Pous’s talk was part of a much larger week of events that included other research presentations, cultural events, and public talks, with an epicenter in a huge street demonstration that took place on March 24 throughout the country. The massive mobilization commemorates the day on which the dictatorship started in 1976, and brought together political activists and groups, as well as cultural spectacles and common citizens, to remember the dark years of the dictatorship, so as not to repeat them again. Under the cry of Nunca Mas! (Never again), the people maintain a culture of memory despite the attempt of the current government to dismantle the human rights platform that makes it possible.

In the context of the Cold War, Argentina, like most Latin American countries during the 60s, 70s and 80s, went through a period of military dictatorships that targeted political opponents with the financial and political support from the U.S. From 1976 to 1983, Argentina was under a military dictatorship that utilized irregular methods of repression against its own population. Following the lesson learned at the School of the Americas, the military regime created a system of clandestine centers of detention in which political opponents were brought after being kidnapped in the streets, their workplaces or in their homes. Once in these clandestine prisons, they were tortured, treated with minimum care, uncommunicated from their family members, and most of them were killed and their bodies disappeared. It is calculated that 30,000 people disappeared under this system of repression.

Since the return of democracy in 1983, there has been a grassroots collective effort to recompose the social link by fomenting a culture of memory in the country under the banner of Not forget, not forgive (Ni Olvido ni Perdón). Throughout the years, different human rights organizations worked along with state officials, international support groups, and local community organizations to persecute the criminal legally (over 1000 were already condemned), build and maintain several sites of memory, and provide retribution to the people affected directly and indirectly by it.

Pous’s talk emphasized this collective effort to cultivate a culture of memory across different generations. For Pous, “the task of memory today is an intergenerational endeavor that requires to be open ot listen to the questions and concerns of the new generations.” In his talk, he focused on key cultural products like the films “The Official History” (1985) and “Argentina 1985” (2022) as well as the fiction books “La casa de los conejos” (2006) and “Diario de una princesita Montonera” (2012) to highlight the public debates around postdictatorship democracy that have fed the culture of memory in the country.

Earlier in the week, Pous presented his book, Eventos Carcelarios (UNC Press, 2022), at the University of El Salvador for an audience of professors and graduate students. He delivered a talk about the novel “El beso de la mujer araña” (Puig 1976) in conjunction with a historical analysis of the liberation of political prisoners in 1973, at the return of a seven-year dictatorship that preluded the most horrific one mentioned above. His talk focused on the “connection between an historical event that was lived as if it was the revolution, but it turned out to be the beginning of the defeat of the revolutionary project”. For Pous, the prison cell became “a singular place of reflection and self-critique” that the novel depicts in detail to reimagine the possibility of a radical imagination today.

Community Conversations & Civic Engagement

Deliberative Dialogue – America’s 250: What’s Next America?

Monday, Feb. 23, 4:30 p.m., Lakeside 212

As America marks its 250th year, this dialogue invites reflection on our shared past and the opportunity for diverse voices to share space and ideas to develop a collective vision for the next 250. Sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Political Engagement Work Group

Better Together: Breaking Bread, Building Bridges

Feb. 24 – May 5, every other Tuesday, 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Join us at Better Together this spring for connection and conversation. This time together invites us to live fully in the present and reflect on what makes this moment meaningful. Share stories, explore diverse perspectives, and build community. .

Dr. Habiba Sarabi: Education Rights of Afghan Women

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Alumni Gym

Join a conversation with Dr. Habiba Sarabi on the global impact of Afghanistan’s ban on women’s education and the fight for educational rights and gender equality. Dr. Sarabi, an Afghan politician, women’s rights activist, and medical doctor made history as the first woman to be appointed a provincial governor in Afghanistan, leading Bamyan Province. She previously served as Minister of Women’s Affairs and Minister of Culture and Education, where she focused on expanding education, protecting the environment and advancing the rights of women.

State of the Union Address Watch Party

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 8-10:30 p.m., Moseley 105

Join us for pizza and a live viewing of President Trump’s first State of the Union address of his second term. Come watch, discuss and stay informed. Sponsored by ������Ƶ Votes!

