The Department of Slavic and East European Studies was thrilled to welcome Dr. Sunnie Rucker-Chang, who joined us in autumn 2022 as Associate Professor of Slavic with a 25% appointment in African American and African Studies. Dr. Rucker-Chang's scholarship and teaching foci, Black European Studies, Race and Nationalism, Romani Studies, and Postcommunist/Postsocialist Studies, align with the university's RAISE initiative and fit very well with the profiles of both departments.
As a strong advocate for diversity in the field of Slavic and East European Studies, she has spoken widely on webinars during the pandemic to highlight the need for recruiting and mentoring a diverse student body. She has also recently been elected to a three-year term on the ASEEES (Association of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies) board and has co-edited a cluster on “The Politics of Race” in Slavic and East European Journal. Her 2021 co-authored article “A Moment of Reckoning: Transcending Bias, Engaging Race and Racial Formations in Slavic and East European Studies” demonstrates Dr. Rucker-Chang's central position in the national discussion around inclusive pedagogies. At DSEELC, Dr. Rucker-Chang will uphold our traditions of strong Balkan studies and will help attract new students to specialize in the region.
Welcome Dr. Rucker-Chang!
