All Events
After a Decade of 'War on Terror' How Have Human Rights and Civil Liberties Fared? Ahilan Arulanantham, Asli Ü. Bâli and Lisa Hajjar
MCC THEATER
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, there have been unprecedented changes in US government policies toward human rights and civil liberties. This panel will highlight the sweeping use of immigration detention and deportations of Muslims, FBI entrapment of Muslims and other activists, the significance of the official authorization of a policy of torture and extra-judicial assassination, and the failure of the country to pursue any modicum of accountability for those responsible for state crimes. Ahilan Arulanantham is the ACLU/Southern California deputy legal director. In 2010, the American Immigration Lawyers Association awarded him the Arthur C. Helton Human Rights Award for his innovative litigation and its enormous benefits for the rights and dignity of vulnerable non-citizens. Asli Ü. Bâli is assistant professor of international law at UCLA Law School and specializes in the laws of war, nuclear proliferation, and Middle East politics. After 9/11, she engaged in extensive pro bono work relating to immigration, civil liberties, and international human rights. Lisa Hajjar is associate professor of Sociology at UCSB. Her research and writing focus on law and legality, war and conflict, human rights, and torture. In 2010, she went to Guantánamo three times to cover military commission trials for Middle East Report, where she serves on the editorial committee. Co-sponsored by the American Civil Rights Union-Santa Barbara Chapter; A.S. Human Rights Board; the Center for Middle East Studies; the Center for New Racial Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara; and the Sociology Department.
Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys Víctor Ríos
MCC THEATER
In this compelling sociological narrative, Ríos analyzes how punitive juvenile crime policies and criminalization affect the everyday lives of Black and Latino urban youth. He deftly balances analysis with vivid anecdotes about uninterested educators, struggling parents, police brutality, and gang victimization. Ríos terms this criminalization 'the youth control complex' and explains how it systematically deprives boys of their dignity and their ability to succeed at school or in the job market. Once they accumulate 'negative credentials,' the young men are subject to increased surveillance--and are consequently more likely to end up in prison. Ríos makes a compelling argument that better financed social programs and positive reinforcement could make all the difference. Víctor Ríos is associate professor of Sociology at UC Santa Barbara. His research interests include urban ethnography, policing, criminal justice, and youth culture. In 2010 Ríos received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research, The Margaret T. Getman Service to Students Award, the Office of Residential Life Outstanding Faculty Award, and the 'Young Scholar Award' from the American Society of Criminology Division on People of Color. He is also the recipient of the 2011-12 Harold J. Plous Award, one of the university's most prestigious faculty honors given annually to an assistant professor from the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences who has shown exceptional achievement in research, teaching, and service to the university.
Cup of Culture - Meet the Filmmaker
Hollywood Chinese
MCC THEATER
From the first Chinese American film produced in 1916 to Ang Lee’s triumphant Brokeback Mountain, Hollywood Chinese brings together a captivating portrait of filmmakers and iconic images for a high-spirited look at the ways the Chinese have been imagined in the movies, from silent classics to contemporary blockbusters. Discussion with the director following the screening. Arthur Dong, 89 min., English, 2007, USA. Co-sponsored by the Partnership in International Research and Education in Electron Chemistry and Catalysis at Interfaces (PIRE-ECCI).
Race Matters Series
Move the Crowd: Hip Hop and the Reshaping of Power Melina Abdullah
MCC LOUNGE
Hip Hop was born the child of racially and economically oppressed communities. In its early form, rap music especially, served as a voice of protest and a form of resistance. This session will offer an overview of Hip Hop’s political history, examine the ways in which corporate interests have appropriated Hip Hop, and engage in a collective exploration of the enduring potential for Hip Hop as a revolutionary force. Melina Abdullah is Acting Chair and Associate Professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. Her research focuses on power allocation and societal transformation. She is currently working on a book entitled Move the Crowd: Hip Hop and Political Mobilization.