Love Your Body, Berry Much

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Lakeside Entrance

Stop by for coconut-lime strawberries and a strawberry mocktail, courtesy of ������Ƶ Dining, while also learning tips for mindful eating. Swing through, grab a treat and discover ways to build healthier habits. Visit the for more information.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss – “Man Up: Understanding Misogyny to Prevent Extremism

Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture

Thursday, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m., Numen Lumen Pavilion, McBride Gathering Space

Extremism expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss examines how misogyny – online and off – fuels the rise in far-right and mass violence, and offers strategies for interruption and prevention rooted in everyday life. The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture honors Lauren, who was set to join ������Ƶ’s Class of 2015 before her murder by a former boyfriend in July 2011. Established in her memory, the fund educates the ������Ƶ community on healthy relationships and building a culture free from violence. Visit the Spring Cultural Calendar for more information about upcoming events this semester.

Adventure Time with ������Ƶ Outdoors!

Adventures in Leadership Summer Staff Positions Available

Applications are now open for summer Adventures in Leadership staff positions, where you’ll guide incoming first-year students through exciting outdoor experiences. Earn potential internship credit and build leadership skills. Apply today on the ������Ƶ Job Network!

������Ƶ Challenge

The ������Ƶ Challenge is a great way to help classes, teams, organizations, corporations or cohorts grow through building authentic relationships, learning how to manage resources, developing creative thinking, and applying knowledge in new ways. Visit the ������Ƶ Challenge website to review the options, gather your group, and complete the interest form to schedule a customized, no-cost experience.

Last Chance to Become an Orientation Leader

Application Deadline is Friday, Feb. 27

The Orientation Leader application is still live. As an OL, you are an integral part of the orientation process. You will play a pivotal role in the transition of all the new students to ������Ƶ, serving as a guide and mentor to new students throughout their transition. by this Friday, Feb. 27.

Mediation is a peacemaking process that empowers disputants to solve their interpersonal conflicts. It is used largely in the US court system and in different organizations to de-escalate and resolve minor issues among employers/employees, students, neighbors, friends, and family members. For me, going through the training was an intensive learning experience that fundamentally relied on one fundamental human task: listening to the other.

Funded by an ������Ƶ Innovates Grant and promoted by the Peace and Conflict Studies Program, the training teaches mediation as a peaceful conflict resolution method. Dunn, three students, four professors, one staff and two community members constituted a very diverse, cohesive and energetic group that met for two full days and were introduced into the world of mediation and restorative justice. During the training, people were able to learn the mediation method by practicing it several times from different perspectives. After finishing, they can participate in real mediation cases (supervised by certified mediators) and eventually obtain the certification. At ������Ƶ, students can choose to go to mediation to resolve their own conflicts though this method.

“Meditation should be included in professional trainings when we enter a new working place because it fosters the consideration of other views, behaviors, actions, and reactions that affect not only the working environment, but also our own lives,” said Associate Professor of Spanish Mayte De Lama, who participated in the training.

The different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as the origins and trajectories of the people in the room enriched the group dynamic in which each of the participants played a role, whether as a disputant or as a mediator, incarnating the six stages of mediation.

Mediation is a process that includes: the introduction of mediators and disputants as well as the reading of ground rules for the conversation; the description of the conflict made by each of the discussant, carefully written by the mediators; the identification of the main concerns that still bother the people involved; a brainstorming process of potential solutions; the election of common solutions; and the writing of an agreement that states the steps to follow to recompose the situation. Although it looks simple at first, walking with other mediators in training through this process requires refined mediation skills to help others navigate their conflicts.

Clarifying the role of the mediator, Linda established from the beginning that they “do not judge, do not take sides, and do not give advice. Mediators help people to take responsibility for their actions and lead them through a collaborative brainstorming process that usually results in win/win solutions to both parties.”

According to Dunn, it is crucial to trust the people involved in the conflict to find their own way of resolving it, and when is possible and needed, repairing the damage produced.

