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DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND POLITICS FALL 2023 NEWSLETTER

Chair Message

HCAS Dean Dr. Holly Baumgartner, Dr. Chuck Vogel, M.D., and Dr. David Kilroy at the opening of the Vogel African Art collection in the Department of Humanities and Politics suite.

Welcome to the Fall 2023 edition of the Department of Humanities and Politics newsletter. We are excited to highlight another busy semester of student, faculty, and alumni achievements.

 

The semester got off to a wonderful start with a reception to mark the launch of the IN-SIGHT Student Think Tank for the 2023-2024 academic year, supported once again by Montachem International, Inc. We also took the opportunity at this event to recognize the very generous gift of a collection of African Art and artefacts to the Center for Applied Humanities from Dr. Chuck Vogel, M.D., whose fascinating story you can learn more about in an episode of the Applied Humanities Podcast linked in the newsletter. We encourage people to stop by our department suite on the second floor of the Mailman Hollywood building anytime to enjoy this wonderful collection.

This edition of the newsletter showcases the diversity of activities across the Department of Humanities and Politics, including highlights such as successful grant awards for the Center for Applied Humanities, the Applied Humanities Podcast, and the Reel, a busy semester of competition and conference hosting for the Model UN team, a Pi Sigma Alpha alumni engagement panel, pre-law workshops and lectures, a student led clothing drive, and host of individual student and faculty accomplishments in and out of the classroom. As always, our students, faculty and alumni make me proud to be chair of this dynamic and innovative interdisciplinary department.

 

Best wishes,

David P. Kilroy, Chair

Annual Alumni Reunion

Welcome New Faculty

Ying Ma, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Literature and Language who specializes in Asian American literature, queer studies, and Mandarin Chinese. She studies the imperial and colonial regulation of gender and sexuality, for both women and queer groups, within and beyond the United States. Her dissertation project investigates how queer Asian American authors write stories about racial and sexual trauma and imagine a queer future that fosters solidarity and community building. At NSU, she teaches courses in world literature, gender studies, Asian thought, and Mandarin Chinese. She earned a PhD in literature from UT Dallas and an MA in translation and interpretation from Wake Forest University. When she is not teaching, Dr. Ma likes to spend time with her bunny.

The Center for Applied Humanities

The Center for Applied Humanities had a productive fall, beginning with a $10,000 grant award from the Florida Humanities Council/National Endowment of the Humanities to fund its Hispanic Heritage Month events. This series, entitled Encanto: Everyday Magic, focused on the fantastic and the out-of-the-ordinary all around us. Events included a reading and talk by New York Times bestselling Colombian-American author Patricia Engel; a panel discussion about Cuban mystique and nostalgia featuring NSU’s Dr. G. Nelson Bass, FIU’s Dr. Guillermo Grenier, and NBC-6 anchor Jackie Nespral; presentations on Latin American and Caribbean monsters by NSU’s Dean Andrea Nevins and FAU’s Dr. Barbara Ganson; and a musical and dance performance celebrating Day of the Dead by Miami-based Ameyal Mexican Cultural Organization.

The Center was also pleased to launch the second year of its IN-SIGHT fellowship program, thanks to a generous donation once again by Montachem International, Inc. At the launch, this year’s fellows were introduced: Jared DeRosa, Savannah Delano, Alexis Lass, and Charlotte Opris, and the recent donation of African art by Dr. Chuck Vogel was also celebrated. This year’s fellows will continue the work done by last year’s fellowship group, as they strategize recycling incentives for college-age students. They will once again be mentored by Dr. Amanda Furiasse in their year-long study.

Finally, the Center also hosted the first installment in its Research Reverberations faculty research series for the year on October 30, featuring associate professor of philosophy and legal studies, Dr. Vicki Toscano. Dr. Toscano discussed her forthcoming article “The Responsibility Objection to Thomson Re-imagined: What if Men Were Held to a Parallel Standard?” (International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics).

