Author: Liladhar

REECAS Northwest, the annual ASEEES northwest regional conference , April 16-18, 2026

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REECAS Northwest 2026

The 32nd Annual Conference for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies

April 16-18, 2026

University of Washington

Seattle, WA USA

Deadline: January 9

REECAS Northwest, the annual ASEEES Northwest Regional Conference for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies, welcomes students, faculty, independent scholars, and language educators from the United States and abroad.
REECAS Northwest, the annual ASEEES Northwest Regional Conference for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies, welcomes students, faculty, independent scholars, and language educators from the United States and abroad.

REECAS Northwest, the annual ASEEES northwest regional conference for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies (REECAS) will take place April 16-18 at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.

The REECAS Northwest Conference welcomes students, faculty, independent scholars, and language educators from the United States and abroad. Proposals on all subjects connected to the Slavic, East European, and Eurasian regions are encouraged. The conference hosts panels on a variety of topics and disciplines including political science, history, literature, linguistics, anthropology, culture, migration studies, gender studies, LGBTQ studies, film studies and more.

Established in 1994, REECAS Northwest is an important annual event for scholars and students in the Western U.S., Canada, and beyond. This interdisciplinary conference is organized by the University of Washington’s Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies.

The REECAS Northwest Conference welcomes both individual paper proposals and also panel/roundtable proposals. Individual proposal submissions will be grouped into panels with a common theme.  To submit your proposal, please submit a 250-word abstract and abbreviated C.V. using the form on the REECAS Northwest Conference webpage: Call for Proposals Form: REECAS NW 2026 – Fill out form. Deadline January 9th, 2026. 

Questions? Please email cereas@uw.edu with any questions not answered on the conference webpage.

New Open Access Resource in Eastern European and Slavic Studies: Estonia Digital Archive (1991-2009)

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We have access to a fully digitized daily newspaper from Estonia (1991-2009) aimed at Russian-speaking citizens of Estonia.

Following Estonia’s independence in 1991, the Tallinn-based Russian-language broadsheet Estoniia was launched. Built by the staff of the former Sovetskaia Estonia, it stood out as one of the country’s pioneering private media outlets. The paper took inspiration from Western journalism, focusing its reporting on global and local politics, financial trends, and the arts. Under the financial patronage of Vitaly Khaitov, the publication grew significantly and rebranded as Vesti dnia in 2004, though it eventually folded in 2009 due to economic challenges and a competitive market.

UC Berkeley’s Cuban Studies Working Group: Conversation with Dr. Katherine Gordy, Professor of Political Science at San Francisco State University

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All are invited to attend the Cuban Studies Working Group’s conversation with Dr. Katherine Gordy, Professor of Political Science at San Francisco State University, which will take place tomorrow, November 7, 2025, at 11 am in Dwinelle 5125 (Level E)

RSVP Here: Lunch will be provided!

Katherine Gordy is an accomplished author and editor in the field of political science. Her published works include the single-authored book Living Ideology in Cuba: Socialism in Principle and Practice (2015) and the co-edited volume Globalizing Political Theory (2023).
Gordy’s research spans Latin American political thought, Cuban socialism, imperialism, and Marxism, with articles published in notable journals such as Polity, Public Culture, Postcolonial Studies, Alternatives: Global, Local and Political, and Viewpoint Magazine, as well as various edited collections.
Currently, she is engaged in a research project exploring empirical imaginaries and historical relativism as present in the works of two prominent Latin American Marxist thinkers: the Peruvian José Carlos Mariátegui and the Cuban Walterio Carbonell.
Please join the Cuban Studies Working Group on Friday, November 7th at 11am in the Spanish and Portuguese Library (Dwinelle 5125) for a lecture and lunch gathering with Dr. Katherine Gordy, Professor of Political Science at San Francisco State University. Katherine is the author of Living Ideology in Cuba: Socialism in Principle and Practice (2015) and co-editor of Globalizing Political Theory (2023). Her work on Latin American political thought, Cuban socialism, imperialism, and Marxism has appeared in Polity, Public Culture, Postcolonial Studies, Alternatives: Global, Local and Political, and Viewpoint Magazine, and in various edited volumes. She is currently working on a project on empirical imaginaries and historical relativism in the work of Peruvian Marxist Jose Carlos Mariátegui and Cuban Marxist Walterio Carbonell. Speaker: Katherine Gordy, Professor of Political Science, San Francisco State University
A Conversation with Katherine Gordy

