Week of February 9, 2025 in UCIS

Wednesday, April 3 until Thursday, April 3

12:00 pm Lecture
Yellow Peril in Vladivostok: The Chinese Diaspora in Russia and the Soviet Union
Location:
4217 Posvar Hall
Sponsored by:
Asian Studies Center, Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies, European Union Center of Excellence and European Union Studies Association along with Department of German
See Details

Dr. Urbansky discusses the challenges faced by Chinese immigrants during the late Tsarist Empire and early Soviet Union, highlighting the racial and cultural prejudices that fueled hostilities in urban settings. His analysis explores how these early interactions shaped the experiences and perceptions of Chinese communities in a rapidly changing socio-political landscape.

Tuesday, February 11

2:00 pm Information Session
Financial Wellness Tabling
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Asian Studies Center, Center for Ethnic Studies Research, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies, European Studies Center, Global Studies Center, Global Hub and Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs along with financial wellness
See Details

Stop by the Global Hub to learn more about financial wellness!

2:00 pm Information Session
Chats with Zharia
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Asian Studies Center, Center for Ethnic Studies Research, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies, European Studies Center, Global Studies Center, Global Hub, Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs, Office of International Services and Global Experiences Office
See Details

Are you an international student at Pitt looking to connect, or interested in connecting with international students? Stop by the Nook in the Global Hub on Tuesdays, between 2 and 4 pm during Spring semester, to chat with OIS Outreach Coordinator Zharia White from the Office of International Services!

2:30 pm Information Session
Spring 2025 Global Distinction Drop-In Hours
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Asian Studies Center, Center for Ethnic Studies Research, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies, European Studies Center, Global Studies Center, Global Hub, Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs, Office of International Services and Global Experiences Office
See Details

Attention: Undergraduate students! Are you looking to gain experience that will help prepare you for a globally-connected job market? Stop by Drop-In Hours to learn more about getting the Global Distinction added to your academic transcript, receiving special recognition at graduation, and standing out to prospective employers!

5:00 pm Reading Group
Clube do Livro
Location:
4200 Posvar, CLAS
Sponsored by:
Center for Latin American Studies
5:00 pm Workshop
Spanish Mini Lessons
Location:
4130 Posvar Hall
Sponsored by:
Center for Latin American Studies
See Details

2/4: Learn about Hispanic traditions and customs in Latin America and enjoy some delicious empanadas!

2/11: Learn how to order food in Spanish and some popular Hispanic dishes while enjoying some Hispanic food!

No previous knowledge of Spanish is required!

https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0oY0mCQjdXaJZ3M

6:00 pm Student Club Activity
French Conversation Hour
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
European Studies Center and Global Hub along with French Club
See Details

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

Wednesday, February 12

12:30 pm Lecture
Referral: Choreomusicology in Bulgarian Staged Folklore
Location:
Zoom
Announced by:
Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies on behalf of American Institute for Southeast European Studies
See Details

Join AISEES for the first lecture of 2025!
Meeting ID: 836 1337 4056
Passcode: 229970

4:30 pm Student Club Activity
Bate-Papo Conversation Hour
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Center for Latin American Studies and Global Hub along with Brazil Nuts
See Details

Bate-Papo Conversation Hour

6:00 pm Student Club Activity
German Club at Pitt
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
European Studies Center and Global Hub along with German Club
See Details

Join the German Club on Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice German speaking and listening skills.

6:00 pm Student Club Activity
French Conversation Hour
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
European Studies Center and Global Hub along with French Club
See Details

Join the French Club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Spring semester for conversational meetings and to practice French speaking and listening skills and create a francophone community on campus!

6:00 pm Lecture Series / Brown Bag
Asia Pop Vibha Shetiya
Location:
4130 Posvar Hall
Sponsored by:
Asian Studies Center

Thursday, February 13

11:00 am Student Club Activity
Swahili Level 4 Conversational Hours
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Center for African Studies and Global Hub along with Less Commonly Taught Languages Center
See Details

Swahili Level 4 students: Join Swahili instructor Fraja Ngogo on Thursdays at 11 am-12 pm in the Global Hub to practice Swahili.

12:30 pm Conference
Exploring the Legacies of Authoritarianism in Latin America: Archival Research and Collective Memory
Location:
4130 Posvar Hall
Sponsored by:
Center for Latin American Studies and Global Studies Center along with World History Center
See Details

Investigating the legacies of authoritarian regimes in Latin America often means confronting the silences embedded within official records, personal testimonies, and collective memory. In this panel, Latin American historians Samantha Quadrat, Lucia Grinberg, and Ludmila Catela da Silva will share their experiences researching archives and engaging with collective memory to examine the military dictatorships that shaped Brazil and Argentina from the 1960s to the 1980s.

2:30 pm Student Club Activity
Språkcafé (Swedish Conversation Club)
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
European Studies Center and Global Hub along with Less Commonly Taught Languages Center
See Details

Swedish Speaking Club is a space for practicing Swedish and deepening cultural understanding alongside others who are learning.

