UMass Hosts History Writer-In-Residence Vijay Prashad

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AMHERST, Mass.— The University of Massachusetts Amherst history department welcomes historian, author, and public intellectual, Vijay Prashad as the 2020 Writer-In-Residence.

During the week of February 24, Prashad is scheduled to visit several graduate classes; host a writing workshop for students; host two community-based events; attend gatherings with faculty, students and staff and deliver a public keynote lecture.

In his lecture, titled “History to the Defeated May Say Alas,” Dr. Prashad explores what it means to look honestly at the ruins of the past to find shards of hope for the future. This lecture takes place on Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. in the Flavin Family Auditorium, room 137, at the Isenberg School of Management. A book signing will follow with books available for purchase, courtesy of Amherst Books. Prashad’s lecture is co-sponsored by sixteen departments and programs from all institutions in the Five College Consortium.

During his residency, Prashad will facilitate a community discussion of his edited volume, “Strongmen,” Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Historic Northampton, 46 Bridge Street in Northampton.

Copies are available at Forbes Library, an event co-host.

On Feb. 25, Prashad will interview longtime Jackson Street School Principal Gwen Agna during an “evening assembly” at Edwards Church, 297 Main Street, Northampton. The event marks her 40-year career as an educator. Together, they will explore the past, present, and future of public education in the age of austerity, anxiety and unending crises. This event is co-presented by the Jackson Street School PTO with community and university collaborators, including the Hampshire Regional YMCA, JFK Middle School, and Northampton High School.

A historian, journalist, public intellectual, and activist, Vijay Prashad is the Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, Chief Editor of LeftWord Books, and Chief Correspondent for Globetrotter. He has written 25 books, including the two-volume history “The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations” and he has edited twenty books, including “Liberate the Colonies.” For twenty-five years he has been a foreign correspondent for “Frontline,” India’s national magazine. Prashad holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Chicago.

The UMass/Five College Writer-in-Residence Program facilitates sustained conversation with widely-read authors whose historical work engages broad public audiences. It is organized annually by the UMass/Five College Graduate Program in History.