 

The Center for Applied Humanities is committed to the study and application of the humanities to the human environment with particular attention to the relevance of the humanities to the current conditions of national life and international concerns. The CAH actively promotes the humanities as a force for stimulating positive change for the public good.

Day of the Dead event with Miami-based Ameyal Mexican Cultural Organization

The Council for Dialogue and Democracy

In October 2023, Charles Zelden and Judith McKay, co-Directors of the Council for Dialogue and Democracy (CDD) presented to the Association for Conflict Resolution the results of its grant funded three-workshop program: Dialogues in Local Democracy (held in February, March, and April 2023 and funded by Florida Humanities). The 45-minute panel was well received by an audience of some 20 participants in the conference.

 

In November 2023, the CDD sponsored a visit by State Senator Jason Pizzo with NSU political science students studying state and local government.

 

The CDD is currently looking for additional funding opportunities to replicate the small group dialogue format utilized in the Local Democracy workshops.

Applied Humanities Podcast

The Applied Humanities Podcast released two new episodes this fall. In our second installment of the Applied Humanities podcast, we are honored to host the distinguished Dr. Chuck Vogel, a luminary in the field of medical oncology with over 53 years of invaluable experience. Dr. Vogel's journey began in Uganda where he contributed significantly to the National Cancer Institute’s Solid Tumor Service, ultimately becoming the foremost authority on Kaposi’s sarcoma.

 

In a fascinating conversation, Dr. Vogel delves into his groundbreaking early research connecting Hepatitis B to liver cancer—a pivotal discovery that shaped global perspectives on risk factors. Transitioning to the University of Miami Cancer Center, he assumed the helm of the Division of Breast Cancer, leaving an indelible mark with over a decade of service. Dr. Vogel's pioneering work extends beyond the laboratory, as evidenced by his decision to donate his extraordinary collection of African arts and artifacts to the Department of Humanities and Politics.

 

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Vogel's impact resonates in his advocacy for his patients, leadership in FDA-approved trials for various treatments, and profound appreciation for African arts and culture. Join us as we explore the multifaceted legacy of this medical luminary, whose contributions extend far beyond the boundaries of conventional medicine. Listen to the podcast episode here. 

In episode three of the Applied Humanities Podcast, we dive into the extraordinary stories of our accomplished alumni, showcasing the profound impact they are making in their local and global communities.

 

Louize Fiore, a distinguished member of the class of 2015, takes center stage in our latest episode. As the founder of Aequibelli Law, Fiore has forged an illustrious career in immigration law, real estate law, business formations/transactions, and civil litigation and forged a reputation for achieving equitable resolutions for her clients, leaving an indelible mark in the legal landscape.

 

Join us for an insightful conversation as Fiore graciously shares her wealth of experience spanning over 15 years in immigration, real estate, and business law and provides invaluable insight into the transformative power of a humanities education, illustrating how critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and the cultural competencies cultivated in her academic journey have shaped her legal career and helped her foster positive change within her community. Listen to the podcast episode here.

Podcast Launch

Florida 2100 Team, from left, Jeremy Weissman, Katy Doll, Amanda Furiasse, Teng Li, Yair Solan, and Yvette Fuentes

In addition to our ongoing Applied Humanities podcast, the Department of Humanities & Politics is developing a new podcast series titled “Florida 2100: Tales of Tomorrow.” This project is made possible by a generous grant from Florida Humanities, the statewide nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Transporting audiences to the year 2100, this new podcast series will offer a fully immersive storytelling experience that reframes uncertainties about the future into proactive engagement opportunities, illuminating the humanities’ critical role in navigating our anxieties about the future and inspiring audiences to imagine a more resilient and sustainable future for Florida. The podcast series will launch in Fall 2024. Stay tuned for updates and an invitation to the podcast’s launch party.

