Announcements & Upcoming Events
A Call to Action: justice for Haitian people at the U.S border
We are a collective of Black and professional academic organizations and activist formations that stand in solidarity as we advocate for the humane treatment of Haitian asylum seekers at the Texas border. Almost 15,000 Haitian migrants are camped in Texas after crossing from Mexico because current U.S. policies do not protect their human right to present their cases for asylum to border officials. We say NO to acts of violence and dehumanization by the United States government and its agents toward Haitian refugees and undocumented migrants. This treatment is being meted out to them, in our assessment, because of anti-Black racism and odious racialized stereotypes about Blackness, Haitianness, and immigrant identity. We refuse to remain silent in the face of the devastation being experienced by Haitian people. The color of their skin should not be used against them.
See all Past Announcements
Calendar of Events
Events in September–November 2021
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Deadline for Early Bird Conference Registration
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Deadline for Early Bird Conference Registration
This year’s conference will prove to be a timely discussion, and a unique opportunity for scholars, policymakers, activists, journalists, and practitioners to learn from one another. The Program Committee has completed its extensive round of blind peer reviews and are pleased to accept 63 excellent papers and 25 panels on a range of themes.
We invite you to register right away… the early bird registration discount ends on September 1.
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2021 Nominations for the H.S.A. Board [Call for Applications]
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2021 Nominations for the H.S.A. Board [Call for Applications]
The members of the Board of Directors of the Haitian Studies Association are elected by the general membership at the annual conference and by electronic balloting prior to the conference and serve a three-year term. Board members can be re-elected for additional terms. The Board is composed of elected (including a student representative), and advisory members who, in turn, elect the officers of the board. The elected officers of the Board of Directors are the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Advisory Board is comprised of the current Executive Director, the immediate Past President, and the Editor of the Journal of Haitian Studies (JOHS). Collectively, these members are the governing body of the Haitian Studies Association.
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Universite Quisqueya: Haiti Earthquake Relief [Online Event]
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Universite Quisqueya: Haiti Earthquake Relief [Online Event]
United Front of the Haitian Diaspora, Community Empowerment in Partnership with Quisqueya University will host a two-hour discussion on their Comprehensive Plan for Haiti Earthquake Relief.
The event will broadcast on Quisqueya University Network, ZoomHaitiNews FB page, YouTube, Roku, and Amazon TV Fire.
Emmanuel Paul: Moderator - -
The Haitians Book Club: Translations
All day
The Haitians Book Club: Translations
The Haitians Book Club welcomes students and scholars, both inside and outside the academy, to a series of discussions of The Haitians: A Decolonial History, author Jean Casimir’s landmark work of theory and history. Beginning in August 2021, the club will hold four virtual, monthly meetings, free and open to the public. During these meetings, participants will focus our discussion on one of the following themes from The Haitians: translation; slavery and freedom; sovereignty and the state; and colonialism and decoloniality. An invited scholar or pair of scholars will lead each discussion and lend their expertise to our collective attempt to think about Haiti and the world through The Haitians. For more information on how to participate, please visit https://thehaitiansbookclub.com.
Friday, September 10: Translation: Live virtual discussion with Laurent Dubois & Kaiama Glover
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Translating Haiti: On the Academic Job Market [Online Event]
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Translating Haiti: On the Academic Job Market [Online Event]
The second event in the Emerging Scholars’ Translating Haiti mentorship series, this event features a conversation among recently hired scholars from various disciplines and backgrounds discussing how they translated their Haitian studies research for the job market. In a climate of renewed institutional attention to racial justice, how have recent job seekers framed Haitian studies in relation to critiques of anti-blackness that tend to center isolated narratives of historically white nation states like the US?
An interdisciplinary roundtable will reflect on questions posed implicitly and explicitly by search committees on the relevance and generalizability of Haitian studies and talk about how they translate Haitian studies into their diverse disciplines. We will also reflect on the scarcity and precarity of academic employment which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and invite participants to be prepared to share their own experiences seeking academic employment.
