H.S.A.'s 35th Annual Conference - Call for Papers

Ayiti se tè glise illuminates the notion that Haiti is an eternally shifting landscape. Haitians continuously move within their nation and also migrate to diasporic spaces. This adage also alludes to conflicting paradigms for Haitians in and beyond Haiti as they negotiate various cultural identities and navigate their liminality (i.e. Haitian-American, Haitian-Canadian, Haitian-Bahamian, Haitian-Dominican, etc.).

CALL FOR PAPERS: Journal of Haitian Studies Special Issue (Apr. 15, 2023)

This special issue emerges from the Sexualities Working Group of the Haitian Studies Association, a group of Haitian and U.S. American scholars and practitioners who have, since 2015 in different configurations, mobilized in coalition toward the rights to live creatively for Haitian LGBTQ/M-community, Vodouyizan, and all those who do not conform to sexual/gendered norms. Responding to a call made by our Haitian activist interlocutors to support their on-the-ground endeavors through increased dissemination of research on the construction and performance of genders and sexualities in Haiti, the editorial collective hopes this special issue will document, share, and collectivize mutual commitments to bolstering the work of queer crusaders and all those who dare to live creatively in Haiti and its diasporas.

H.S.A.'s 35th Annual Conference - Call for Papers

Ayiti se tè glise illuminates the notion that Haiti is an eternally shifting landscape. Haitians continuously move within their nation and also migrate to diasporic spaces. This adage also alludes to conflicting paradigms for Haitians in and beyond Haiti as they negotiate various cultural identities and navigate their liminality (i.e. Haitian-American, Haitian-Canadian, Haitian-Bahamian, Haitian-Dominican, etc.).

Emerging Scholars Workshop: Writing Successful Abstracts (Mar. 31, 2023)

The Emerging Scholars Committee of the Haitian Studies Association (HSA) invite you to participate in our series of mentorship activities where we will reflect on key topics and issues for emerging scholars. In March, we will discuss strategies for preparing successful abstracts for conferences or other calls for papers. Scholars from several disciplines will share reflections and tips based on their experiences. Bring your draft abstracts for HSA’s 35th annual conference Ayiti Se Tè Glise: Im/Migration, Movement & In-Betweenness which are due April 15th, 2023.

Emerging Scholars Café (Dec. 9, 2022)

The Emerging Scholars Committee would like to invite you to its last Emerging Scholars Café for the year on December 9, 2022 at 2:00 pm EDT on Zoom.  We welcome Samantha Schifano, doctoral student at University of Buffalo, to present “Caribbean/Eco-Criticism/French Literature” and Jameson Léopold, masters student at Université de Toulouse, on the topic "The implementation of a public policy to prevent the brain drain from Haiti." We also welcome Dr Cécile Accilien, professor at Kennesaw State University, as commentator for this panel. Presentations will be in English and French followed by a discussion in all three languages (English, Creole, French). We look forward to having you with us.

Dappiyanp sou Tè: Seizure of Land, Rights, and Sustainability in Haiti

The month of May in Haiti has customarily celebrated the worker, and until very recent times people understood “worker” as one who tilled the soil. The month kicks off with Labor Day conflated with May Day, the former rooted in labor organizing and the latter in rural festivals marking the start of summer. Practitioners of Haitian Vodou salute Azaka Mede, spirit of the earth and farmers, throughout the month.

The Energy Potential of Marine Macroalgae in Haiti

Haiti, like most Caribbean countries, faces a growing energy crisis due to the increasing costs of fossil fuels and the lack of indigenous domestic energy supplies. Biofuels are increasingly considered as alternatives to fossil fuels to power modern societies, but they carry their own negative environmental impacts and limitations. In order for biofuels to make a more positive impact on the energy economy of Haiti, three conditions must be met: (i) a new source of millions of tons of sustainably sourced biomass must be discovered with fewer negative environmental impacts than fuel wood; (ii) the biomass must be safely and efficiently transformed into a useful fuel to serve the needs of homes and industries; and (iii) an entire transportation and distribution network has to be created to place this new energy supply in the hands of the end users. Today, we will discuss our research into turning sargassum seaweed into useful biogas energy.

