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History is the ‘narratives we tell’
Makiki Reuvers

History is the ‘narratives we tell’

To understand how ideas about racial difference took root in American history, Makiki Reuvers, a Ph.D. candidate in history, examines 17th-century encounters between British colonists and Native Americans.

From Omnia

How this fruit became the star of Italian cooking
CNN

How this fruit became the star of Italian cooking

Eva Del Soldato of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about the history of Italian cuisine and the introduction of tomatoes to the region. “There was a lot of bias against the tomato,” she said. “Today we have the sense that if something is new it is good, but for a long time in history, being a novelty was mostly regarded with suspicion.”

Asian American leaders, racial justice advocates say ‘sense of urgency’ needed to combat hate crimes, racism
Harrisburg Patriot-News

Asian American leaders, racial justice advocates say ‘sense of urgency’ needed to combat hate crimes, racism

Walter Palmer of the School of Social Policy & Practice drew parallels between the racism experienced by Black and Asian American communities throughout U.S. history. “Discrimination is part and parcel of American society,” he said. “Until we admit it and own it, it will never end. It takes work to overcome this, and it means still feeling some pain.”

‘Alone Again in Fukushima’
People in hazmat suits walk around the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2013

Experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency depart Unit 4 of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on April 17, 2013 as part of a mission to review Japan’s plans to decommission the facility. (Image: Greg Webb/IAEA)

‘Alone Again in Fukushima’

On the 10th anniversary of the triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear facility destruction, a film and discussion hosted by the Center for East Asian Studies looked at the calamity’s reverberations.

Kristen de Groot

Graphic histories: Understanding the Middle East and Africa through comics
Watercolor image of an aerial view of the Saharan desert, with a row of camels against a backdrop of grey mountains and a light blue sky, with the words “Odette du Puigaudeau and Marion Senones” against the sky.

An image from a graphic history of two French women who traveled to Mauritania in the 1930s by Paraska Tolan-Szkilnik.

nocred

Graphic histories: Understanding the Middle East and Africa through comics

A virtual panel at the Middle East Center explored why this type of sequential art has gained popularity and how the art form can transform the way people think about history.

Kristen de Groot

Why are we so obsessed with royalty?
The New York Times

Why are we so obsessed with royalty?

Mauro Guillén of the Wharton School spoke about the popularity of monarchies globally. “The fascination, the magic, the continuity, the stability that comes from a monarchy with a dynasty that has been playing this role for centuries, a lot of people find comfort in that,” he said. “In the U.K., that’s the reason the monarchy has 55% support.”

Newshour
BBC

Newshour

Heather Sharkey of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about the history of interreligious contact in Iraq. “What we’ve seen in the last 20 years since 2003 has been very acute, and there were challenges that led to the slight attrition of Christians steadily over time, which reduced their numbers in the long run,” she said. “But by and large, it is a history of people getting along well and that bodes well for the future of different religious communities in Iraq.”

Historic preservation of Black Philadelphia
Woman in a fur coat sings before several microphones; one says 'NBC'

Martin Luther King, Jr. was in attendance at Marian Anderson's Lincoln Memorial performance on Easter Sunday, 1939. This location served as the inspiration for King's March on Washington address, says Jillian Patricia Pirtle, CEO of the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society. (Image: University of Pennsylvania/Marian Anderson Collection of Photographs)

Historic preservation of Black Philadelphia

Preserving Black history in Philadelphia is an evolving dynamic of the city’s legacy.

Kristina García

Positive coronavirus test? Canadians worry their neighbors will find out
The New York Times

Positive coronavirus test? Canadians worry their neighbors will find out

David Barnes of the School of Arts & Sciences said stigma and shaming have following pandemics throughout history. “We make ourselves feel safer and superior by associating disease with people who are not like us, do things we don’t do, or come from places unlike our place,” he said.