Past Events
& Exhibitions

John Alba Cutler's new book will examine the literary archive of early-20th-century Spanish-language newspapers in the United States before the advent of “modern” Latinx literature.

Alexey Golubev's upcoming book project will examine the mass Soviet scientific literacy campaigns after World War II, and why mistrust of science remains a persistent feature in modern societies.

Kiese Laymon will talk with Courtney R. Baker about whether the actual histories of American colleges and universities should be ripe sites for Black American horror and comedic narratives. 

During her Radcliffe year, Tonya M. Foster is completing a book-length manuscript of poetry, “AHotB,” that takes up Fanny Lou Hamer’s idea that “a black women’s body is never hers alone.”

Racial disparities in our carceral systems are profound and troubling. As a society, we appear to be at an inflection point where racial justice is a core priority for the incoming Biden administration and a majority of the public. This program will bring together the compassionate work of a practitioner on the front lines with the expertise of a world-renowned researcher in criminal justice policy.

Héctor Tobar is working on a nonfiction book about the profound shifts in American culture brought forth by the anti-immigrant movement.

How does the precarious position of African American young adults facilitate a reimagining of democracy? What does this reimagining mean for American politics?

The COVID-19 pandemic—the greatest public health challenge in more than a century—has forced many hard decisions. The partial or full closures of schools nationwide have become a flashpoint with very strong opinions on both sides and have reinforced the critical role that schools play in supporting the health of our children.

As a Radcliffe fellow, Jarvis Givens completed his first book that explores the subversive history of Black education, focusing particularly on the concealed pedagogical practices of African American teachers. 

We are in the midst of an education crisis, greatly exacerbated by COVID-19, that is preventing many children from reaching their full potential. These gaps are most acutely felt by Black and brown children. The speakers in this program will discuss inequalities among social groups in schools and society, with a focus on racial, economic, social, and cultural differences, and the role of education in the lives of all youth, including African American men. 

Harvard College Opera presents an acoustic exploration of friendship, feminism, and resilience inspired by the Radcliffe exhibition Accompanied: The Artworks of Marilyn Pappas and Jill Slosburg-Ackerman.

Join leading epidemiologists for a panel discussion as they assess the current and future state of the epidemic. 

This concluding sessions asks a variety of experts to briefly unfold a single “big idea” that captures the significance of the 19th Amendment for voting rights, citizenship, and democracy today.

Ira Dworkin's book “’Imperfectly Known’: Nicholas Said and the Routes of African American Narrative,” will examine Borno's influence on Black literary culture in the US during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Speakers on this panel will discuss how higher education can and should rise to the challenges of 2020 and beyond.

Shrill, an upcoming book and multimedia chamber opera by Tina Tallon will explore the history of voice technology and how bias in its development continues to influence whose stories are told and how.

Join us for a discussion about antiracism in higher education with award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi, joined by Radcliffe Institute Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin and Harvard College Dean Rakesh Khurana.

Anne Wojcicki, cofounder and CEO of 23andMe, will discuss the next phase of consumer genetics: taking action.

“Education Justice: Centering Student Voices” is the second in a two-part series that explores education justice in carceral settings and through nontraditional paths.

Paul Martini is working on analysis tools and data from DESI (Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument) to address the mystery of cosmic acceleration.

At Radcliffe, Alaa Murabit is working on “Architects of Peace: Redefining the Role of Women in Today’s Growing Security Agenda,” focusing on the unique roles women have in conflict resolution and global peace-building.

“What college does, it helps us learn about the nation,” said Rodney Spivey-Jones, a 2017 Bard College graduate currently incarcerated at Fishkill Correctional Facility in New York, in the docuseries College behind Bars. “It helps us become civic beings. It helps us understand that we have an interest in our community, that our community is a part of us and we are a part of it.” 

Michael K. Honey's upcoming work, “They Never Can Jail Us All: Repression, Resistance, and the Freedom Struggle, a Memoir and History (1960–1976)” considers what is past and what is present in the struggle to be free.

