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RCAH News
Diversity and Inclusion Subject of Deans' Dialogues Discussion November 2
November 1, 2018 - Diversity and Inclusion Subject of Deans' Dialogues Discussion November 2
RCAH faculty, staff, and students join Dean Esquith to share their experiences working collaboratively with organizations in diverse communities to address social justice issues and community needs.
‘Positively Shameless Now’ Brings Workshop, Performance to Campus October 30 and 31
October 25, 2018
The theatre group, whose work delves into childhood sexual abuse, will offer a workshop on October 30 and a performance on October 31.
Inside the LookOut! Art Gallery’s ‘Figure of the Indian Dancer’ Exhibit, Running Through Oct. 19
October 12, 2018 - Inside the LookOut! Art Gallery’s ‘Figure of the Indian Dancer’ Exhibit, Running Through Oct. 19
Exhibit explores the representation of various kinds of dancers in India, dating from the colonial period to the twentieth century.
Dean Esquith on Ethics and Development in Africa
October 10, 2018
RCAH Dean Stephen Esquith has contributed an essay on ethics and development in Africa to The Enagaged Scholar magazine as part of MSU's Year of Global Africa.
RCAH Senior Sadie Shattuck Wastes No Time
October 9, 2018
It’s difficult to define the ideal RCAH student, although senior Sadie Shattuck comes pretty close.
Schedule Set for Africa on the Move Festival October 11-13
October 8, 2018
Three-day festival is part of MSU's Year of Global Africa.
RCAH Professor John Aerni-Flessner Publishes Book on Colonial Africa
October 1, 2018
RCAH Professor John Aerni-Flessner has published his first book, “Dreams for Lesotho: Independence, Foreign Assistance, and Development,” featuring his extensive research on the history of development at the end of colonialism and after independence in Africa.
Attend Homecoming 2018, October 5-7
September 26, 2018
Come home again for another event-filled weekend at RCAH.
RCAH and Lansing’s Peckham Continue Community Arts Collaboration
September 17, 2018
RCAH's ongoing collaboration with Lansing's vocational rehabilitation program Peckham, Inc., is exemplary, says Dean Stephen Esquith. Learn about some of the current and upcoming projects.
RCAH Poetry Center's Fall Writing Series Kicks Off October 24
September 11, 2018
The RCAH Center for Poetry 2018 Fall Writing Series includes locally and national renown writers and musicians. Events are free open to all. Learn more.
RCAH Professor Thobani to speak at the GenCen Colloquia Series September 21
September 9, 2018
“Re-Presenting the Indian Dancer: Gender, Sexuality and the New Orientalism” is the topic of a presentation by RCAH Professor Sitara Thobani on September 21, 2018, part of the GenCen Fall 2018 Colloquia Series.
Conference Commemorates MSU's 40th Anniversary of South African Divestment
September 8, 2018
Speakers from South Africa and the United States will look back at the campaigns for justice which led to the MSU decision to divest, resulting in MSU becoming the first university in the nation to completely divest and Michigan passing more sanctions on South Africa than any other state.
Message from the Dean: Our Projects of Mutual Independence
August 29, 2018
Students working together on group projects in their courses have to find a sweet spot where collaboration encompasses independence and independence includes mutuality, Dean Esquith says. Read more.
Freedom from Fear: Refuge Lansing Panel and sign making to be held on September 11
August 27, 2018
The “Freedom from Fear: Refuge Lansing” panel and sign making “town hall” event in the RCAH Theater brings together photographers, writers, and nonprofits involved in the Refuge Lansing project
RCAH Alumni Receive Fulbrights
May 8, 2018
Two alumni of MSU’s Residential College in the Arts and Humanities recently received Fulbright scholarships to pursue graduate studies.
Dean Esquith Makes Case for Arts and Humanities in Washington Post’s ‘Answer Sheet’
May 1, 2018
"Despite the odds," Dean Esquith writes, "some very good things have been accomplished by students and faculty in the arts and humanities at MSU. The creation of a new Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) 10 years ago was one of them." Read more.
MSU's Residential Colleges Host Teach-In/Learn-In in Response to Nassar Scandal
April 10, 2018
MSU's three residential colleges banded together to host a day-long Teach-In/Learn-In on Tuesday, February 27, in the MSU Union in response to the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.
Q&A with Director of Alumni Relations Kate McGormley and Professor Sitara Thobani
January 18, 2018
Professor Thobani describes her studies, her teaching, and the importance of contextualizing social social change in this Q&A with Kate McGormley. Read more.
Message from the Dean: When Words Lose Their Meaning
January 9, 2018
RCAH is committed to constructing inclusive democratic practices and institutions in a political language that we all can take pride in and trust, the Dean says. Read more.
RCAH's 10th Anniversary
November 8, 2017
Read more for the details of RCAH's 10th Anniversary Celebration.
Call for Applications: MSUFCU RCAH Dean’s Choice Award for Innovations in Civic Engagement
October 10, 2017
Call for application submissions for MSUFCU RCAH Dean's Choice Award for Innovations in Civic Engagement.
