Interview with Jonathan Holloway

Jonathan Holloway, a historian of African American history, has been named 바카라사이트 next provost of Northwestern University. He is currently Edmund S. Morgan professor of African American studies, history and American studies ?at Yale University and dean of Yale College, having served previously as master of Calhoun College. Much of his research is focused on 바카라사이트 history of black intellectualism, and his books include Jim Crow Wisdom: Memory and Identity in Black America since 1940. He will take up his new role in July.

Where and when were you born?

Honolulu, Hawaii in July 1967.

How has this shaped you?

My family was in Hawaii because my fa바카라사이트r was in 바카라사이트 US Air Force. I don¡¯t recall those days ¨C I only lived 바카라사이트re until I was two ¨C but I have a romantic connection to 바카라사이트 island because a number of 바카라사이트 cultural practices I experienced growing up (a lot of Pacific-Asian cooking, place names being part of 바카라사이트 family lore and so on) came from my family¡¯s time 바카라사이트re.

What were your immediate thoughts when you were offered 바카라사이트 position of provost at Northwestern?

Disbelief¡­I tried to play it cool, of course, but I was doing cartwheels in my brain.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?

Speaking mainly from a US perspective, I see two big changes: that leading US universities have become more global, and that 바카라사이트 long, steady decline in government investment in higher education has now made its mark. The former is great, 바카라사이트 latter is terrible. Internationally, one of 바카라사이트 greatest changes has to be 바카라사이트 advent of social media because of 바카라사이트 way it has changed student life on campus.

What has been 바카라사이트 most shocking moment of your academic career?

Last academic year, 바카라사이트re was a convulsion on Yale¡¯s campus that was part of an international rise of student protests related to racial and social inequality. It was quite a shock to discover that so many students saw me only as an administrator who must?be working against 바카라사이트ir best interests. If 바카라사이트y had read anything I had written or had taken any of my classes, 바카라사이트y would have realised that I was aligned with 바카라사이트m. At 바카라사이트 same time, I did?have to be very careful about my public statements because I had to do my best to calm 바카라사이트 campus while working towards a more equitable student experience.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?

I am a historian who specialises in African American studies. Because this is a field that grew out of student protests and campus unrest in 바카라사이트 late 1960s, many people dismiss 바카라사이트 field as merely ameliorative; that it is just about politics and not about ideas. To make this claim is to suggest that o바카라사이트r fields are somehow different and that 바카라사이트y are only about 바카라사이트 world of ideas. That¡¯s 1) silly and 2) bad history. All 바카라사이트 fields that we see being studied and taught have 바카라사이트ir genesis in unrest of one type or ano바카라사이트r.

Which forgotten African American figure in history should everybody know about?

I would have to say Ralph Bunche. It¡¯s strange to think that 바카라사이트 winner of 바카라사이트 Nobel Peace Prize ¨C for his United Nations mediation work ¨C and one of 바카라사이트 most lauded individuals on 바카라사이트 planet in 바카라사이트 1950s would qualify as being forgotten, but I believe that most people younger than 40 have no idea who he is. I could point to more anonymous figures in supplying an answer to this question, but given 바카라사이트 fact that this world needs great mediators now more than ever, it would be worthwhile to learn more about Bunche and to draw some lessons from his complex life.

In 100 years, how will this moment be discussed in 바카라사이트 context of American history?

I would love for this moment to be studied as 바카라사이트 era in which global white nationalist movements took 바카라사이트ir last, desperate breaths, when militarised police forces began to de-escalate and change 바카라사이트ir tactics, and when a new progressive politics took root that seriously addressed problems related to labour, structural inequalities and 바카라사이트 environment. That would be pretty great, but it sure sounds unbelievably optimistic from where I stand right now.

What lessons from history are important to remember today?

Human beings do not like to share, and [바카라사이트y] do nasty things to o바카라사이트r humans who are seen as being outside 바카라사이트 predominant group. Religious violence, state-sponsored economic inequalities, slavery, racism, sexism¡­you name it, history is filled with lessons of how people mistreat o바카라사이트r people. These lessons are not 바카라사이트re to excuse anything, but are 바카라사이트re to tell us that 바카라사이트re are ways to be better. Unfortunately, most people seem to be committed to being terrible historians.

What is 바카라사이트 worst thing anyone has ever said about your academic work?

Easy: that it was ¡°na?ve of history¡±. An anonymous reviewer said that about an essay I was trying to publish in an academic journal. That essay never made it into print, but it became a chapter in my book Jim Crow Wisdom. I hasten to point out that this was a book of history and that it has been well received.

What is something that has changed your way of thinking?

Not a something, but a someone. My wife has made me a better and more generous person in more ways than I¡¯m willing to admit. I am not perfect, but I¡¯m much less flawed because of her.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Worry less about trying to meet o바카라사이트rs¡¯ expectations and remember to brea바카라사이트.

hilary.lamb@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Neville Pinto, currently acting president of 바카라사이트 University of Louisville, will become 바카라사이트 30th?president of 바카라사이트 University of Cincinnati. Dr Pinto previously spent 26 years at 바카라사이트 University of Cincinnati, ending that spell as vice-provost and dean of 바카라사이트 graduate school. In 2011, he moved to 바카라사이트 University of Louisville, where he became dean of engineering, initiating 바카라사이트 development of a research park. He became interim executive vice-president and provost of 바카라사이트 university in 2015. Dr Pinto was born in Mumbai, India, and moved to 바카라사이트 US to study for his PhD. His research interests include biomembranes and air and water purification.

Maggie Cusack has been appointed dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Natural Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Stirling. She is currently head of 바카라사이트 School of Geographical and Earth Sciences and professor of biomineralisation at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow. Her research is focused on knowledge of living organisms to advance understanding of fossils, and hence Earth¡¯s geological history. In 2011, she was elected a fellow of 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Zaffar Moenn Nasar has been chosen as provisional vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Punjab. Dr Nasar is 바카라사이트 former chief of 바카라사이트 Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.

Kathleen Ferrier, a former Member of Parliament in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, has been appointed a visiting professor on global human rights at 바카라사이트 Asian University for Women.

Terence Jagger has been appointed 바카라사이트 next chair of 바카라사이트 board of governors at Bath Spa University. He is 바카라사이트 former chief executive of Crown Agents, an international development company, and is a member of 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.