Sponsor: Townsend Center

Today at the Law School: Estado de Silencio / State of Silence: Film Screening and Panel

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Film Screening & Discussion: “State of Silence”
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Estado de Silencio Film Title
The title of a film is “Estado de Silencio” (The State of Silence).

“State of Silence/Estado de Silencio” delves into the challenges facing press freedom in Mexico, chronicling the dangerous work of four journalists as they uncover the ties between organized crime and government corruption. Through their eyes, the documentary reveals the obstacles and risks they face in breaking the silence around systemic abuse and violence. A panel discussion and audience Q&A with will follow the screening:

RSVP here

Faculty Book Talk at Townsend Center: November 5, 2025

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A page from faculty member Nathaniel Wolfson's book Concrete Encoded.
A page from faculty member Nathaniel Wolfson’s book Concrete Encoded.

Concrete Encoded: Poetry, Design, and the Cybernetic Imaginary in Brazil

Nathaniel Wolfson
Berkeley Book Chats
Wednesday, Nov 5, 2025 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
 220 Stephens Hall

Registration Requested

Concrete art and poetry—a radical avant-garde movement where the visual and spatial arrangement of words on the page carries as much weight as their literal meaning—emerged in Brazil during the 1950s, a time of rapid and transformative modernization. Professor Nathaniel Wolfson (Spanish & Portuguese) challenges the notion that concretism was socially passive, as some scholars have claimed. Instead, he presents it as the defining literary genre of the early information age.

Concrete Encoded: Poetry, Design, and the Cybernetic Imaginary in Brazil (Texas, 2025) examines how Brazilian poets, artists, and designers engaged with the rise of digital capitalism, forging a distinct cybernetic vision. Wolfson’s study reinterprets concretism—not just as Brazil’s most internationally influential artistic movement, but as a network connecting both prominent and overlooked figures. By mapping these creative exchanges, the book reveals broader, transnational conversations about technology and its critical possibilities.

Dia de los muertos in the East Bay

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Día de los Muertos and UC Berkeley Library Collections

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is an essential Mexican holiday, primarily celebrated on November 1st and 2nd. It is a time for families and friends to gather, pray for, and remember loved ones who have died. The celebration is vibrant, focusing on life and remembrance, rather than mourning. Key traditions include creating ofrendas (altars) decorated with marigolds (cempasúchil), favorite foods and drinks of the departed, candles, and colorful sugar skulls (calaveras).

In the pantheon of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century artists who represent Mexico and Mexican art, the artwork of José Guadalupe Posada stands out as a bright constellation that continues to shine a light on important stories through woodcuts, imprints, and engravings. This virtual exhibition is a counterpart of the physical exhibition on Posada that was created by Liladhar P., the Librarian for Latin American Collections. The title of this exhibition is "Illustrating México one page at a time-Print Art of José Guadalupe Posada."The exhibition also highlights two important contemporary Mexican artists: Artemio Rodriguez and Sergio Sánchez Santamaría who continue to cherish and carry the legacy of José Guadalupe Posada. However, I note that these artists have their own stories and own unique style that illustrates the beauty of Mexico's printmaking heritage. This exhibition highlights selected print-items by José Guadalupe Posada. The curator owes a debt of gratitude to Aisha Hamilton and Virgie Hoban.

Illustrating Mexico one page at a time-Print Art of José Guadalupe Posada

Several venues across the East Bay feature Día de los Muertos altars. The Oakland Public Library is among the organizations hosting a related activity. Below are photos of the altar created by the library’s César Chávez branch (formerly the Latin American Library) to commemorate this important cultural tradition.