Humanities Teacher Workshop

Drs. Bass, Farrar, Ma, and Li discuss teaching their subjects with attendees of the Humanities Teacher Workshop.

On October 24, 2023, the Department of Humanities and Politics welcomed a number of Broward County high school teachers to campus for the inaugural NSU Humanities Teacher Workshop. DHP faculty participated in sessions on topics such ‘Teaching Challenging Subjects in the Classroom’ and ‘Digital Humanities.’ There was also a student panel featuring students across all the majors in the Department of Humanities and Politics. Attendees included teachers in subject areas such as English literature, law and government, and history and the feedback from the teachers was uniformly positive. One noted on the feedback survey that “it was really nice to have this opportunity to engage with college faculty.” Another commented that it was “a well-organized and fruitful conference,” noting in particular that it was “very special to hear from current students.”  Several attendees expressed an interest in attending a similar event in the future and so the Department is already planning to host the event again in Fall 2024.

Model United Nations

Representing NSU at 305 MUN

Casey Homorody and Benjamin Ellis

Model United Nations traveled to Miami in November to compete in 305MUN. Sixteen students from the class and 3 returning team members represented NSU and competed against 9 other schools including Columbia University and Fordham University. NSU’s Model UN Members competed well and won multiple awards. Benjamin Ellis (Freshman, INST major) won Best Delegate in his committee (representing Venezuela). Casey Homorody (Junior, POLS major) won Honorable Delegate in her committee (representing Mexico). In addition, Amenia Farraj (Senior, POLS major) and Camellia Baki (Senior, POLS major) won an honorable mention in their committee as well representing China. The following students participated: Jihnny De Giles, Kareilys Castillo, Catalina Cusano, Amenia Farraj, Camellia Baki, Casey Homorody, Timaeus Moreland, Benjamin Ellis, Raul Forero, Monet Elrod, Suraj Doobay, Sarah Abushi, Diana Dancea, Sallete da Silva, Ahmad Alkabouni (Sophomore, Political Science), Arianna Sankar (Senior, Political Science), Kiara Colman (NIRA President), Paula Rey (NIRA VP), and Olivia Jones 

Language Conversation Practice

Our department hosted several language and culture events this past semester in conjunction with NSU’s Alpha Alpha Zeta chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma: National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society, and NSU’s Spanish Club. 

On Wednesday, October 18, we held the very first ASL practice event co-hosted by the NSU chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma. The event was moderated by Professor Riva Markowitz (Patel College of Health Care Sciences) and two of her student assistants. The event was held from 12-1 p.m. in the Patio of the Student Affairs Bldg. Participants were introduced to the history of American Sign Language and were taught some basic signing. Light refreshments were provided.

We also held an Au Café French Language Hour on Thursday, October 27, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Patio of the Student Affairs Bldg. The event was moderated by our part-time French faculty, Professors Maud Cassagnol and Athena Gounis. Participants engaged in conversations on a wide variety of topics and played several interactive games. Light refreshments were provided. NSU’s Alpha Alpha Zeta Chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma co-hosted this event.

On Wednesday November 1 we held El Cafecito: Spanish Language Practice from 12-1 p.m. in the Patio of the Student Affairs Bldg. Dr. Fuentes, Dr. Urrechaga and Professor Zarate served as moderators and the Spanish Club co-hosted the event. The students were placed in groups by language level and had the opportunity to play board games as well as engage in casual conversation. Light refreshments were provided.

Finally, on Friday, Novembers 17, we held the first ever Chinese Culture and Calligraphy event at the second floor UC Lounge. The event was moderated by Dr. Ying Ma and was co-hosted by Alpha Mu Gamma. Participants were able to learn more about Chinese calligraphy and were able to learn some basic strokes. The event was part of International Education Week.