Play details role of women, girls in '67 rebellion
July 20, 2017
RCAH Professor Lisa Biggs won the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation grant to fund the production of "AFTER/LIFE: In Honor of the City Rising from the Ashes" in Detroit. Read more.
Message from the Dean: Belonging and Betrayal
July 17, 2017
Ensuring that students have a sense of belonging in RCAH, through honoring their stories and continuing to cultivate an ethical community, is a priority of RCAH, the Dean says. Read more.
RCAH Graduate Fellows for 2017-18 announced
June 20, 2017
The RCAH is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2017-2018 RCAH Graduate Fellowships in Teaching and Learning.
Artists sought for seventh annual exhibition & teaching residency
June 7, 2017
Applicants are sought for Perspectives on African-American Experience: Emerging Visions. Read more.
New student performance of AFTER/LIFE to commemorate the Detroit 1967 uprising
April 18, 2017
A preliminary performance of Assistant Professor Lisa Biggs' play, done by her students, will occur on April 28th. Read more.
Twelve RCAH students take part in annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum
April 14, 2017
A dozen RCAH undergraduate students showcased their work in the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum. Read more.
RCAH faculty curate LookOut! Art Gallery exhibition, “Through a Black Lens: Detroit 1967”
April 12, 2017
This exhibit and panel sheds light on the historical events of 1967 Detroit. Read more.
Cornelius Harris and John Collins close out 2016-17 WNL series with a focus on Detroit, techno, and the music industry
April 9, 2017
To end the 2016-17 WNL Series, Harris and Collins of Submerge and Underground Resistance engaged in a discussion of the origins of Techno in Detroit. Read more.
RCAH students and faculty present at the National Council for Black Studies conference
April 3, 2017
Lead by Dr. Kevin Brooks, three RCAH students proudly presented their work for the scholars of the National Council for Black Studies. Read more.
Joshua Kristal addresses RCAH community on the power of photography and life as a creative
March 17, 2017
Kristal, a Michigan-native, wishes to capture the "ugly beautiful" in his photography. While visiting RCAH classes and WNL, he described his passion and where it has taken him. Read more.
RCAH bolsters student and faculty presence at 50th anniversary of AWP
March 2, 2017
RCAH students enjoyed a conference held in Washington D.C. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Association of Writers & Writing Programs. Read more.
Message from the Dean: RCAH Peace Game
February 28, 2017
The Dean states that RCAH students, faculty, and staff are stepping up with poise and stamina to meet the challenge against democratic institutions. Through a Peace Game, participants will engage in activities regarding democracy and peace. Read more.
Professor India Plough's transculturation course broadens RCAH student perspectives on the globalization of yoga
February 27, 2017
The Globalization of Yoga, a section of RCAH 203, has proven to be telling of yoga history, spirituality, and broadening perspectives of other ways of knowing. Read more.
Call for Applications: 5th Annual MSUFCU RCAH Dean’s Choice Award for Innovations in Civic Engagement
February 19, 2017
The 5th Annual MSUFCU RCAH Dean’s Choice Award for Innovations in Civic Engagement is accepting submissions. Read more.
Dialogue and collaboration at the heart of annual “Perspectives on African-American Experience: Emerging Visions” residency and exhibit
February 3, 2017
The current exhibit in RCAH’s LookOut! Art Gallery, The Fire This Time, opened on Martin Luther King Jr. day and is part of the 6th Annual “Perspectives on African-American Experience: Emerging Visions” Artist’s Residency and Exhibition. Read more.
Artist Antoine Williams' exhibit "The Fire This Time" featured in LookOut! Art Gallery
January 15, 2017
Williams’ displayed work includes paintings, collages, and drawings in an installation that explores African-American male experience filtered through provocative, engrossing images of figures influenced by sci-fi and World War I-era Dada. Read more.
Professor Aerni-Flessner's Malcolm X in Greater Lansing proseminar explores place, oral history, and local history
November 23, 2016
Students in Dr. John Aerni-Flessner’s proseminar course have been exploring Malcolm X's relationship to Greater Lansing through a series of guest speakers. Read more.
RCAH graduates return for 2016 alumni panel
November 17, 2016
RCAH welcomed five alumni home to speak at the third installment of the Wednesday Night Live 2016-2017 series. Read more.
Message from the Dean: Radical Poise
November 15, 2016
In a time of reactionary politics, the concept of "radical poise" is to be embraced, says the Dean. Read more.
"The Painter and the Printmaker" -- Curts and Thayer in LookOut! Art Gallery
November 11, 2016
Ilene Curts and Bruce Thayer's exhibit focuses on their respective talents in painting and printmaking. Read more.
Lisa Biggs awarded $100,000 from Knight Foundation for new play exploring role of women and girls in Detroit’s 1967 unrest
November 7, 2016
Biggs' AFTER/LIFE production will tell the stories of many overlooked women and girls of the 1967 conflict in Detroit. Read more.
