Michael Lucey is the Sidney and Margaret Ancker Chair and Distinguished Professor of French and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. His work bridges French literature from the 19th to 21st centuries with social theory, sexuality studies, and linguistic anthropology. He has authored the critically acclaimed What Proust Heard: Novels and the Ethnography of Talk (2022) and Thinking about Sexuality with Novels (forthcoming). As founding director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Culture , he has shaped interdisciplinary research in queer theory and gender studies. Current research focuses on novels as ethnographic tools Specializes in Proust, Balzac, Woolf, and contemporary French fiction Translation work includes Didier Eribon and Édouard Louis His recent articles explore phonetics in narrative, readability frameworks, and sociological implications of literary form. He actively engages with comparative methodologies and critical theory, while his teaching spans British and American literature’s intersections with French modernism. Lucey’s academic leadership includes directing Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Sexual Culture, which supports global discourse through fellowships and conferences. His office hours are held in Dwinelle Hall and via Zoom. Contact: mlucey@berkeley.edu
Lillie Padilla is an Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics at Sam Houston State University's Department of World Languages and Cultures. Holding a Ph.D. and M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from Arizona State University alongside a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Ghana, her research explores interdisciplinary connections between: Afro-Latinx representation in educational materials Discourse analysis and language ideologies Sociolinguistic studies in Equatorial Guinea Critical race theory applications in language teaching Her work focuses on Spanish subject pronoun expression patterns in multilingual contexts and curriculum development for inclusive pedagogy. Recent publications examine: Representation gaps in Spanish language textbooks Methodological challenges in Equatorial Guinea research Critical discourse analysis of Netflix's Elite series Intersectional representation of Afro-Latinx women Scientific achievements include: Finalist for American Association of Linguistics 2025 award for co-edited volume Representation, Inclusion and Social Justice in World Language Teaching Padilla's research continues to shape conversations about linguistic diversity and marginalized voices in language education through both empirical studies and theoretical frameworks.
Crystal S. Rudds is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah, specializing in African American literature and culture. Her research focuses on twentieth-century American and African American fiction, qualitative narratives about urban life and housing, Black Feminisms, and black geography/ecology. PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2016) MFA in Creative Writing from Indiana University-Bloomington (2004) BA in Communications with minors in French and Theatre from Wake Forest University (1999) Her scholarly work examines the intersection of literature and urban environments, particularly through public housing fiction. She uses interdisciplinary approaches combining qualitative research with literary analysis, emphasizing community engagement and the phenomenological experiences of residents in urban spaces. Her publications address topics like the historical context of public housing narratives and the concept of 'the black interior' as a framework for understanding spatial identity. Rudds has received prestigious honors, including the David D. Anderson Award for Midwestern Literary Studies and the Mary Blinn Poetry Prize. She is also a Faculty Research Fellow and Intersectionality Pedagogy Fellow at the University of Utah. Her teaching philosophy integrates experiential learning and community-focused methods, with courses such as African Amer Lit 2, Seminar in Lit. Study, and Studies Af Amer Lit. She emphasizes archival research, site visits, and performance-based learning to empower students as co-creators of knowledge.