After being discontinued for almost a decade, Mandarin Chinese is being offered again on campus. We are happy to report that in Winter 2024, we will be offering CHIN 1210: Elementary Mandarin Chinese I. Dr. Ying Ma, our newest faculty member, will be teaching this essential course that will introduce students to basic Mandarin and the rich cultures of China and other Mandarin-speaking countries. According to worldata.info, with over 1.30 billion native speakers, Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world and is the official language of the People’s Republic of China, Singapore, and Taiwan, and is spoken in approximately 21 countries as a mother tongue/heritage tongue by part of the population. It is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

The Reel

NSU's Annual Film Series, The Reel, held two film programs this semester to kick off its 2023-24 season. The wildly popular horror/sci-fi film M3GAN was screened in September, and The Reel was proud to once again participate in NSU's Homecoming Week with its November screening of the historical drama Hidden Figures. Marking the beginning of the series' sixth year since its founding by Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar and Professor Emeritus Dr. Kate Waites, this semester's Reel events were attended by over 60 students, staff, faculty, and members of the community. Programmed by The Reel's coordinator, Dr. Yair Solan, the film series offers free, curated movie nights with audience discussions.

Dr. Jeremy Weissman leads a discussion on artificial intelligence and the film M3GAN

This semester, The Reel was joined by Dr. Jeremy Weissman and Dr. Katy Doll, who facilitated engaging post-film discussions with the audience. Dr. Weissman conducted a fascinating conversation on the ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence following the screening of M3GAN. Dr. Doll led a thought-provoking discussion of historical representation and dramatization in Hidden Figures. The Reel thanks the following co-sponsoring organizations, comprised of NSU students and members of the university community, for their help and support: Fin Films, the student-run film club; SAGE, the Society of Anime, Gaming, and Entertainment; NSU's Chapters of AAUW, the American Association of University Women, and NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and the Math Club. Fin Films continues to work with The Reel to co-sponsor selected shows and this Fall has been hosting their own bi-weekly movie nights as well, including screenings of Beetlejuice, Five Nights at Freddy's, and Les Misérables.

NSU's Chapters of AAUW & NAACP and the Math Club with Dr. Katy Doll, Dr. Yair Solan, and attendees of The Reel's Hidden Figures screening

Exciting plans are underway for The Reel to expand its film offerings to the NSU community. The Reel is currently in consultation with the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) to partner on future film screenings. At the invitation of FLIFF, NSU's Fin Films and Film Studies students attended the festival's Opening Night event with Dr. Solan, a screening and Q&A of the film "The Good Half". Additionally, in collaboration with the Alvin Sherman Library, Dr. Yvette Fuentes and Dr. Solan recently received the Pragda Spanish Film Club Grant to organize a Spanish and Latin American film festival in Winter 2024. This Spanish Film Club series is made possible with the support of Pragda, SPAIN arts & culture, and the Secretary of State for Culture of Spain. In the upcoming semester, expect a compelling and wide-ranging slate of film programs.

Opening Night of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival: Elena Gonzalez, Sam Sigler, Dr. Yair Solan, and Parker Morgan

For more information on The Reel, contact Dr. Yair Solan at ysolan@nova.edu or see the series website at https://nsudhp.wixsite.com/reel. For more on Fin Films, visit the group's Instagram page @finfilmsnsu.

Story Booth

Once upon a time, not so long ago, just this past winter actually, a fellowship of story keepers appeared in front of the Alvin Sherman Library. They anchored a haphazard tent, cracked open three quick-to-die electronic devices, and asked YOU what is love?

That project garnered over 70 contributions in written and video recorded formats and has finally been completely processed!

Some highlights include:

 28 shout-outs to family and friends

 1 shout-out to a beloved be

 1 shout-out to a beloved dog

10 assertions that love is a "feeling"

 1 assertion that love is "more than a feeling"

 1 assertion that love is "a choice not a feeling"

 12 definitions of love as indefinable, all-encompassing, and/or contradictory

 1 self-admission: "I haven’t [shown people love] the way I should."

