Join SEELC for a lecture by Dr. Sunnie Rucker-Chang (University of Cincinnati).
In this presentation Dr. Sunnie Rucker-Chang addresses how Derrek Bell’s concept of “interest convergence” and a recognition of history as cyclical can inform the narratives of both the U.S. civil rights and European Roma rights movements. This diachronic comparison shows that the movements and the primary actors (European Roma and African Americans) share a number of features. Both movements arose during periods when seemingly unshakable ideologies were toppled: Jim Crow in the U.S. and Socialist systems in Eastern Europe. Similarly, both movements spurred significant backlash from majorities, which, in turn, nurtured creative expressions of pride in cultural products and demands for social equality. Dr. Rucker-Chang will approach these questions primarily through the lenses of cultural, historical, and legal studies. This interdisciplinary approach illuminates insights not readily apparent. Moreover, the transatlantic comparison provides a broader perspective on the contemporary realities in the U.S. and Europe, particularly in reference to the position of its minority—and specifically “Black” populations.