CALL FOR PAPERS: Journal of Haitian Studies Special Issue (Apr. 15, 2023)

This special issue emerges from the Sexualities Working Group of the Haitian Studies Association, a group of Haitian and U.S. American scholars and practitioners who have, since 2015 in different configurations, mobilized in coalition toward the rights to live creatively for Haitian LGBTQ/M-community, Vodouyizan, and all those who do not conform to sexual/gendered norms. Responding to a call made by our Haitian activist interlocutors to support their on-the-ground endeavors through increased dissemination of research on the construction and performance of genders and sexualities in Haiti, the editorial collective hopes this special issue will document, share, and collectivize mutual commitments to bolstering the work of queer crusaders and all those who dare to live creatively in Haiti and its diasporas.

Journal of Haitian Studies Spring 2022 – Volume 28, Number 1

LAND AND THE STRUGGLE FOR AUTONOMY: DEVELOPMENT, DECOLONIZATION, AND THE COUNTER-PLANTATION FINDING A NEW PATH FORWARD: HISTORICAL AND LITERARY MODELS FOR CONSTRUCTING BETTER FUTURES BOOK REVIEWS

HSA Congratulates Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall

HSA Congratulates Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall! Cal State San Marcos history professor Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall has been honored with the most prestigious award that faculty can receive in the California State University system. Sepinwall was announced Tuesday as one of five winners of the Wang Family Excellence Award. Each year, the CSU recognizes four faculty and one staff member for their “unwavering commitment to student achievement and advancing the CSU mission through excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.”

Louisiana State University Alumni Spotlight: Petrouchka Moïse

Dr. Petrouchka Moïse is the first graduate of the LSU Doctor of Design in Cultural Preservation program, adding to her growing list of “firsts” in her many accomplishments. In the spring of 2020, Dr. Moïse became the first doctoral graduate of the College of Art & Design. As part of the inaugural Doctor of Design cohort, Moïse’s doctoral research focused on the identity and role of the Haitian artist. Her dissertation and exhibition are titled “Mitan-Morphic: The Evolution of the Contemporary Haitian Artist in Relation to Trauma.” Her work showcased contemporary artists who no longer allow the lens on the Haitian culture to be out of focus or limited in its range.

Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) - Program Manager

Florida International University is seeking a dedicated Program Manager to lead our outreach and engagement efforts and help preserve cultural heritage through the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC). The ideal candidate will have a passion for Caribbean history and will be able to collaborate effectively with universities and cultural heritage institutions to advance the scholarly use of dLOC's collections. The Program Manager will also play an important role in organizing programming that celebrates the traditions and culture of the Caribbean diaspora and will work closely with local organizations and the dLOC team to support these efforts.

CALL FOR PAPERS: Journal of Haitian Studies Special Issue (Apr. 15, 2023)

This special issue emerges from the Sexualities Working Group of the Haitian Studies Association, a group of Haitian and U.S. American scholars and practitioners who have, since 2015 in different configurations, mobilized in coalition toward the rights to live creatively for Haitian LGBTQ/M-community, Vodouyizan, and all those who do not conform to sexual/gendered norms. Responding to a call made by our Haitian activist interlocutors to support their on-the-ground endeavors through increased dissemination of research on the construction and performance of genders and sexualities in Haiti, the editorial collective hopes this special issue will document, share, and collectivize mutual commitments to bolstering the work of queer crusaders and all those who dare to live creatively in Haiti and its diasporas.

2022 Digital Book Launch

As we come together this year, we are showcasing titles published after our last in-person conference. So in keeping with the times, the Haitian Studies Association introduces our Digital Book Launch to display these new books in a more user-friendly format for your convenience. The following list includes books published during the pandemic and early 2022, including the forthcoming books closing out this year. This list of 60+ books includes texts written both in English and French. The books below address various issues and articulate different perspectives on Haiti and Haitian national history. Click here to view the digital gallery for book covers and abstracts. Listed below are the individual titles that will direct you to the purchasing site. Select the author from the index listed below for a brief book description.

2022 Award Recipients

At H.S.A.'s 34th annual conference Dr. Régine Michelle Jean-Charles received our Award for Excellence; Dr. Charlene Désir received our Award for Service; and Edouard Duval-Carrié received our Florence Bellande Robertson Award. You can read information of all three award recipients here.