Second Wednesday Night Live features Flint Water Crisis panel
October 21, 2016
To discuss the Flint Water Crisis with the RCAH community, a panel of individuals well-versed on the issue were invited to this installment of WNL. Read more.
Artist Chen Shapira reflects on art's change making power in exhibit "Lines of Flight"
October 20, 2016
Shapira's exhibit is an ink on paper series that focuses on Israel and the perspectives of its people. Read more.
U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera kicks off the 2016-17 Wednesday Night Live series
October 11, 2016
The first Latino to hold the position, this U.S. Poet Laureate is the author of thirty books form poetry collections and novels to children's books. Read more.
Students integrate work from featured OBOC author Ben Rawlence into course about immigrants and refugees
October 1, 2016
One Book, One Community author Ben Rawlence is changing perspectives on refugees, one book at a time. Read more.
Spring 2016 semester concludes with events showcasing research, civic engagement, and artistic collaboration
May 16, 2016
The RCAH Spring Showcase of 2016 featured a wide array of graduate and undergraduate projects from the semester. Read more.
Local civil rights leaders, musicians join RCAH in a PeaceJam Jam for last WNL of academic year
April 28, 2016
MSU PeaceJam has teamed up with two RCAH students to create a night of music, peace, and activism. Read more.
Message from the Dean: RCAH Griots
April 6, 2016
Griots mediate conflicts so that they do not escalate into violence, says the Dean. At the PeaceJam Jam, RCAHers have the opportunity to understand how to encourage peace in difficult times, and become griots of their own. Read more.
“Electronic Dreams” tells the story of an architect coping with wife’s illness
April 1, 2016
When his first wife was battling breast cancer, digital artist Liu decided to begin this new project that is on exhibit in the LookOut! Gallery. Read more.
RCAH Peace Games makes connections between Mali, Peckham and Refugee Development Center
March 25, 2016
“Our goal was to see how we could use performance and visual art to create a space that a community dialogue could take place,” former RCAH student Andrew Jason said. Read more.
RCAH students plan college dialogue on intersectionality
March 19, 2016
Another installment of RCAH Dialogues will center around creating a safe space for marginalized students in RCAH.
Trans Women of Color Collective founder visits RCAH as Wednesday Night Live guest
March 2, 2016
“Folks need to be supported and they need to be affirmed. They need to have their coattail pulled when there are issues and challenges and I think that’s important. Community is the root of one’s ability to be successful,” Lourdes Ashley Hunter said. Read more.
Local hip hop artists, community leaders visit RCAH as first WNL guests of 2016
February 5, 2016
Both artists appreciate the way hip hop can be used to mobilize people and create discussion. Read more.
"Material Realities" exhibit uses space, objects to explore identity
January 25, 2016
During their week-long residency, Brown and Wilson visited classes, conducted workshops, and participated in My Brother’s Keeper. Read more.
Fall 2015 concludes with performances and events featuring research, civic engagement, and artistic collaboration
December 20, 2015
The Fall 2015 showcase, hosted by RCAH, was displayed in Snyder Hall on Dec. 7. Read more.
RCAH alumnus and student win awards in annual Office of Study Abroad essay contest
November 30, 2015
Two RCAH students landed first and second place in an Office of Study Abroad essay contest. Read more.
Three years’ work culminates in Project Re-stART unveiling
November 23, 2015
Project Re-stART is a community art installation consisting of mosaicked barricades strung with chains of painted butterflies. Read more.
"Courage Ablaze" highlights strength, courage of Congolese refugees
November 17, 2015
“I just learned that these women had absolutely heartwrenching stories about what had happened to them,” Alderman said about her work surrounding the women of the Congo.
RCAH exhibit, panel, and performance spark dialogue about incarceration, art, and Michigan's criminal justice system
October 23, 2015
“The show itself was pretty small; we had something like 50 pieces, and now we have over 400. The art show has become such a major institution in the state … it’s really changed the culture of art in prisons in the state of Michigan,” Paul said. Read more.
RCAH, English grads return to campus as WNL guests
October 15, 2015
RCAH alumni join together again to discuss the work they have done since graduation. Read more.
Message from the Dean: Building Public Spaces One Story at a Time
October 1, 2015
The Dean discusses several forms of storytelling that RCAH has engaged in with the community. Read more.
Acclaimed filmmaker Eugene Jarecki visits campus
September 28, 2015
Jarecki's work has impacted many students, and RCAH had the pleasure of hosting his Q&A on campus. Read more.
RCAH, WKAR kick off new storytelling series
September 16, 2015
WKAR’s Current State hosted the first in a series of three events called “Pop-Up Stories” at Lansing’s Allen Market Place with RCAH. Read more.
Art@Work final reveal at Peckham, Inc. a success
April 9, 2015
On March 26, the efforts of five years’ worth of collaboration between the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, the College of Engineering and Peckham, Inc. were revealed. Read more.