4:00 pm Presentation
Mal Goode: A Celebration of His Life and Work
Location:
O’Hara Student Center
Sponsored by:
Center for Ethnic Studies Research along with Department of History, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Office for Equity, Diversity and and Inclusion
See Details

Celebrate the life and legacy of Mal Goode, a fierce local advocate for Pittsburgh’s Black community. He challenged the police, politicians, and segregation, while providing Black listeners a radio voice that captured their experience before Jackie Robinson dared ABC leadership to give him a chance on TV. Goode was uncompromising in his belief that network news needed Black voices and perspectives if it were to authentically reflect the nation’s complexities and speak to all Americans. His success at ABC initiated the slow integration of network news. Goode’s life and work were remarkable, and his struggles and achievements speak to larger issues of American life and the African American experience.
Dr. Wayne Dawkins, professor of multimedia journalism at Morgan State University, Professor Joe Trotter of Carnegie Mellon University and Brian Cook, Multimedia Journalist will speak. Grandchildren Randy Wilburn and Christee Goode Laster will add their reflections. Pitt history professors Liann Tsoukas and Rob Ruck, whose biography, Mal Goode Reporting: The Life and Work of a Black Broadcast Trailblazer, was recently published by the University of Pittsburgh Press, will contribute remarks.

Friday, February 14

9:00 am Cultural Event
Black History Celebration Program
Sponsored by:
Center for African Studies
See Details

The Center for African Studies at the University of Pittsburgh attended and presented to 187 high school students during Environmental Charter High School’s Black History Month Celebration, which was organized in collaboration with the student group Young, Gifted, and Black.

The Center’s presentation highlighted African languages, music, dance, and cultural traditions and promoted upcoming in-school workshops designed to integrate these elements into K-12 classrooms.

Outcomes:

Strong student engagement and enthusiasm, with many expressing interest in African cultures and future programs.

Multiple teachers and administrators requested follow-up information to schedule workshops.

Strengthened community connections, including with representatives from the City of Pittsburgh and local cultural organizations.

Reinforced the Center’s commitment to culturally responsive education and community outreach.

9:15 am Conference
Authoritarianism, Memory, and Human Rights in Latin America
Location:
Center for Urbane Education, 4th Floor Posvar Hall
Sponsored by:
Center for Latin American Studies and Global Studies Center along with Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice
See Details

In 2024, Brazil marks the 60th anniversary of the military coup that initiated a 21-year dictatorship. This coup was part of a broader wave of military interventions across South America, leading to authoritarian regimes in Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina. Although most of these regimes dissolved by the early 1990s, authoritarianism remains a significant element in Latin America’s political memory.

This conference brings together scholars from Latin America and the United States to examine the intersections of authoritarian governance, collective memory, and the ongoing struggle for justice and human rights across the region. Key topics include the role of political parties under authoritarian regimes, grassroots memory initiatives, transitional justice efforts, and the pressing challenge of strengthening democratic resilience in the face of resurgent authoritarianism.

9:15 Welcome remarks: Keila Grinberg, Lara Putnam, Sheila Velez-Martinez

9:30-11:30 am
Session 1: Memory, human rights and authoritarianism
Chair: Keila Grinberg (Pitt)
Samantha Quadrat (Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil)
Ludmila da Silva Catela (Universidade Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina)
Hugo Rojas (Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile)
Discussants: Laura Gotkowitz (Pitt) and Sheila Velez Martinez (Pitt)

lunch

1 -3 pm
Session 2: Politics under Authoritarian Regimes
Chair: Lara Putnam (Pitt)
Lucia Grinberg (Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil):
Roberto Simon (independent scholar)
Barbara Weinstein (New York University)
Discussants: José Cheibub (Pitt)

Coffee break

3:15 – 4:30 pm Keynote speaker: Dora Maria Telles (Harvard University): Authoritarianism, Once Again: Memories and Reflections
Discussant: Michel Gobat (Pitt)

4:30- 6 pm: Reception and book launch

10:30 am Information Session
Emerging Latino Communities Conversations
Location:
Room 1154, Public Health Building - 1030 De Soto St., 15261
Sponsored by:
Center for Latin American Studies along with Center for Health Equity
See Details

This Valentine's Day, show your support for our emerging Latino communities by learning more about their rights, available resources, and how you can help. Join us for a special meeting where we'll discuss ways to protect and empower our families, friends, and neighbors. Whether you're seeking information, offering support, or just want to connect with others who care, this is the perfect way to stand in solidarity and share the love.

Open to ALL students, faculty, staff, and community

We hope to get new practice, writing, and research collaborations underway!

Supported by the Center for Health Equity and the Center for Latin American Studies

4:00 pm Student Club Activity
Kya Baat Hai! Conversation Hour
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Global Studies Center and Global Hub along with Kya Baat Hai!
See Details

Join undergraduate Pitt students for a conversation hour to practice speaking in Hindi and Urdu and connect over shared cultural experiences.

Kya Baat Hai will meet weekly, on Fridays, during the 2024-2025 academic year, EXCEPT on March 7.

4:00 pm Student Club Activity
Swahili Level 2 Conversational Hours
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Center for African Studies and Global Hub along with Less Commonly Taught Languages Center
See Details

Swahili Level 2 students: Join Swahili instructor Faraja Ngogo on Fridays at 4-5 pm in the Global Hub to practice Swahili.

6:00 pm Student Club Activity
AddVerse
Location:
Global Hub
Sponsored by:
Global Hub along with Addverse Poesia
See Details

Join Addverse, a transcultural, multilingual, and intergenerational poetry organization, for weekly meetings in the Global Hub.

Addverse will meet weekly, on Fridays, during Spring 2025, EXCEPT on January 24 and March 7.