Faculty Updates Fall 2023
Fatuma Guyo, lecturer in the Department of Africana Studies, has a passion for teaching and sharing the global elements of Africana studies with students. One of her students, Max Polichnowski, shared: “When I began AFST 235, I realized that all I had ever learned about was through the lens of an American. I really want to change that and expand my understanding of the world from more than just an American perspective. I feel drawn to AFST because its rich history and culture are very different from that of America. I believe there is a lot more to be learned, and I am very eager to learn it, which was my motivation behind declaring an AFST minor. I really enjoy Dr. Guyo’s class, and I find the material very interesting and thought provoking. I have found myself spreading what I learn in AFST to my family and friends, expressing my interest in the subject. They too have never had the opportunity to learn about Africa or its history. I am excited to continue learning about Africa and to have this as my minor.”
Robert Bland, assistant professor of Africana studies with a joint appointment in history, was recently invited to write a “state of the field” essay on Southern History for Reviews in American History. He was also appointed to the Programming Committee for the 2024 Biannual Conference of the Society of Civil War Historians.
Danielle Procope Bell, assistant professor of Africana studies, and DeLisa D. Hawkes were selected to participate in the Summer Institute on Tenure and Professional Advancement (SITPA) hosted by Duke University. SITPA is a mentoring program that pairs junior faculty with senior faculty in their field. Both Procope Bell and Hawkes are faculty of Africana Studies whose research agendas add value to the department’s diversity initiatives.
DeLisa D. Hawkes, assistant professor of Africana studies with affiliation in English, presented a webinar highlighting the writings and activism of the early-20th century writer, Sutton Griggs, for the East Texas Historical Association. She was also awarded an SEC Visiting Faculty Travel Grant to conduct and present research at the University of Mississippi. Hawkes, who publishes on race in horror, sci-fi, and thrillers, has engaged with her students and colleagues in her recent research and teaching activities within the department. Since spring 2022, AFST/ENGL 311: Race in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Thriller, a course that Hawkes designed and has taught twice, has been a huge success among students. The course features novels, television series, short stories, and films that interrogate race in the genres of horror, sci-fi, and thriller and has received stellar reviews from students who have enrolled in the course.
Hawkes has extended these interests in race in horror, sci-fi, and thriller in her research as well, having published an article titled “Hippolyta’s Awakening Through Spiritual Warfare in Lovecraft Country (2020)” in Studies in the Fantastic, a peer-reviewed journal of literary and arts criticism focused on speculative and fantasy works. On October 27, 2022, Hawkes gave a public lecture attended by students, faculty, and staff titled “Racecraft in Lovecraft,” where she discussed anthropologist and sociologist, Karen Fields’ and Barbara Fields’, concept of racecraft as it appears in the popular television series. Hawkes also contributed to a forthcoming forum on works inspired by Toni Morrison in the peer-reviewed journal, Women’s Studies. In Hawkes’ contribution, she discusses Morrison as a central inspiration to horror and science fiction studies centered on race.