Upcoming Projects
To apply for funding, please see the request for proposals.
2024-25 series of projects funded by the Global Justice Program
Public lecture with journalist, author, and sociologist Nathan J. Robinson
January 30th, at Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Dr. Robinson is the coauthor of a forthcoming book with the public intellectual Noam Chomsky, one of the most prominent American commentators on international issues of war, peace, and justice. The book The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World (Penguin Random House) is a wide-ranging synthesis of Chomsky’s critique of American foreign policy, written for a general audience unfamiliar with Chomsky’s work. The book includes timely original chapters on the Israel-Palestine conflict, the role of the United Nations, and international law. Dr. Robinson will speak on the enduring relevance of Chomsky’s work for the contemporary pursuit of peace and the practical relevance of Chomsky’s ideas for international organizations like the UN. Robinson’s lecture would respond to widespread interest among students in Chomsky’s writings and include an experiential component involving meetings with members of relevant student organizations.
Eman Abdelhadi’s public lecture and discussion: Palestine and the Future of US Campus Activism
February 6th, 6-8pm, Ford Alumni Center Ballroom
Global Justice Program will host the sociologist and writer Eman Abdelhadi for a public lecture and discussion at the University of Oregon in February 2025. We believe this proposal responds to the GJP’s Special Initiative on Constructively Engaging the Conflict and the Pursuit of Peace in Palestine/Israel and would make a positive contribution to engaged discourse and education on the Palestine-Israel conflict and more general themes of international relations, peace, and the role of the United Nations in promoting global justice. Dr. Abdelhadi is a sociologist of religion whose research examines how second-generation immigrant Muslim Americans reproduce cultural practices over time. She is also a prominent writer and activist in the contemporary Palestine solidarity movement. They helped found the Sociologists for Palestine, organized by the American Sociological Association (ASA), to advance a resolution supporting a just peace in Israel-Palestine. They have also been involved with the Uncommitted National Movement. Dr. Abdelhadi’s work as a public sociologist at the intersection of race, religion, and international relations makes her an excellent fit for the GJP initiative. Abdelhadi’s lecture would respond to widespread interest among UO students, faculty, and workers in connecting international issues to local and national institutions by “thinking global, acting local.”
Cosmos Performance at UO
March, 4th. Location TBD.
“Cosmos” is a one-woman theatrical performance by Palestinian co-writer and performer Ashtar Muallem. Muallem identifies as a Jerusalemite artist and explores a woman’s bifurcated reality of navigating between life in Palestine and France and “seeking equilibrium and comfort in both lands.” As she practices yoga, meditation, and aerial acrobatics, she invites audiences to “embark on a journey of balance, contradictions, and the beauty of interconnectedness.” The one-hour performance, entirely in Arabic, is a metaphor for the history of Palestine and the complications of living as a Palestinian woman torn between life in the Diaspora and life under occupation. According to London’s “The Stage” theatre critic Lyn Gardner, the performance is “sometimes gobsmacking, often alarming.” The performance will be followed by a talkback with the artist.
Decolonization and Global Justice
Decolonization and Global Justice is a three-day conference planned for Winter Term 2025 that brings to the UO a unique opportunity to engage with world-renowned leaders, academics, and community organizers focusing on global justice in various geopolitical locations. The conference is designed not only to discuss the status of global justice in academic panels from a decolonial perspective but also to envision and practice alternative and just futures by engaging in decolonial methodologies and world-making, given the complexity of these intertwined phenomena, which require diverse perspectives, including those outside traditional academic formats. This transdisciplinary approach enables encounters, dialogue, and cross-fertilization between academic and non-academic contributions. This includes traditional scholarly presentations, artistic interventions, experimental workshops (including formats and methodologies such as skill share, transformative justice, visionary fiction, story-telling, collaborative knowledge production, etc.), Indigenous-led conversations, ceremonial practices, and community-based knowledge production.
Visit of Youmna al-Sayyed
April 16th, 3-5pm. location TBD.
Youmna al-Sayyed is a correspondent who, until December 2023, was reporting for al-Jazeera English in the Gaza Strip. She is one of several journalists who continued to report during Israel’s siege of Gaza as more than 90 of her cohort were killed. She and her family were forced to flee to Egypt in December, where they are now residing. She will give a public lecture and meet with faculty and students in SOJC classes and in Middle Eastern Studies. Among those students who will be particularly receptive to her will be those who participated in the Extra!Extra! conference devoted to reporters who are currently in exile due to extreme risk. Co-sponsors include the UO-UNESCO Crossings Institute.
Indigenous Literature: Beyond Colonial Language and Genres
The Department of Romance Languages will host a two-day visit by Assistant Professor Sarah Henzi from Simon Fraser University. Henzi’s experience and testimony as a self-defined “settler scholar” and expert on Indigenous literature enhance debates that include all origins. UO students, faculty, and the Eugene community will have the chance to meet with this important scholar and hear about how her research, teaching, and translation addresses burning issues of inclusion/exclusion and the practice of ethical translation. Henzi’s visit (a public conference in English and roundtable in French) is meant to foster international and transcultural dialogue with indigenous communities in North America, address questions of reconciliation and cultural reappropriation, and examine the ethics of translation in the era of technology.
Global Justice Speaker Series: Sustainable Cities and Landscapes
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The Association of Pacific Rim Universities Sustainable Cities and Landscapes (APRU SCL), encompassing 21 universities across the Pacific Rim and based at the UO Global Studies Institute, will host a series of talks featuring eminent scholars, educators, and practitioners. This initiative, aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focuses on place-based solutions for global challenges. We aim to spotlight experts who specialize in Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10), Sustainable Cities andCommunities (Goal 11), Climate Action (Goal 13), and Life on Land (Goal 15). This program will showcase insights from diverse locales, including Seattle, Vancouver, Hong Kong, and Manila, offering a rich tapestry of perspectives. This series integrates with the vibrant activities of the College of Design’s student body, including the HOPES Conference and the Student DEI Committee in the Department of Landscape Architecture. This collaboration will enhance the student experience by enabling direct engagement with the speakers through talks, panel discussions, and professional mentoring sessions. By leveraging and enriching the existing speaker series and promotional networks, we aim to provide a dynamic platform for learning, discussion, and inspiration, furthering our commitment to sustainable global development and educational excellence. |
View previous Global Justice-funded projects from 1980-present.
