KINGTON, R.I. – April 9, 2024 – The University of Rhode Island announced that the Mellon Foundation’s Higher Learning program has awarded $100,000 to the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies to support multivocal humanities efforts that provide a more complete and accurate narrative of the human experience.
“This grant acknowledges the great work that is taking place at the University of Rhode Island,” said Jeannette Riley, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Faculty from the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies developed a comprehensive project that will build on the success of the Eleanor M. and Oscar M. Carlson Endowed Lecture. The aim is to create intellectual space for rigorous debate, bringing together voices from different disciplines and experiences in academia, civil society, and the public sector.”
Activities are scheduled to run from spring 2024 to spring 2026. The Mellon Foundation funds will expand the annual Carlson Public Lecture Series from two lectures to four, creating a unified series linked to courses and priority areas and encouraging campus and public dialogue on gender, sexuality, and human rights. The series will specifically highlight the range of transformative political practices that counter current dehumanizing ones affecting LGBTQ+ communities in the Americas.
A mini-conference will be held in spring 2025 that will focus on Latin American, Caribbean, and Black Queer Feminisms. The conference will engage scholars from the New England region, develop a network of individuals at other institutions to build scholarship in this area, and offer opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to participate.
In addition, summer undergraduate and graduate research will be supported, with a focus on Latin American, Caribbean, and Black Queer Feminisms. Student research activities will supplement URI’s curriculum and scholarly output and can be funded for up to two years. Faculty will mentor and supervise students who will perform field research, write up research findings, and present findings before peers and at academic conferences.
“We are grateful to the Mellon Foundation for their commitment to our programs,” said Kathleen McIntryre, an associate professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies and the project leader. “This gift is truly transformational for our department and will facilitate a deep exploration of LGBTQ+ communities of color and their concerns through both scholarship and public engagement.”