College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Faculty members from two universities in Nigeria and a professor from Davidson College will be guest speakers for a spring lecture series organized by the University’s African Studies Academy.

Enajite Ojaruega, senior lecturer, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria, will present “Songs Only Women Sing: Female Struggle with Identity in African Traditional and Modern Poetry” at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, March 24. Ojaruega researches African women and conflict in literature and gender studies.

“Materialities of Ritual in the Black Atlantic,” co-edited by Akin Ogundiran, professor of Africana studies, was named an outstanding academic title for 2015 by Choice magazine.

In its January issue, Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries published its list of “Outstanding Academic Titles” reviewed during the previous calendar year. According to the magazine, the list represents approximately 10 percent of the some 7,000 works reviewed by Choice in 2015.

For his commitment to democratic ideals, humanistic values and literary excellence in Africa, Tanure Ojaide, UNC Charlotte’s Frank Graham Porter Professor of Africana Studies, has won the Fonlon-Nichols Award.

Ojaide will receive the prestigious honor at the 42nd annual African Literature Association (ALA) conference in Atlanta, scheduled for April 6-9. The thematic focus of the conference is “Justice and Human Dignity in Africa and the African Diaspora.”

Eric Heberlig, a professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, will lead a public conversation about his book on congressional fundraising, the Citizens United court case and their implications for the 2016 presidential race at a Personally Speaking lecture on Thursday, March 10.

Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was born March 2, 1904, and in honor of his birthday, UNC Charlotte will hold its annual Seuss-a-thon from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, March 5, at Park Road Books, 4139 Park Road.

During this event, area educators and literacy advocates will read Dr. Seuss books aloud to children in a marathon fashion for four continuous hours. Children will have opportunities to participate in Dr. Seuss-related craft projects.

The Charlotte Teachers Institute (CTI) will host an open house for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) teachers from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 25, at UNC Charlotte Center City. Interested CMS teachers from all subject areas in grades preK-12 can register online for this event.

Greg Weeks, chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, will discuss Cuba and the United States for the final presentation in the UNC Charlotte Great Decisions Lecture Series. This talk is set for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24, at UNC Charlotte Center City.

As a researcher, Weeks focuses on Latin American politics, U.S.-Latin American relations and Latino immigration. He has authored a number of works, including “U.S. and Latin American Relations” and “Understanding Latin American Politics.”

Jeffrey Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought at Rice University, will deliver the 32nd annual Loy Witherspoon Lecture at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 29, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall. His talk will address “Biological Gods: Science (Fiction) and Some Emergent Mythologies.”

Thomas Negri, a long-time advocate of diversity, inclusiveness and opportunity for immigrants and refugees, will deliver UNC Charlotte’s annual Levine Lecture at 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, at the Levine Museum of the New South.

As part of the 2016 Great Decisions Lecture Series, Kathryn Johnson, an associate professor in the Department of Religious Studies, will discuss the rise of ISIS at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17, at UNC Charlotte Center City.

Johnson, who joined the University faculty in 1988, teaches courses in Islamic studies.