10 stories inspired by specific cultural traditions (including those of Brazil, Columbia, Greece, India, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Spain, and more)

  4 descriptions of specific national holidays

  1 exclamation that they celebrate love every day

Contributors also created …

      a Spotify playlist of the greatest love songs,

      a list of recommend love stories in fiction and film,

      four collaborative crowd-sourced sonnets,

… and more! Visit our Story Booth: Love Edition webpage to explore more sweet trivia and expressions! https://nsudhp.wixsite.com/storyboothlove

Story Booth is an archiving project series that invites the community to tell their stories and fosters diverse cultural and social expressions. It started as the brainchild of Dr. Andrea Shaw Nevins and has been coordinated by Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar since 2019. Beginning next year, Dr. Farrar is happy to announce that the series will be returning to its original creator in the Farquhar Honors College, where Dr. Nevins along with her media team headed by Elizabeth Rai, an English alumna of the Department of Humanities & Politics, are excited to coordinate what has become a beautiful and historic series of our community voices.

Thank you to all who contributed to the Story Booth: Love Edition project and to all who have contributed over these many years!

Sigma Tau Delta

The Alpha Nu Iota Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta (English Honor Society) has been busy this semester!

This past fall, Bruna Yara Azevedo, president of Sigma Tau Delta, led the charge in coordinating with NSU’s Wyrd Book Club and Phi Alpha Delta to host a “Thrift Exchange.” For two weeks in November, faculty, students, and staff filled four bins on the second floor of Mailman-Hollywood with new and used clothes. Everyone was invited to give-and-grab anything they might need for their own closets. On November 15, all remaining collected items were donated to the Caring Place Broward Outreach Center.

The Alpha Nu Iota Chapter also inducted four new members this past fall, including Melany Chacón, James Geier, Anjaly Kappen, and Gloria Mendez. Each of our members has demonstrated high academic achievement. Congratulations to each of our new inductees!

Left to Right: Gloria Mendez, Dr. Yair Solan, Melany Chacón, Dr. Ying Ma, Anjaly Kappen, Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar, Bruna Yara Azevedo.

Style Us

Style Us

What is a conference CFP? What’s supposed to go in an abstract? What is the difference between an introduction and abstract? How do you write an abstract for a paper you haven’t yet written? These are the types of questions we addressed in our latest Abstract Writing Workshop, hosted in partnership between the Style Us: Writing and Professionalization Series and NSU’s Crossroads Humanities Student Conference. In this workshop, peer presenters Alexis Lass (Pi Sigma Alpha, Political Honor Society) and James Geier (Sigma Tau Delta) along with faculty facilitator, Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar, led students through exercises and discussion of the ins and outs of writing abstracts for conference paper proposals.

 

If you missed the workshop, you can still work through the exercise handout on our Style Us conference resources webpage: https://nsudhp.wixsite.com/styleus/conferences

The Style Us: Writing and Professionalization Series is a series housed in the Department of Humanities & Politics that focuses on preparing students with the skills necessary to navigate writing and professional expectations in our fields. In the past, the department has hosted workshops focusing on topics ranging from creative writing and academic publishing to interview and career preparation for students majoring and minoring in the humanities. Explore our archived resources, created and collected by your Humanities & Politics professors, on the Style Us website: https://nsudhp.wixsite.com/styleus/index

 

For more information, please contact the Style Us coordinator, Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar (afarrar@nova.edu).