Miami Dade College's Miami Film Festival (Mar. 3 – 12, 2023)

Miami Film Festival is a world-class platform for International, American, and Ibero-American films. The special 40th edition of the Miami Film Festival occurs from March 3-12, 2023. The following is a small collection of films screened that may be of interest to our readership. You can see the entire schedule here. 'The Gravity' and 'Me Little Me' will include a Q&A after the screening.

World Humanity & Economy: Haiti - In Person Film Screening & Panel (Feb. 21, 2023)

This program looks at how the historic challenges of Haiti informs their modern economy. But the program also looks at humanity, spirit and activism in Haiti that keeps them fighting towards social justice and economic equity.

The Rights to Live Creatively: Artistic Expression, Visibility, Solidarity (Dec. 14, 2020)

In light of right-wing authoritarianism in Haiti today that exposes the clientelist nature of the justice system and increases violence against all who seek to live creatively, this Working Session convenes to hear from Haitian freedom fighters and artists on the ground in a series of webinar discussions and focused virtual gatherings. This second panel features cultural workers Maksaens Denis, independent artist, and Hetera Estamphil, director of KOURAJ, who will share with us the ways in which their works challenge gendered and sexual norms and offer us another vision of and for Haiti. The conversation will be moderated by Josué Azor, and feature performances by Yonel Charles and Jenny Cadet. The goals are to think together with attendees to design an action plan that supports and amplifies their efforts toward creative living in Haiti.

The Rights to Live Creatively: Artistic Expression, Visibility, Solidarity (Oct. 8, 2020)

In light of right-wing authoritarianism in Haiti today that exposes the clientelist nature of the justice system and increases violence against all who seek to live creatively, this Working Group convenes to hear from Haitian freedom fighters and artists on the ground in a series of webinar discussions and focused virtual gatherings. The first panel features cultural workers Josué Azor, Jenny Cadet, and Maksaens Denis who will share with us the ways in which their works challenge gendered and sexual norms and offer us another vision of and for Haiti. During the gathering that follows the webinar, they will think together with attendees to design an action plan that supports and amplifies their efforts toward creative living in Haiti.

Town Hall Update (online event): 'Decolonizing Haitian Studies' (June 26, 2021)

As a follow-up to members' priorities expressed at the 2020 Town Hall meeting, our June event will focus on the problem of coloniality in the field of Haitian Studies and our strategy to decolonize the HSA. All are invited to hear from scholars examining the question of decolonization from the standpoint of their respective disciplines and research interests. We will consider the dynamics of knowledge production, alongside issues of global inequality and anti-blackness, language, ethical collaboration, citational politics and other research practices within the interdisciplinary field of Haitian Studies. Finally, we will describe the status of our Open Access database, a digital archive which aims to provide free access to scholarship by HSA members.

Town Hall Response Strategy (2021)

International media often portrays Haiti as an ongoing crisis since its successful revolution for independence in 1804. This representation of history simultaneously fails to consider Haiti’s transnational roots and global connections and how Haitians persist in their brave fight for their freedom and sovereignty. Despite the Haitian Revolution’s triumph — an “unthinkable” act in the words of anthropologist/historian Michel-Rolph Trouillot — the event threatened the core of white supremacy. It resulted in dire repercussions against the new nation. In the face of “Western” critics, we aim to highlight real concerns in the country and stand in solidarity with Haiti. Men nou la! (We are here!)

An Island in the Chain: Haitian and Dominican Relations in the 21st Century (Jan. 12, 2023)

Traditional analyses of Haitian-Dominican relations accentuate the white supremacist anti-Black discourses and practices in the Dominican Republic that target “Haitian-looking” people. This panel will historicize Dominican state-sanctioned violence against its Black denizens by exposing its political and economic roots and the complicity of the U.S. and Haitian states. And most importantly, the panel will also showcase the resistance of organized groups on both sides of the island and their respective diasporas.

Emerging Scholars Café (Dec. 9, 2022)

The Emerging Scholars Committee would like to invite you to its last Emerging Scholars Café for the year on December 9, 2022 at 2:00 pm EDT on Zoom.  We welcome Samantha Schifano, doctoral student at University of Buffalo, to present “Caribbean/Eco-Criticism/French Literature” and Jameson Léopold, masters student at Université de Toulouse, on the topic "The implementation of a public policy to prevent the brain drain from Haiti." We also welcome Dr Cécile Accilien, professor at Kennesaw State University, as commentator for this panel. Presentations will be in English and French followed by a discussion in all three languages (English, Creole, French). We look forward to having you with us.