Crystal S. Rudds is an Assistant Professor of African American literature and culture in the Department of English at the University of Utah, specializing in twentieth-century American and African American fiction, urban life narratives, Black Feminisms, and black geography/ecology. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2016) and MFA in Creative Writing from Indiana University-Bloomington (2004). Her research explores intersections between literary analysis and community engagement, focusing on urban spatiality, public housing representation, and black interiority. She has published works analyzing Frank London Brown and Jasmon Drain's housing narratives, digital archiving practices, and pedagogical identity evolution. Key grant activities include: Gathering, Sewing, Giving: Chronopolitics and Black Women's Quilting (TRIC/Mellon Foundation, 2023) Utah Presidential Leadership Fellowship (2023) Recognitions: David D. Anderson Award for Midwestern Literary Studies (2023) Mary Blinn Poetry Prize (2022) University of Utah Fellowships (2022) Teaching activities feature: Experiential learning with archival documents Historic site visits Performance-based literary analysis Community-focused pedagogy
Sharese King is the Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the University of Chicago, where she has taught since 2018. She earned her Ph.D. and Master's in Linguistics from Stanford University, focusing on language variation across African American communities. Her research bridges sociolinguistics, critical race theory, and phonetics to examine how African American speech is constructed, racialized, and socially evaluated. Education: Ph.D., Linguistics, Stanford University (2018) M.A., Linguistics, Stanford University Research Interests: Sociolinguistics Language Variation & Change African American Language Critical Race Theory Phonetic and experimental analysis Dialect and judicial systems Notable Contributions: Interdisciplinary studies on raciolinguistics and courtroom bias Analysis of /s/ articulation in intersectional contexts Reconceptualization of AAVE as AAL to emphasize linguistic diversity Fieldwork in Bakersfield, Rochester, and Chicago Publications in American Speech , Journal of Sociolinguistics , Language , and Nature Scientific Awards: Provost's Postdoctoral Fellowship Neubauer Family Assistant Professorship Labs & Projects: Co-founder of the Chicagoland Language Project
James A. Robinson is a University Professor at the University of Chicago with joint appointments in the Harris School of Public Policy and Department of Political Science. An economist and political scientist, he conducts influential research on political and economic development, examining how political power, institutions, and prosperity interact through both quantitative economic modeling and qualitative fieldwork methodologies. Robinson's research focuses on institutional analysis and political economy, with deep regional expertise in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. He has conducted extensive fieldwork across Bolivia, Colombia, Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, investigating how historical institutions shape contemporary economic outcomes. His interdisciplinary approach integrates economic theory with anthropological and historical case studies to explain patterns of economic divergence and political stability. Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal persistent themes in institutional persistence, state-society dynamics, and the cultural foundations of development. His work increasingly examines the interaction of economic and political inequality, the role of non-institutional factors in leadership strategies, and the historical roots of peripheral development trajectories across diverse global contexts. Scientific recognition includes: 2024 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel Fellow, Institute of African Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Robinson co-authored three seminal books with Daron Acemoglu: Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (theoretical foundations of regime stability), Why Nations Fail (translated into 41 languages, arguing inclusive institutions drive prosperity), and The Narrow Corridor (analyzing state-society struggles for liberty). He maintained a 28-year summer school at Colombia's University of the Andes (1994-2022) and continues active research collaborations across Africa and Latin America.
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States
Marsha E. Barrett is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in US political history, policy history, and African American history. She holds a PhD from Rutgers University and a BA from Yale University. Her research focuses on 20th-century American politics, particularly the evolution of Republicanism, the political influence of figures like Nelson Rockefeller, and voter dynamics among Black communities in New York. Education PhD, History, Rutgers University BA, History, Yale University Research Interests United States political history Policy history African American history 20th-century political ideologies and governance Her work examines how political figures and institutions shaped modern US politics, with a focus on New York's political landscape and the Republican Party’s ideological shifts. Recent Scholarship Explores Nelson Rockefeller’s role in moderate Republicanism and its decline Analyzes voter loyalty among Black New Yorkers during the Cold War era Investigates the intersection of wealth and political rhetoric in mid-20th century New York Awards & Honors ACLS Fellowship (2019) Lincoln Excellence for Assistant Professors (LEAP) Scholar (2019) 2014 Dixon Ryan Fox Manuscript Prize Teaching & Grants Teaches courses on American political history, African-American women’s history, and presidential politics Recipient of grants from the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Archive Center, and New York State Archives
Marlyse Baptista is the President's Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Linguistics. She is affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences and MindCore initiative. Her research focuses on language contact, creolization processes, bilingualism, and experimental methods in creole studies. Baptista leads the Language Contact and Cognition Lab, previously known as the Cognition, Convergence and Language Emergence (CCLE) group at the University of Michigan. Education includes a PhD in Linguistics (Harvard, 1997), MA degrees from Harvard and the Université de Bordeaux III, and extensive training in multilingual education. Her work bridges generative syntax with experimental approaches, including artificial language learning to study language convergence. Key themes include the cognitive underpinnings of creole formation, bidirectional influences in Cape Verdean Creole, and the role of congruence in language acquisition. Research highlights include studies on Cape Verdean Creole's grammatical properties, genetic-linguistic admixture correlations, and pedagogical resources for creole language education. Recent projects explore experimental validation of creole genesis theories through multilingual acquisition studies. Scientific Awards: President's Distinguished Professorship (University of Pennsylvania) Labs/Teams: Language Contact and Cognition Lab, MindCore Grants/Projects: MULTI Project (creole language educational resources), NSF-funded studies on creole genesis mechanisms Baptista's work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating syntax theory, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics to address foundational questions in contact linguistics and creolistics.