During the training, participants practiced different mediation cases followed by intense conversations and reflections, which also sprang moments of laughter and community building.

“I left having found a new community of amazing individuals, a new kind of understanding and connection to myself and others on a much deeper level than I ever anticipated, while learning to meditate. It was worth every second and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it,” said Gracie Bleiberg ’28.

The training was part of the Campus Mediation Program (CMP), which has run this training once a year over the last three years. CMP also offers mediation conflict resolution opportunities among students at ������Ƶ, where already trained students (supervised by Dunn) mediate among other students who have had an interpersonal conflict. Over 15 cases have been resolved successfully with this method.

Usually, students are trained in the course, “PCS1210 Intro to Conflict Mediation,” which prepares them to mediate cases at ������Ƶ. For instance, Michael Romano ’26, who took the class, helped facilitate the training.

“Working with Linda and learning about conflict mediation has allowed me to dramatically improve my conflict resolution skills while providing me the opportunity to help those in our community while doing so,” said Romano.

As other students have done in the past, Romano will be going to mediate cases in the Alamance County Court (overseen by Dunn) to achieve certification.

CMP has partnered with other organizations on campus to promote restorative justice practices at ������Ƶ. The fundamental goal of this program is to contribute to the creation of an ongoing culture of dialogue about conflict resolution on campus, not only to bring light to mediation as a possible path towards conflict resolution, but also as an ongoing effort to address difficult conversations at ������Ƶ.

“It gives me hope to spend time with other people who are also trying to find ways to help humans communicate better,” said Elizabeth Hambouger, a specialist in restorative justice from Durham who participated in the training.

She presented the work of the Diocesan Commission for the Defense of Nature (CODIDENA), an organization that advocates for the restoration of the identity and spirituality of the Xinka Indigenous people of Central America while protecting nature against extractivist mega-projects. Lemus talked in detail about the case of the peaceful resistance to the Escobal mining project, and their everyday struggles against the government and the mining corporations.

During the talk, she shared the values of her community to protect the earth and how they recognize themselves as Xinka by recovering their language and their culture. She also expressed the difficult reality faced by her community in rural areas as well as the challenges faced by organizers advocating for the Xinka land rights. The talk explored how they were able to stop the development of the mining project after three years of struggle, based on the Indigenous and Tribal People Convention, an international agreement acknowledged by the International Labour Organization, in which indigenous people must be consulted in case of any project affecting their population. In this case, after consulting with the Xinka people, they decided to reject the mining project given the multiple threats to their health and the environment.

Lemus also showed her grassroots initiative with young scientists in the Xinka community to address water contamination issues provoked by mining operations. This project not only capacitates the new generations, but also advocates for an intergenerational collective growth of the whole Xinka people. As a result of this initiative, community members created a system for measuring the degree of contamination in the water, empowering communities to defend themselves in their fight for environmental justice.

Over 50people attended the event. Students from peace and conflict studies, Latin American studies, as well as from different Spanish courses, the Core Curriculum, and philosophy classes learned about the complexity of current environmental struggles in Guatemala. After the talk, students asked several questions regarding the role of the Guatemalan government in this conflict and the recognition of the Xinka identity, engaging in a very fruitful dialogue about the importance of advocating for indigenous rights and environmental justice in peaceful demonstrations. The conference was conducted in Spanish with interpretation performed by Emily Rhyne from the organization Witness for Peace.

Lemus also participated in a roundtable discussion in Spanish with other human rights activists at El Centro. The roundtable focused on Guatemalan history and cultural diversity, generating a constructive dialogue among students learning about Latin American indigenous identities. The speakers talked about the work of their organizations at the local, national and global level, emphasizing the need to construct strong networks of solidarity. Students from the Spanish program engaged in a vivid conversation during the event, learning about the intercultural richness of Central America and the political relevance of the region in relation with the U.S. government today.

