September 5, 2023
The Institute for Advanced Study is thrilled to announce the launch of a new two-year public event series, which will explore the theme (In)Justice.
The University of Minnesota IAS (In)Justice Series brings together scholars, artists, activists, and community leaders to discuss the most pressing issues of our time. (In)Justice will focus on exploring different visions for what justice might look like. Over the course of the next two years, we will shine a spotlight on those reckoning with issues including book banning and fascism in America, abolition, Indigenous data sovereignty, trans rights, ableism, the Mexico-U.S. border, religion, incarceration, policing, the climate crisis, and much more. Featured guests will offer different lenses to approach today’s social problems, and together we will gain a deeper understanding of how to build a better future and a more just world.
All events are free and open to the public. Check each event for time, location, and modality details. Check our event calendar for a complete list of events.
Fall 2023 IAS Public Events
(In)Justice | Hip Hop at 50: New Perspectives, Alternative Genealogies
Thu, Sep 14, 5:00 p.m. CT
In-person / Online
Northrop, Best Buy Theater
2023 marks the fiftieth anniversary of hip hop. To commemorate this historic year, several preeminent scholars will gather to reflect on the place, power, and politics of hip hop. Moderated by Dr. Elliott Powell (U of M, American Studies) and presented in partnership by the Department of American Studies.
Spotlight Series: The Black History of Jazz
Thu, Sep 28, 3:30 p.m. CT
In-person / Online
Northrop, Best Buy Theater
It is impossible to see jazz without acknowledging its African roots, evolving over centuries as musicians and dancers alike used the form as an outlet for the expression of Black identity, culture, language, struggle, and joy. Join for a rich conversation about the history of jazz and tap, and how these rhythms came to be heard all over the world today. Presented in partnership with Northrop.
(In)Justice | Beyond Banned Books: Rising Against Fascism
Thu, Oct 5, 7:00 p.m.
Online / In-person
East Side Freedom Library
1105 Greenbrier Street, St. Paul, MN 55106
According to data from the American Libraries Association, about 90% of all books challenged in 2022 were part of multi-title bans—many organized by political advocacy groups attempting to censor content that doesn't fit their political, moral, or religious agenda. Join for a conversation about the intersection of freedom of expression, attempted book bans, and their implications on fostering diverse perspectives.
Spotlight Series: Drumfolk and the Stono Rebellion
Wed, Oct 11, 3:30 p.m. CT
In-person / Online
Northrop, Best Buy Theater
When the Stono Rebellion cost Africans the right to use their drums, the beats found their way into the body of the people—the Drumfolk. Join for a lively conversation about the historic and artistic implications of percussion as an embodied practice in the American South. Presented in partnership with Northrop.
Wild Girls and the Pursuit of Justice and Joy: A Lecture by Tiya Miles
Wed, Oct 25, 3:00 p.m. CT
In-person
Northrop, Carlson Family Stage
Award-winning historian and University of Minnesota alumna Tiya Miles (Ph.D. ’00) will share stories of the indomitable bond between women and the wild, and why equal access to outdoor spaces must be ensured for young women of every race and class. The Guy Stanton Ford Lecture is presented by the Office of the Vice President and Provost and co-sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Study and American Studies.
Spotlight Series: The Lost Negroes of North America: A Silent Film Experience
Thu, Nov 2, 4:30 pm CT
In-person / Online
Northrop, Best Buy Theater
The decade following the conclusion of World War II is a rich period in American history and progress, but is also a time when African American contributions to family, education, social institutions, and collective wealth are often overlooked. Rare silent film footage, accompanied by live performances and a panel with the director, offers a different perspective and reflection on northern family and community life.
(In)Justice | Indigenous Stories from the Archives
Thu, Nov 16, 3:30 p.m. CT
Online
Archives are valued as holding myriad stories through the primary and artifactual sources that can reproduce or disrupt dominant narratives. But how do Indigenous peoples appear in the archives? And why are Indigenous knowledge-keeping systems so often met with skepticism? Speakers will consider issues of access and absence, seemingly non-literary texts, and more while discussing projects focused around boarding schools in the U.S., archival reclamation, and a Plains ledger.
(In)Justice | El Rinche and the History of Land Theft, Lynching, and Resistance
Thu, Dec 7, 3:30 p.m. CT
Online / In-person
Northrop, Best Buy Theater
Following Reconstruction, racial violence exploded in the South as the KKK rose in power and the Texas Rangers patrolled the Mexico-U.S. border. Young adult novelist and educational activist Christopher Carmona joins to discuss the shared histories of African Americans and Mexican Americans in the early 20th century. Carmona will share how his writing and work with Refusing to Forget shares the long legacies of these stories and offers new (super)heroes to those who need them most.
Media Contact: Abby Travis, [email protected]