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
H. Samy Alim is a Professor and David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair in the Division of Social Sciences at UCLA, holding a joint appointment in the Department of Anthropology. He serves as Associate Director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies and leads the UCLA Hip Hop Initiative. Alim’s research focuses on Hip Hop Culture, Black Language, and Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies, with over 25 years of scholarship in these areas. His work bridges academia and activism, emphasizing Hip Hop’s transformative role in global social justice movements. Alim earned his PhD in Anthropology from Stanford University (2003), following MA (2002) and BA (1999) degrees. His academic contributions include twelve authored/edited books, such as Freedom Moves (2023) and Articulate While Black (2012). His research spans Hip Hop’s linguistic innovations, racialized language politics, and its pedagogical potential in education. Key projects include ethnographic studies in Cape Town, South Africa, and collaborative initiatives like the UC Press Hip Hop Studies Book Series. He co-edits the Oxford Handbook of Language and Race and directs the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Language. Alim has engaged with global Hip Hop artists (e.g., Chuck D of Public Enemy) to co-produce knowledge, emphasizing Hip Hop as a site of theorizing and activism. His teaching and research highlight intersections of language, race, and power, advocating for pedagogies that sustain cultural identities while fostering equity. Collaborations with organizations like Heal the Hood in South Africa reflect his commitment to community-driven scholarship.
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States
Lily L. Tsai is the Ford Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and founder/director of the MIT Governance Lab (MIT GOV/LAB). She previously chaired the MIT Faculty and focuses her research on governance, accountability, and political participation in developing contexts, particularly Asia and Africa. Her research explores how decentralization, democratic reforms, informal institutions, and economic development influence public goods provision. She also investigates the dual impacts of social capital and civil society on political outcomes, and analyzes political behavior in authoritarian and transitional systems through surveys, interviews, and field experiments. Recent publications span topics including collective governance, vaccine compliance in Uganda, anticorruption strategies in China, and the role of informal institutions in rural China. Tsai’s work appears in journals like American Political Science Review and World Development . Dogan Award for best book in comparative research (2007-08) She leads interdisciplinary projects such as the Compass Initiative (SHASS Education Innovation Fund) and The Science of Respect with MIT’s Brain and Cognitive Sciences department. MIT GOV/LAB, which she founded in 2014, emphasizes real-time empirical collaboration between researchers and practitioners to address governance challenges.
Alison Isenberg is a Professor of History at Princeton University and Faculty Associate at the School of Public and International Affairs. She is founding co-director of the Princeton-Mellon Initiative in Architecture, Urbanism, and the Humanities, and formerly directed Princeton’s Urban Studies Program (2012-2014). She serves on the Executive Committees of the Urban Studies Program, American Studies, and Gender and Sexuality Studies. Her research focuses on urban history, American society, and intersections with public policy, preservation, and cultural studies. Ph.D. in History, University of Pennsylvania (1995) B.A. in History, Yale University (1984) Her scholarship examines urban transformations, including award-winning books on urban renewal and historical preservation. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Princeton’s Humanities Council, and institutions like the Schlesinger Library and the Graham Foundation. Her collaborative projects with filmmakers, playwrights, and community partners explore public humanities and Trenton’s 1968 unrest. Ellis Hawley Prize (Organization of American Historians) PROSE Award for Architecture & Urban Planning Old Dominion Fellowship NEH Fellowship (2021) Isenberg teaches courses spanning urban history, documentary film, and public policy, including seminars on the 1960s and lectures on urban unrest. She previously taught at Rutgers, UNC Chapel Hill, and Florida International University, with visiting fellowships at Stanford, UNC, and the Bard Graduate Center. Her work bridges academic research and community engagement, supported by grants from the Princeton Histories Fund and 250th Anniversary Fund.
Lindsay Turner is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Case Western Reserve University. A poet, critic, and translator, her work bridges creative writing, translation theory, and interdisciplinary research. Her prior role as Assistant Professor at the University of Denver’s Department of English and Literary Arts underscores her commitment to literary education. AB in English, Harvard College Masters in cinema studies, Université Paris III Sorbonne-Nouvelle MFA in poetry, New York University PhD in English, University of Virginia Turner’s research spans creative writing , transnational poetry , and gender studies , with a focus on the intersections of literature and labor. Her recent work examines gendered domestic and reproductive labor through poetic forms. Key trends in her publications include experimental translation , queer theory , and postcolonial philosophy . National Translation Awards Best Translated Book Awards French American Foundation recognition She has received grants such as the WPR Creative Grant from Harvard’s Woodberry Poetry Room and multiple French Voices Grants . Her translations have been praised by The New Yorker and The New York Times for their intellectual rigor and stylistic innovation.