This program will explore how uneven distribution of social support drives obesity; how framing affects policy; and how lack of research fuels speculation and reinforces racist stereotypes.

The speakers in this program will discuss water’s vital role across four areas of modern inquiry: biology, earth science, public health, and the search for extraterrestrial life.

This panel draws together the ideas and growing influence of conservative women, the political activism of gay communities, and the mobilization of Latinx constituencies in the ongoing struggle over votes.

Robert F. Reid-Pharr's work “James Baldwin: The Making of an American Icon” is an attempt to understand how Baldwin achieved his fantastic celebrity status and why his image continues to be so compelling to the public.

This roundtable conversation looks at the relationships among the Reconstruction Amendments, the 19th Amendment, the Voting Rights Act (VRA), and the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

This panel of experts will examine the role and impact of slavery in the North and discuss the influence of Agassiz and how Black abolitionists responded to scientific racism.

During his fellowship, Will Mackin is working on “Animals,” a collection of short stories based on his experiences as a special operations soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This “big ideas” session brings together diverse participants who will each illuminate one facet of women’s political history in relation to the passage of the 19th amendment. 

Rajiv Sethi's project on the geography of lethal force investigates the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers in the United States.

Leslie M. Harris is completing “Leaving New Orleans: A Personal Urban History" which uses memoir and family, urban, and environmental histories to explore the multiple meanings of New Orleans in the nation.

Join the artists for a conversation marking the opening of the virtual exhibition Accompanied: The Artworks of Marilyn Pappas and Jill Slosburg-Ackerman.

This panel will use gender as a lens to understand the cross-cutting trends of enfranchisement and disenfranchisement that came together in the wake of the Civil War.

Nikole Hannah-Jones, will engage in conversation with Tomiko Brown-Nagin about pressing issues of race, civil rights, injustice, desegregation, and resegregation.

Our series Voting Matters: Gender, Citizenship, and the Long 19th Amendment begins with a keynote address by the historian Martha S. Jones who explores the intersection of gender and race in the battle for the ballot.

Join us this summer for a series of Virtual Radcliffe Book Talks exploring recent publications whose subjects or authors have a connection with the Radcliffe Institute.

Join us this summer for a series of Virtual Radcliffe Book Talks exploring recent publications whose subjects or authors have a connection with the Radcliffe Institute.

Join us this summer for a series of Virtual Radcliffe Book Talks exploring recent publications whose subjects or authors have a connection with the Radcliffe Institute.

Join us this summer for a series of Virtual Radcliffe Book Talks exploring recent publications whose subjects or authors have a connection with the Radcliffe Institute.

This Radcliffe webinar, cosponsored by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, will bring together experts from public school systems, foundations, and academia to explore the present and future of US education.

Speakers discuss contemporary police violence against people of color along with ethical issues that we must consider as we reflect on the current turmoil and attempt to envision how our nation might be transformed. 

This Radcliffe webinar brings together historians, physicians, and organizers to discuss the disparate impact of the pandemic on the physical and mental health of sexual and gender minorities.

The Radcliffe Institute is offering a two-part series of virtual programs to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on incarcerated people.

Music has played a large social function during the coronavirus pandemic: from the daily balcony concerts in Italy to the virtual performances of countless orchestras, it has helped tie communities together where social distancing has atomized us. During this Radcliffe webinar, we will talk with musicians about their experience during the crisis—from the precarious position of performers without gigs to the healing role music can play.

Part I of this discussion series focuses on people who are incarcerated and their families, exploring how systemic racism and mass criminalization threaten both incarcerated individuals and their communities

In this Radcliffe webinar, scholars, public officials, community activists, and medical professionals join to discuss domestic violence in the midst of this public health crisis and consider ways to aid those in need.

Camara Phyllis Jones RI ’20 and David R. Williams will explore how we might overcome, “the somnolence of racism denial,” dismantle the system of racism, and put in its place a system in which all people can thrive.

Please join us for a conversation between Tomiko Brown-Nagin, current Institute dean, and Drew Gilpin Faust, Radcliffe’s founding dean and president emerita of Harvard University.