Pre-Law Programming

This fall DHP continued its pre-law programming by hosting a number of events. In September, we held a "Finding Your Field" event where several DHP faculty members spoke to students about how they found their career paths, offered suggestions, and answered student questions. In October, we hosted an "Applying to Law School Workshop" with the help of Assistant Dean of Admissions for NSU's Shepard Broad College of Law. In November, the "Mini-Law Lecture Series" continued with a wonderful panel presentation titled, "Law and the Environment: Can the Everglades Last"? The panel was comprised of our own Dr. Teng Li, Dr. Paul Baldauf, Professor in Marine and Environmental Sciences, and Professor Stacy Myers, Senior Scientist and Liaison for the Heritage Environmental Resources Office for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Phi Alpha Delta, our pre-law undergraduate fraternity, continues to co-host these events and creates many more for their growing membership. We also continue work to create unique opportunities for our undergraduate pre-law students including working closely with the Broward County Bar Association's Mentoring Committee to create many mentoring and internship opportunities for our students in the coming months.

Pi Sigma Alpha

Pi Sigma Alpha held a special event that brought in recent alumni to discuss their experiences in graduate and professional school and beyond.

Undergraduate Research Highlights

This past fall, James Geier and Dexter Mitchell, presented individual papers at the South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) Conference. Both James and Dexter are English majors who had submitted proposals based on papers produced in the LITR 4050 Literary Criticism and Theory Winter 2023 course taught by Dr. Aileen Miyuki Farrar. The conference called for research on the topic of “(In)Security: The Future of Literature and Language Studies” and is the annual regional MLA conference for literature and language scholars.

James Geier (left) and Dexter Mitchell (right) at the SAMLA Conference

James and Dexter both presented on November 9 as part of the “Film & Insecurity: Undergraduate Research Forum” panel. James’s paper, “Monstrous Multiplicity in The Rocky Horror Picture Show: An Intertextual Examination of Gender,” analyzed the implications of the film’s intertextuality on concepts of gender construction. Dexter’s paper, “Reality Sucks,” examined the allure of virtual reality in the film, Ready Player One, by applying theories from Plato, Baudrillard, and Marx. Readers can find the full abstracts for James’s and Dexter’s arguments via the SAMLA conference program.

When asked to speak on their experiences, the two English majors were thoughtful. Dexter offered words of encouragement to others who might be considering conference work: “A tip that I would give to others is to submit your abstract! You’re more than capable, your paper is interesting, and after you’ve presented, you will see that the experience wasn’t a hurdle.” James agreed: “One thing I learned is that academia isn't so scary if you go in with a good attitude. Overall, people above you in academia want you to succeed and pursue learning, and asking questions and engaging in discussion is an important step in the learning process. The SAMLA conference was an important step for me, and I learned a lot about other research and my own.”

 

 

The two majors were accompanied by Dr. Marlisa Santos, Professor of Literature and Film and Director of the Center for Applied Humanities. Dr. Santos remarked, “Being able to experience James and Dexter sharing their research with a community of professional scholars was a joy. They represented NSU and the Department of Humanities and Politics admirably, and were a testament to the importance of the university supporting undergraduate scholarship.”

Alumni Spotlights

After graduating from Nova Southeastern University in 2020 with a double Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science, I attended and graduated from Florida International University’s College of Law (FIU Law). While at FIU Law, I was the Articles Editor for the prestigious FIU Law Review and clerked at various firms and organizations, including Muslim Advocates, a civil rights organization. After law school, I passed the Florida Bar Exam and was sworn in as an attorney on September 18, 2023. I currently work as an Associate Attorney at Cole, Scott, & Kissane in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. I owe a huge part of my accomplishment to NSU and the professors who molded me into the student and young professional that I am today. My two biggest accomplishments since graduating from NSU are passing the Florida Bar on my first try and on a personal level, getting married to my better half in May 2023!

Alumnus Visits Stephen Levitt's Class

John Stevens visited Professor Stephen Levitt’s Introduction to Legal Studies class November 28, 2023.

On November 28, 2023, John Stevens visited Professor Stephen Levitt’s Introduction to Legal Studies class. Scheduled on that day were four debates concerning whether the mandate to purchase health insurance under Obamacare went beyond the powers of the federal government according to the commerce clause found in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. Each team consisted of two students. The first debater had to argue the affirmative case – that the mandate was not justified by the cases on the commerce clause. The second speaker had to argue that the health care market can be distinguished from other markets and hence the rules from former law cases such as Wickard, Heart of Atlanta, and Gonzales did not apply in this situation.

