New CCNY Lecture Series Explores Ethnicity and Religion

Ethnicity and religion are the foci of a new lecture series presented by The City College of New York history department. The three-part series, which kicks off Thursday, March 3, presents diverse perspectives on contemporary issues in which these topics play an important role.  It is made possible by a grant from the office of CCNY President Lisa Staiano-Coico.

The series dovetails with one of President Staiano-Coico’s goals for CCNY; engaging City College students and faculty across a wide range of disciplines on timely subjects, explains Dr. Clifford Rosenberg, chair of the history department.  Because ethnicity and religion are integral to people’s self-identity, the topics have broad appeal, especially among students.

“We hope these lectures will start a new tradition and spark a forum where students and faculty will be able to discuss topics that engage them inside and outside of the classroom,” Professor Rosenberg adds.

All lectures are free and open to the public and will be delivered in Room 5/144 in the North Academic Center on the CCNY campus, located at 160 Convent Avenue, New York N.Y. 10031. Times, dates, speakers and topics follow:

4 p.m. Thursday, March 3
Alyshia Galvez: “Devotion and the Struggle for Citizenship Rights among Mexican Immigrants in New York City.” Dr. Galvez, assistant professor of Latin American and Puerto Rican studies at Lehman College, is the author of “Guadalupe in New York.”

4 p.m. Thursday, April 14
Zain Abdullah: “The African Muslims of Harlem.”  Dr. Abdullah, assistant professor of religion, race and ethnicity at Temple University, is the author of “Black Mecca- The African Muslims of Harlem.”

4 p.m. Thursday, April 28
Emily Burrill: “Family Law and Community in Modern West Africa.” Dr. Burrill is assistant professor of women’s studies at University of North Carolina and author of an unpublished manuscript, “States of Marriage: Family Law and Community in Modern West Africa.”