This visit was co-organized by the Peace and Conflict Studies program and the Latin American Studies program, and it was sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; El Centro; the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; International and Global Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies; the Department of Philosophy; and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

On Sept. 24-25, 2025, Chen-López’s two-day visit invited students to reflect on their understanding of Latin American identity and migration as he shared his innovative research on the representation of Chinese communities in Latin American literature, cinema, and visual arts, which is a topic that opened new perspectives for students and community members across multiple disciplines.

Chen-López’s keynote address, “Affective Mapping: Tracing the Chinese Diaspora in Latin American Literature, Cinema, and Visual Arts,” examined how Chinese identity and history are portrayed in creative works throughout different Latin American countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina. His work traces how emotional responses to Chinatowns and Chinese neighborhoods have evolved over time and explores how the very concepts of “China” and “Chineseness” have shifted in response to changing geopolitical dynamics.

The visit extended far beyond a single lecture. Chen-López engaged directly with students in various courses in the classrooms and in El Centro, including “Human Migrations”, “Medical Spanish”, “Growing Up in the Spanish Speaking World”, “In Search of Identity, Innovation and Social Protest Theater”, and COR1100. He also met with student members from the Latin American Studies program, the Spanish Club, and the Chinese Club during a community breakfast, fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

For many students, the presentations sparked revelations about migration patterns they had never considered. Anette Cruz ’28, reflected on how the experience transformed their perspective

“Previously when thinking about migration to Latin American countries it never really came to my head to think about countries like China,” said Cruz. “When I would think about migration, I would think it was mostly within Latin American regions. But after learning about the impact Chinese migration has had on countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina, it really made me think about the significance of it. I was able to see that through symbolism shown to me in Mexican readings, Argentinian movies and Costa Rican paintings, and to me I found that very interesting because again, I feel as if I would have overlooked that if I was presented with it. Overall Chinese diaspora in Latin American countries shown through historical contexts and symbolism in art is something new that I learned today, something that has opened my eyes a little more when talking about migration to Latin American countries.”

Chen-López’s interdisciplinary approach demonstrated how overlooked communities have shaped Latin American culture in profound ways. By examining representations of “China” and “Chineseness” in Latin American art, literature, and film, he sparked a dialogue among students and the broader ������Ƶ community on the importance of interdisciplinary research and looking beyond dominant narratives to discover the multiple histories of a society.

The Latin American Research Series is presented by Latin American Studies and sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; Peace and Conflict Studies; El Centro; International and Global Studies; Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; the Department of Philosophy; and Global Films and Cultures.

Baris Kesgin, associate professor of political science and public policy, and ������Ƶ alum Katherine Graham McCormick ‘24 published an article in “, one of the publications of the American Political Science Association.

This work is an important contribution to the at-a-distance study of political leaders and gender studies, and in fact illustrates a rare connection between the two. The authors present systematically developed profiles of multiple contemporary American women political leaders and an average profile (in contrast to the many existing ones that are predominantly male). Kesgin and McCormick project that the dataset will be used, invite conversations and receive critique, be updated by others, and this manuscript will inspire other similar undertakings.

According to the authors, although women leaders assume prominent national offices in the United States (and the world), one of the well-established specializations in political science and psychology (i.e., leadership studies) is inundated with male-centric benchmarks. Their article suggests a remedy and introduces a women leaders comparison group for operational code analysis, which is a quantitative approach measuring leaders’ beliefs about politics. The manuscript and its associated dataset give scholars in the field a more appropriate quantitative benchmark for effectively comparing specific female leaders to a larger female norming group.

Kesgin and McCormick gathered American women leaders’ speeches from the Iowa State University Archives of Women’s Political Communication. Using an automated content analysis, they developed a comparison group exclusively for American female politicians in national politics. The authors’ findings indicate noticeable differences and suggest similarities with the existing male-dominant comparison groups; notwithstanding, they note that they aspire to initiate a conversation and hope that more data will follow and shed more light on women leaders. Kesgin and McCormick hope that their manuscript and the dataset will provide an illustrative example to bridge leadership and gender studies in advancing the study of women leaders in the United States and beyond.