John Stevens, who visited the class and heard the debates, received his Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies in 1995 from NSU. In fact, John was in Professor Levitt’s Profession of Law and Comparative Legal Systems classes all the way back in the fall of 1992. Mr. Stevens went from the NSU Farquhar College to the Shepard Broad Law School where he obtained his J.D. in 1998. Today, John Stevens runs a thriving practice in Plantation, Florida, specializing in condominium law. John Stevens is Florida Bar Board Certified in Condominium and Planned Development law. After the four debates ended on November 28, John Stevens talked to the students about his law career and arguing cases before courts in Florida.

 

 

In addition to John Stevens, Professor Teng Li visited Levitt’s class on November 30 to hear four more debates, which are required for the students to get one experiential education and learning unit.

Upcoming Travel Study

Associate Professor Stephen Levitt is organizing a university trip to Poland and Germany for students enrolled in History 4700, Genocide in the 20th Century and Beyond in Winter 2024. Levitt reports that students will visit Warsaw, Berlin, and Nuremberg. In Warsaw they will see the Museum of the History of the Polish Jews as well as the old town and the Warsaw Rising Museum. In Berlin, students will visit the House of the Wannsee Conference, the Topography of Terror Documentation Center, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, as well as the Center for Displacement, Expulsion, and Reconciliation. While the museums and documentation centers provide the academic backbone for the trip, Levitt believes students should be exposed also to Europe’s cultural, artistic, and architectural heritage. He is planning walks in Warsaw with an architect, meetings with judges, visits to art galleries, and discussions with scholars.

Faculty Highlights

The Department of Humanities and Politics extends special recognition to Amanda Furiasse, PhD, who received the Provost’s Research and Scholarship Award in the category of Assistant Professor Award in Arts, Business, Humanities, Law, and Social Sciences. Her scholarly work is at the intersection of religion, artificial intelligence, and cybernetic medicine, with recent publications in journals of religion, social issues, and culture. Her scholarly efforts extend beyond academia in her role as senior producer and podcast director for the Political Theology Network’s Podcast and as Co-Director for the Contagion, Religion, and Cities Project at the Center for the Study of Religion and the City. A recent grant award from Florida Humanities features her podcast work again, this time to launch a futurist podcast called Florida 2100: Tales of Tomorrow. 

Katy Doll

Aileen Miyuki Farrar

  • Aileen Miyuki Farrar, PhD, published “Gothic Fairy-Tale Feminism: The Rise of Eyre/‘Error’.” in Literature, vol. 3, no. 4, Fall 2023, pp. 430-445. https://www.mdpi.com/2542750

     

  •  Aileen Miyuki Farrar, PhD, presented “'Invisible and Blind: White Sight in H. G. Wells,” at the North American Victorian Studies Association Conference (NAVSA) in Bloomington, IN, 9-11 November 2023.

Yvette Fuentes

  • Yvette Fuentes, PhD, and Yair Solan, PhD, in partnership with the Alvin Sherman Library, were awarded the Pragda Spanish Film Club Grant for a film festival of Spanish and Latin American cinema planned for Winter 2024.

 

  • Yvette Fuentes, PhD, moderated and introduced award-winning author Patricia Engel, at the Cotilla Gallery, as part of the Center for the Applied Humanities Hispanic Heritage Month Series, September 19th, 2023. 