The roundtable and Q&A with panelists will be followed by small group discussion in disciplinary affinity groups facilitated by panelists and joined by senior scholars. (This event will be primarily in English with intermittent Kreyòl glosses and bilingual breakout rooms)
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Religions for Peace, Democracy, and Mutual Understanding: Vodou and Christianity in Interreligious Dialogue [Call for Papers]
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Religions for Peace, Democracy, and Mutual Understanding: Vodou and Christianity in Interreligious Dialogue [Call for Papers]
Subject Fields: Black History / Studies, Religious Studies and Theology, Humanities, Latin American and Caribbean History / Studies, Peace History / StudiesLead Editor: Celucien L. JosephScholars, researchers, and faith practitioners have characterized the history of Haiti’s two dominant religious traditions: Christianity—both Protestant and Catholic— and Vodou as antagonistic, conflicting, and unproductive, and a lack of mutual understanding. Historically and practically, the problem between these two faith traditions lies in the resistance of the two groups to build bridges and constructive channels toward mutual understanding and peace, and to engage in interfaith dialogue and participate in interreligious collaboration and partnership. These pivotal concerns not only had had a tremendous impact on nation-building in Haiti; they have weakened Haitian democracy, challenged the importance of religious freedom and expression, and delayed human development and flourishing in society. This book project on religions for peace, democracy, and mutual understanding in Haiti is premised on a two-fold interrelated question: how can faith leaders and practitioners of both traditions unite to speak and act together and to build strong communities in Haiti and improve the human condition for all Haitian citizens? How can these faith leaders and practitioners of both traditions mobilize and join hands to fight violence, injustice, and corruption in Haiti, and to hold together public events, including press conferences, networking events, award ceremonies, charity events, fundraising events, conventions, public dialogues, and interfaith trainings—leading to the advancement of a truly democratic life and the safeguarding of religious rights and freedom? There are three philosophical and practical ideas underlying this book project: (1) it is grounded on the belief that religion has value, and it could bring social goods to different communities and enhance human dignity and justice; (2) it is premised on the idea that dialogue and cooperation are necessary for nation-building and human development (as democratic ideals), and that one of the leading functions of the world’s religious traditions is to promote both cooperation and dialogue through mutual understanding and for the common good; and (3) that the power and public role of religion (i.e. Vodou, Christianity) in society can be used as a major force of unification and peace-building among divergent factions and schools of thought, and to promote reconciliation, mutual respect, and friendship in the world.
Deadline has been extended until September 26
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What can we do about the violations at the U.S. Border? (September, 27 2021)
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What can we do about the violations at the U.S. Border? (September, 27 2021)
We at H.S.A. feel distraught and sad by the inhumane, racist, imperialist and colonialist treatment of our Haitian brothers and sisters at the border. Please see this Call to Action by H.S.A. and our sister Black academic professional associations.
Given the magnitude of the situation we would like to come together as scholars, activists and practitioners to brainstorm about some concrete actions we can take to support our brothers and sisters. To that end we are holding a brainstorming meeting on Monday, September 27 at 8 pm EST/7p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT. We will meet with a representative from the Haitian Bridge Alliance to think about some concrete and strategic ways we can work with other organizations to provide our services.
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Free eBooks on Haiti and Discount Code for Print Editions [Rutgers University Press]
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Free eBooks on Haiti and Discount Code for Print Editions [Rutgers University Press]
Free Ebooks on Haiti
Download now through September 30.
In response to the recent tragedy, we are making a selection of ebooks about Haiti available free. The selection includes anthropologist Mark Schuller’s two award-winning books critiquing the international response to the 2010 quake and humanitarian crisis.
Download the books for free until September 30. Simply click on the links below and enter your email address and a link to the ebook will be delivered to you via email. Any print editions may be purchased at 50% OFF with free U.S. shipping. Use code RHAITI at check out.
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Be a part of the solution – Join H.S.A. and partners in Advocacy Day (October 21, 2021)
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Be a part of the solution – Join H.S.A. and partners in Advocacy Day (October 21, 2021)
2021 has seen an unprecedented series of disasters for the world’s first free Black republic: in addition to COVID and its economic crisis, Haitian people have faced a constitutional crisis, state-sanctioned violence and human rights violations – both in Haiti and along the U.S.-Mexico border – the assassination of the president, two earthquakes and a deadly hurricane with several more months in the hurricane season extended because of climate change.
Haitian Studies Association has attempted to step up and fulfill our responsibility to make our reservoir of knowledge accessible to journalists, activists, and policymakers, convoking timely conversations.
This conversation continues – we invite you to join H.S.A. and partners American Jewish World Service, the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University, the Haiti Advocacy Working Group, Haiti Response Coalition, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti and the North American Congress on Latin America, for Advocacy Day – Thursday, October 21.
If you wish to have your event included here, please contact us with the details.