Kesgin published multiple manuscripts on political leaders of India, Israel, Turkey, and small Pacific Island states. McCormick graduated from ������Ƶ with a degree in political science and public policy, with minors in peace and conflict studies and public health. Currently, she is a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In his commentary, Blake analyzed Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ historic third-term electoral victory. He highlighted how reductions in crime, investments in infrastructure and debt stabilization contributed to the Jamaica Labour Party’s success. Blake also noted the challenges Holness faces, including modernizing health care, improving education, and sustaining public security. His analysis underscores the broader implications of Jamaica’s political trajectory for good governance, security and economic growth.

The publication can be found

McKibben was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 2014, sometimes called the “alternative Nobel” and received the Gandhi Peace Award in 2013. His book “The End of Nature” is regarded as the first book for a general audience about climate change and has been translated into 24 languages. TIME Magazine called McKibben “perhaps the planet’s best green journalist,” and he has lectured and organized on every continent, including Antarctica. He helped found 350.org, the first global grassroots climate campaign, and has recently helped found Third Act, to build a progressive organizing movement for people over age 60. McKibben, the author of fifteen books, is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

In his urgent, heartfelt and hopeful talk McKibben provides realistic approaches to saving our planet, as individuals, and as thoughtful members of a mobilized community.

This visit is sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, the Environmental Studies Department, Facilities Management, Food Studies, the Global Neighborhood, the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, Life@������Ƶ and Peace and Conflict Studies

The study examines a significant shift in security cooperation between Mexico and the Caribbean, moving from the U.S.-led “war on drugs” to a regionally driven “war on guns” aimed at curbing illicit arms trafficking. The research highlights CARICOM’s support for Mexico’s historic lawsuit against U.S. gun manufacturers, positioning it as a crucial step in challenging global power hierarchies through South-South security cooperation. By analyzing legal, political and strategic dimensions, the study provides new insights into the evolving nature of regional security partnerships among Latin American and Caribbean states and their attempts to remedy the deadly effects of high homicide rates related to the North-to-South flow of guns across their borders.

The event on Oct. 7 was hosted by the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program, including program co-coordinators Lauren Guilmette, associate professor of philosophy and Leyla Savloff, assistant professor of anthropology.

Sam Hilton ’25, a public health studies major with a minor in peace & conflict studies, began the performance with a statement on joy and liberation.

“We honor the power of community and we stand in solidarity with all who face oppression. We create spaces that foster connection, support and understanding among feminists where we can listen, learn and amplify each other’s voices,” said Hilton.

Representatives from spring courses like “Global Film and Cultures” and “Latin American Studies” provided information on their projects and highlighted the intersection of art, education and activism.

Jayla Martin-Beasley ’25 captivated the audience with her poem titled, “Five Stories About Smoking,” detailing the connection between grief and intergenerational trauma through how the relationship between her father and cigarettes affects her.

“It was small, it was brown, wrapped up in plastic and to an 8-year-old I just knew it was candy,” Martin-Beasley recalled, referencing the confusion of Black & Mild cigars. “It was like a fumigation to kill the bugs and (he) walked through the hallways and rooms, puffing and blowing like fumigation, leaving his poison sent to choke out the weak and the small.” Her poem portrayed the suffocating effect addiction had on her as a little girl.

Mackenzie Smith ’25 closed the Social Justice Social with her poem about her journey with Misophonia. Misophonia is a disorder in which certain sounds can trigger emotional or physical responses, often described as a “fight or flight” reaction. She described her struggle with mispronouncing the word “wrong.”

“Desperate to be wrong like my peers, practicing in the mirror for hours but no one could tell me what the issue was or how I was saying it, it was just wrong,” she said. “Now I speak with steel, surgical and sharp, made machine my own out of muscle and mucus.”

������Ƶ’s Social Justice Social reminded participants of the strength of storytelling and communal gathering. Together, these voices highlighted what ������Ƶ students are doing to spread social awareness while using their own experiences to create a safe space for others to do the same.