David Glovsky serves as Assistant Professor of History and African and African American Studies within Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, focusing on 19th-20th century West Africa with regional expertise in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea. His research examines borderlands through lenses of mobility, citizenship, and alternative geographies, challenging state-imposed borders with community-driven spatial narratives. His educational foundation includes a B.A. in History and Human Geography from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. in African History from Michigan State University. Prior academic appointments include the Department of Africana Studies at University at Albany and the Department of History at Boston University, following Peace Corps service in southern Senegal that redirected his career from sports media into academia. Glovsky's research program centers on social justice-oriented historical narratives of marginalized West African communities, particularly Fulbe populations. His work synthesizes oral histories and archival research across six nations to analyze how borderland residents construct fluid geographies that transcend colonial/postcolonial boundaries. Key themes include migration as resistance , gendered border experiences , and Islam's role in transnational community formation , with methodological innovation in spatial history and decolonial approaches. Analysis of his nine recent publications (2019-2023) reveals consistent engagement with West African borderland resilience , demonstrating how communities maintain cross-border networks despite state fragmentation. His work bridges historical scholarship and contemporary migration debates , employing interdisciplinary frameworks from anthropology, geography, and postcolonial theory to document alternative spatial organizations that challenge Western cartographic traditions. ACLS Fellowship supporting book project Borderlanders: Popular Geographies, Mobility, and Belonging in West Africa Glovsky actively mentors graduate students interested in African history, emphasizing pathways for underrepresented scholars into U.S. academia. His research has received competitive external funding including the ACLS Fellowship, while his collaborative work on the NEH ‘Ajamī Project advanced accessibility of Pulaar manuscripts through digitization and multilingual translation. He maintains strong community ties with West African scholars and institutions, particularly in Senegambia. Though not leading a formal laboratory, Glovsky collaborates with international research teams across West Africa on borderland studies and manuscript preservation, working closely with scholars in Kolda (Senegal), Dakar, and Guinea-Bissau to document community histories through participatory methodologies.
Laura Edmondson is the Helman Family Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Theater at Dartmouth College. She holds affiliations with the African and African American Studies Program and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. Her work bridges postcolonial African drama, feminist/queer performance studies, and transnational theater historiography. Education: B.A. Indiana University, M.A./Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin. Her research examines Eastern/Central African performance through lenses of empire, trauma, and humanitarianism. Recent projects include a NEH-funded book on contagion and care in Central Africa. Notable publications include Performing Trauma in Central Africa: Shadows of Empire (IU Press, 2018) and articles in GLQ , Theatre Journal , and Journal of the African Literature Association . She received the 2021 Oscar Brockett Prize for her analysis of Faustin Linyekula's work. Service includes editing Theatre Journal , leading Dartmouth's Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program, and mentoring through awards from the Dean of the Faculty. Her collaborative theater project Forged in Fire (2015) explored South Sudanese refugee narratives.
Patricia A. Banks is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Mount Holyoke College, with affiliations in Africana Studies and the Program in Entrepreneurship, Organizations, and Society. She holds a Ph.D. and A.M. from Harvard University and a B.A. (summa cum laude, valedictorian) from Spelman College. Her research explores intersections of culture, consumption, and race, focusing on African Diaspora dynamics. Key areas include cultural philanthropy, art collecting as identity practice, and corporate diversity capital. She authored Black Culture, Inc. (Stanford 2022), winning the Oliver Cromwell Cox Book Award, and Race, Ethnicity, and Consumption (Routledge 2020). Recent honors include ASA awards and fellowships from the CASBS (Stanford), Sheila Biddle Ford Foundation, and Harvard’s Hutchins Center. She co-edits Poetics and serves on ASA committees. Teaching awards include recognition from Harvard’s Derek Bok Center and Mount Holyoke’s Baccalaureate address. Her work spans books, peer-reviewed articles, and media engagements (NYT, Artnet). The African American Museums Database, her digital archive, catalogs over 300 institutions. Current projects address corporate diversity signaling, African art markets, and dress code discrimination.