Photos below: Credit: Liladhar P.

Dia de los muertos altar at Cesar Chavez Branch Library of Oakland Public Library
Our Social Sciences Library at UC Berkeley Library, my departmental colleagues have created also an altar whose pictures I am sharing. Two colleagues who took initiative in supporting this activity are Angelica V.M. and Cody H.

Photos below: Credit Angelica VM.

A dia de los muertos altar at Social Sciences Research Library
A dia de los muertos altar at Social Sciences Research Library

The following subject terms can be helpful to our students when trying to locate materials on Dia de los muertos in our library’s collections.

Subject

Below is some music related to Dia de los muertos. Posted for non-commercial, educational and fair-academic use. The copyright belongs to the creators of this wonderful music. Enjoy!

Save the date: “Art Against Artillery: Cultural Resilience in Times of War”- A Panel Discussion

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We invite you to attend “Art Against Artillery: Cultural Resilience in Times of War,” a panel discussion.

Date: December 4, 2025
Time: 10 am PST (8 pm Kyiv Time)
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/artagainstartillery
Organizer: Dr. Liladhar R. Pendse, Librarian for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies

The event is free and open to all, provided prior registration is completed. Please sign in to your individual Zoom account and then register. All are welcome!

This image shows information about the online event, "Art Against Artillery: Cultural Resilience in Times of War": A panel discussionDate: December 4, 2025 Time: 10 am PST (8 pm Kyiv Time) Registration: https://tinyurl.com/artagainstartillery Organizer: Dr. Liladhar R. Pendse, Librarian for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies Event Description: Drawing from Art Against Artillery: Voices of Resilience, this discussion examines how Ukrainian artists transform the trauma of war into a cultural renaissance, wielding art as a vital tool for healing, resistance, and memory.
A poster for the event.

Library Trial: Latin America Commons by Coherent Digital

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We currently have trials set up for several modules from Coherent Digital. We have selected modules from Policy Commons, Africa Commons, and Latin America Commons available until Nov 15, 2025.

Please submit your feedback to your librarian for Latin American and Caribbean Studies: Liladhar

Latin America Commons by Coherent Digital is a full-text, richly-indexed database that provides unified, cross-searchable access to millions of pages of Latin American and Latinx primary-source materials, including books, magazines, photographs, maps, letters, diaries, ephemera, videos, and audio files that were previously scattered across the internet and in archives. The project aims to preserve at-risk content, rare documents, and often overlooked resources spanning from the 16th to the 21st centuries, making it easier for scholars and students to discover vetted, high-quality material for research and study.
Latin America Commons Landing Page

Latin America Commons by Coherent Digital is a full-text, richly-indexed database that provides unified, cross-searchable access to millions of pages of Latin American and Latinx primary-source materials, including books, magazines, photographs, maps, letters, diaries, ephemera, videos, and audio files that were previously scattered across the internet and in archives. The project aims to preserve at-risk content, rare documents, and often overlooked resources spanning from the 16th to the 21st centuries, making it easier for scholars and students to discover vetted, high-quality material for research and study.

Voices & Vision: A Hispanic American Heritage Month Webinar at UC Berkeley Library

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All are invited to attend our 2025 Hispanic American Heritage Month webinar that this time focuses on Afro-Latinx heritage.

The webinar will take place on September 16th from 12:45 pm to 2:15 pm PST (3:45 pm to 5:15 pm EST). The webinar is free and open to all with prior registration.

One may register for the webinar here: https://ucberk.li/3KN.

This is a poster-slide for a 2025 National Hispanic American Heritage celebration webinar focuses on Afro-Latinx Heritage

This webinar features three scholars whose work advances understanding of Latin American and Afro-Latinx communities through social policy, culture, and education. In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the event explores racial and gender justice, ethnoracial legislation, climate ethnography, and Afro-Indigenous knowledge systems. Presenters offer critical insights into how law, environment, heritage, and pedagogy shape the lived experiences of Hispanic and Afro-Latinx communities.