroom at the Bone Student Center. His keynote will address college affordability, with a focus on the impact of the African-American community

Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is one of the leading hip-hop generation intellectuals in the country: He covers topics in culture, politics, and education. Many have seen him provide commentary for CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, in addition to his hosting responsibilities on HuffPost Live and BET News. An award-winning writer, Dr. Hill is also a columnist and editor-at-large for the Philadelphia Daily News.

His interest in social justice led him to help organize My5th, a nonprofit organization devoted to educating youth about their legal rights and responsibilities. Dr. Hill also started a literacy project that uses hip-hop culture to increase school engagement and reading skills among high school students.

When he is not giving insights through media or organizing a new project, Dr. Hill teaches at Morehouse College as a Distinguished Professor of African-American Studies. He has also published several books, including his newest, The Classroom and the Cell: Conversations of Black Life in America.

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Entertainment for the night will come from DeShawn Williams, a singer with smooth baritone vocals and music influenced by the sounds of Michael Jackson and Earth Wind & Fire.

Tickets are $20 and  can be purchased online at Housing.IllinoisState.edu from January 5-28. Tickets will not be available at the door. For more information, contact (309) 438-5399.

This event is sponsored by University Housing Services and co-sponsored by Illinois State Campus Dining Services, Association of Residence Halls, Hewett-Manchester Student Association, East Campus Diversity Coalition and MECCPAC (A Dean of StudentsDiversity Initiative).

For special accommodations to fully participate in this event, please contact University Housing Services at (309) 438-5399. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.