     

  • Yvette Fuentes, PhD, was an invited panelist at the Dennis. C Moss Cultural Arts Center’s Dance Talks Series. The talk focused on the Sarasota Dance Company’s performance of “The Cuban Project: My Story, Your Story, Our Story” performed from September 29-October 1, 2023. Dr. Fuentes discussed the history of Operation Pedro Pan and its presence in Cuban American literature and art. The other panelists were Leymis Bolaños Wilmott, Artistic Director of the Sarasota Dance Company, writer and choreographer, and arts columnist Orlando Taquechel who served as moderator. The talk was recorded on Sept. 5, 2023 and is available on demand on the Center’s webpage https://www.mosscenter.org/mc/dance-talks.page and on their YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvW5vlS2ymc. 

 

  • Yvette Fuentes, PhD, served as a peer reviewer for Hispania: A Journal Devoted to the Teaching of Spanish and Portuguese, for an article on the work of Puerto Rican author Rosario Ferré, July 2023.

 

  • Yvette Fuentes, PhD, published a book review on The Epic of Cuba Libre: The Mambí, Mythopoetics, and Liberation by Eric Morales-Franceschini. (University of Virginia Press, 2022) in Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, 60:12 (Aug. 2023). 

Amanda Furiasse

  •  Amanda Furiasse, PhD, published “Digital Specters: The Intersection of Technology and Emotion in Medicine” in Journal of Integrative and Complementary Therapies 29 no. 4 (2023) https://doi.org/10.1089/ict.2023.29086.jlr

  • Amanda Furiasse, PhD, presented “Looping Back to Nature: AI, Machine Learning, and the Resurgence of Nature Religions” at the Implicit Religion UK Conference, Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln, UK 

David Kilroy

  • David Kilroy, PhD, hosted the 18th annual NSU South Florida Irish Film Festival at the Alvin Sherman Library and Research Center, November 6-12, 2023.

  • David Kilroy, PhD, offered a presentation on “Irish Neutrality and American Foreign Policy” to the Tír na mBláth, the Southeast Florida branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, in Delray Beach, FL, November 19, 2023.

Stephen Ross Levitt

  • Stephen Ross Levitt, JD, LL.M., presented, "The Trials and Tribulations of Richard Grune," at the German Studies 47th Annual Conference in Montreal, Canada on October 7, 2023. 

     

Teng Li

  • Teng Li, JD, PhD, served as a judge in the “Incubate Debate” tournament on October 7, 2023, in Palm Beach Atlantic University. The debate tournament welcomes middle school and high school students to participate.

  • Teng Li, JD, PhD, presented on recent law and regulations on wetland protection at the Mini-Law Lecture Series: Law and Environment “Can the Everglades Last?” on November 1, 2023, sponsored by the Department, Phi Alpha Delta, and Green Sharks.

Ying Ma

  • Ying Ma, PhD, was a panelist at “A Forum on Resilience” on October 16, 2023. This research panel was co-hosted by Halmos College of Arts and Sciences and the Division of Research.

Marlisa Santos

  • Marlisa Santos, PhD, presented “A Bitter-Sweet Little World: The Unsung Happy Ending Adaptations of Film Noir” at the South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) Conference, November 11, 2023.

Yair Solan

  • Yair Solan, PhD, is leading an online discussion of the film The Station Agent as part of the Alvin Sherman Library's Friday Movie Matinee series on December 22, 2023.

Vicki Toscano

  • Vicki Toscano, JD, PhD, presented her forthcoming article "The Responsibility Objection to Thomson Re-Imagined: What if Men Were Held to a Parallel Standard" for the Research Reverberations Series hosted by NSU's Center for Applied Humanities.

Jeremy Weissman

  • Jeremy Weissman, PhD, published "The A.I. Revolution is Class Warfare" for the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies' Medium blog.

     

    Jeremy Weissman, PhD, was interviewed alongside Dr. Eric Mason about ChatGPT's impact on education for The Writer's Edge, NSU's Writing and Communication Center Podcast.

Credits

DHP Newsletter Committee:

 

Katy Doll, PhD

 

Amanda Furiasse, PhD

 

David Kilroy, PhD

 

Stephen Levitt, LLM

 

DHP Graduate Assistant: Kimberly White

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