Please join us for a public lecture titled “Narratives of Urban Hydrocolonialism: Mass Water Shutoffs and Public Health in Detroit” by BGSU alum and associate professor of communication at Wayne State University, Dr. Rahul Mitra. This event is free and open to the public.
About the presentation
Between 2014 and 2020, an estimated 145,000 homes were disconnected from clean drinking water in the majority-Black city of Detroit, MI, because of unpaid bills. This not only caused severe psychological distress to affected residents but also made them more susceptible to water-borne diseases like Hepatitis and contributed to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the city.
In this essay, Dr. Mitra argues that hydrocolonialism, an emerging framework from the humanities that has mainly been used to trace the historical actions of water-borne colonial powers, can be extended to theorize the neocolonial logics and practices underlying water affordability even in the Global North. Specifically, in U.S. cities, urban hydrocolonialism works to prioritize austerity and financial creditworthiness, commodify water as an extractive resource, and perpetuate racist tropes targeting low-income minoritized residents while ignoring their elevated health risks.
Drawing from critical ethnography between 2018-2020, Dr. Mitra focuses on the role of institutional narratives of crisis, place and agency, which distort the lived experiences and social histories of Black and Brown residents, to enact urban hydrocolonialism. Dr. Mitra will also present examples of activist counternarratives that successfully resisted hydrocolonialism and sought to rehabilitate care-centered modes of public health.
Domesticating the Universe: A Conversation between Silent Sky and the Legacy of Women's Work at The Harvard Observatory
Sarah Hopson, Graduate Assistant, BGSU Department of Theatre and Film
Story Moosa, Graduate Assistant, BGSU Department of Theatre and Film
Join us for the planetarium show at 6:30 p.m., followed by the lecture at 7:30 p.m.
Interested in earning your MA in History at BGSU? Join us for the 30-minute virtual info session to learn more about career outlook, flexible enrollment plans, and our track record of excellent alumni placement. This webinar will be led by our Graduate Coordinator and Associate Professor of History Dr. Rebecca Mancuso.
Registration is required. Please register via Zoom: https://bgsu-edu.zoom.us/.../WN_7sPCGjzmTrutJPAZzRRtjA
THE STORY: It’s 1211 in Assisi, Italy, and Clare’s got beauty, wealth, and a rich suitor who showers her with expensive presents. So why is she so drawn to this guy Francis who gave up all his possessions just because poor people are suffering? Everyone in town says he’s crazy. And yet…she starts seeing everything in her life differently. This hilarious, anachronistic telling of the real story of St. Clare considers the cost of doing good—and how little has changed for the haves and the have-nots in almost a millennium. (from Dramatist Play Service: dramatists.com)
Sara Lapinski Chambers, Director
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Falcon Family Weekend
Oct. 18-20 | This event is part of Falcon Family Weekend, an annual tradition for parents, family members, and supporters to visit, create memories, participate in events, and explore campus and the local community.
THE STORY: It’s 1211 in Assisi, Italy, and Clare’s got beauty, wealth, and a rich suitor who showers her with expensive presents. So why is she so drawn to this guy Francis who gave up all his possessions just because poor people are suffering? Everyone in town says he’s crazy. And yet…she starts seeing everything in her life differently. This hilarious, anachronistic telling of the real story of St. Clare considers the cost of doing good—and how little has changed for the haves and the have-nots in almost a millennium. (from Dramatist Play Service: dramatists.com)
Sara Lapinski Chambers, Director
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Falcon Family Weekend
Oct. 18-20 | This event is part of Falcon Family Weekend, an annual tradition for parents, family members, and supporters to visit, create memories, participate in events, and explore campus and the local community.
THE STORY: It’s 1211 in Assisi, Italy, and Clare’s got beauty, wealth, and a rich suitor who showers her with expensive presents. So why is she so drawn to this guy Francis who gave up all his possessions just because poor people are suffering? Everyone in town says he’s crazy. And yet…she starts seeing everything in her life differently. This hilarious, anachronistic telling of the real story of St. Clare considers the cost of doing good—and how little has changed for the haves and the have-nots in almost a millennium. (from Dramatist Play Service: dramatists.com)
Sara Lapinski Chambers, Director
----------------------------------------
Falcon Family Weekend
Oct. 18-20 | This event is part of Falcon Family Weekend, an annual tradition for parents, family members, and supporters to visit, create memories, participate in events, and explore campus and the local community.
THE STORY: It’s 1211 in Assisi, Italy, and Clare’s got beauty, wealth, and a rich suitor who showers her with expensive presents. So why is she so drawn to this guy Francis who gave up all his possessions just because poor people are suffering? Everyone in town says he’s crazy. And yet…she starts seeing everything in her life differently. This hilarious, anachronistic telling of the real story of St. Clare considers the cost of doing good—and how little has changed for the haves and the have-nots in almost a millennium. (from Dramatist Play Service: dramatists.com)
Sara Lapinski Chambers, Director
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Falcon Family Weekend
Oct. 18-20 | This event is part of Falcon Family Weekend, an annual tradition for parents, family members, and supporters to visit, create memories, participate in events, and explore campus and the local community.
Please join us for the 2024 Gary R. Hess Lecture in Policy History on Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 1pm-2:15pm in Room 201 of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union on BGSU's Main Campus.
We are delighted to welcome Dr. Francis Gavin as this year's guest speaker. Dr. Gavin is the Director of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
Dr. Gavin will speak on "Reflections on Nuclear History," drawing up his extensive experience and published works in this field. This lecture is free and open to the public. No reservation is required. A small reception will follow the lecture.
The Gary R. Hess Lecture in Policy History is an annual distinguished lecture initiated by Dr. Hess's former students to honor his 45 years of teaching, scholarship and service to BGSU. This lecture is presented by the Department of History.
To individuals with disabilities, please indicate if you need special services, assistance, or appropriate modifications to fully participate in this event by contacting Accessibility Services at access@bgsu or 419-372-8495. Please notify us prior to the event.
THE STORY: It’s 1211 in Assisi, Italy, and Clare’s got beauty, wealth, and a rich suitor who showers her with expensive presents. So why is she so drawn to this guy Francis who gave up all his possessions just because poor people are suffering? Everyone in town says he’s crazy. And yet…she starts seeing everything in her life differently. This hilarious, anachronistic telling of the real story of St. Clare considers the cost of doing good—and how little has changed for the haves and the have-nots in almost a millennium. (from Dramatist Play Service: dramatists.com)
Sara Lapinski Chambers, Director
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Falcon Family Weekend
Oct. 18-20 | This event is part of Falcon Family Weekend, an annual tradition for parents, family members, and supporters to visit, create memories, participate in events, and explore campus and the local community.