Emerging Scholars Workshop: Writing Successful Abstracts (Mar. 31, 2023)

The Emerging Scholars Committee of the Haitian Studies Association (HSA) invite you to participate in our series of mentorship activities where we will reflect on key topics and issues for emerging scholars. In March, we will discuss strategies for preparing successful abstracts for conferences or other calls for papers. Scholars from several disciplines will share reflections and tips based on their experiences. Bring your draft abstracts for HSA’s 35th annual conference Ayiti Se Tè Glise: Im/Migration, Movement & In-Betweenness which are due April 15th, 2023.

Haitian Studies Wednesday Writing Group, Spring 2023

Writing assignments can be easier to complete when you have a regular schedule and become a part of a supportive community. If you are looking for an hour of distraction-free time to write, read, or plan your scholarly activities, please join the Haitian Studies Wednesday Writing Group. All scholars are welcomed. The spring 2023 writing sessions will be every Wednesday (January 25th -May 3rd, 2023) at 12:00 PM Eastern Time.

Dappiyanp sou Tè: Seizure of Land, Rights, and Sustainability in Haiti

The month of May in Haiti has customarily celebrated the worker, and until very recent times people understood “worker” as one who tilled the soil. The month kicks off with Labor Day conflated with May Day, the former rooted in labor organizing and the latter in rural festivals marking the start of summer. Practitioners of Haitian Vodou salute Azaka Mede, spirit of the earth and farmers, throughout the month.

The Roots Are Many and Deep: Social, Cultural, and Spiritual Dimensions of Haiti’s Ecological Crisis (Oct. 19, 2021)

On boarding the ship to his captivity in 1802, Toussaint L’Ouverture delivered a characterization of liberty that would become famous: its roots are many and deep. In the 217 years since Haiti’s independence, the nation’s liberty has been challenged, its roots entangled with invasive species, likewise many and deep. This meeting of HSA’s Working Group on the Environment (Konbit) will present the multidisciplinary perspectives of five scholars and activists. After introductory remarks—presenters’ names and affiliations and discussion ground rules—each of the five presenters will make a statement of no more than five minutes in order to allow maximum time for comments, questions, and discussion with attendees. The meeting will end with an announcement from our blog/vlog team about the progress of that effort, and with suggested ways for all to become involved.

The Rights to Live Creatively (October 20, 2021)

As the first official convening of the HSA Sexualities Working Group, this event builds on “The Rights to Live Creatively,” a series of conversations and roundtables we facilitated in Fall 2020. We gather to share knowledge and galvanize our commitments, interests, and labor. The first hour of this meeting will feature presentations by Haiti-based community organizers Merlin Jean and Vadson Nicholas, Directors of Cap Haitien-based human rights organization Heritage; Sandy Pierre, Community Activist of Organisation Arc-en-Ciel d’Haiti (ORAH); and Soeurette Policar, Executive Director of Organisation de Développement et de Lutte contre la Pauvreté (ODELPA). In the second hour, we will move into conversation and action planning with all attendees. What are the stakes of “living creatively” in Haiti at this moment? How might we build transnational solidarity projects together?

The Roots Are Many and Deep: Social, Cultural, and Spiritual Dimensions of Haiti’s Ecological Crisis (Oct. 19, 2021)

On boarding the ship to his captivity in 1802, Toussaint L’Ouverture delivered a characterization of liberty that would become famous: its roots are many and deep. In the 217 years since Haiti’s independence, the nation’s liberty has been challenged, its roots entangled with invasive species, likewise many and deep. This meeting of HSA’s Working Group on the Environment (Konbit) will present the multidisciplinary perspectives of five scholars and activists. After introductory remarks—presenters’ names and affiliations and discussion ground rules—each of the five presenters will make a statement of no more than five minutes in order to allow maximum time for comments, questions, and discussion with attendees. The meeting will end with an announcement from our blog/vlog team about the progress of that effort, and with suggested ways for all to become involved.