Race Scholars at Rice Kickoffs Its First Meeting
Thanks to representatives from over seven departments around campus, Race Scholars at Rice (RSR) concluded its first meeting on September 30, 2009.
Hosted by Rice sociologist and associate director for the Center on Race, Religion, and Urban Life (CORRUL), Jenifer Bratter, presented to the audience the case for formally bringing together scholars whom race represents an important part of their intellectual interests. Bratter felt the time was right for Rice University to create a body that nurtures an intellectual community of like-minded scholars. “For a couple of years now, I have noticed the increasing need for organized support for faculty and graduate students alike.”
CORRUL’s director Michael O. Emerson agrees, “teaching and research on racial issues is happening at Rice but in isolated pockets… given CORRUL’s mission and administrative capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to cultivate a program such as RSR.”
Attendees affirmed the need for RSR and expressed an interest with contributing to its development. Ideas discussed included networking events, graduate student mentoring, hosting visiting scholars and working with Rice’s administration on issues like recruiting minority faculty. Bratter plans to keep the momentum generated by forming a working group to clarify RSR’s purpose. “I think it is important that RSR reflects the needs and desires of the stakeholders and that’s why I will continue to host the group.”
The groups’ next meeting will occur after the fall semester ends. Bratter and Emerson plan on presenting the working group’s findings and recommendations. In the meantime, RSR will kick-off its lecture series with two events.
First, J. Kameron Carter, associate professor in Theology and Black Church Studies at Duke University who will be discussing "The Riddle of Religion: W. E. B. Du Bois and the Global Theological Condition." Professor Carter's lecture is open to the public and will occur in the Baker Institute's Kelly International Conference Facility, first floor, noon-12:45 pm on October 26, 2009.
Second, RSR will put on its first interdisciplinary panel, titled “What does it mean to study Race and Racial inequality in the 21st Century” on November 2nd in Sewall 305 at 3:30pm. This events brings together two social scientists (Jenifer Bratter from sociology and Regina Branton from political science) and two humanities scholars (Alex Byrd from history and Caroline Levander from English) who will present findings from their on-going research on race.
Information on the first meeting is being compiled and a set of recommendations forward will emerge. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Garrett Dolan, CORRUL’s executive director, gdolan@rice.edu who will coordinate CORRUL’s support services.
View the PowerPoint presentation Professor Jenifer Bratter gave at the inaugural meeting.
