Department of American Studies, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

05/08/2026

05/04/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to our first Scott Hall Hub book open house! 📚 Seeing so many of our fellow community members and bookworms made this event so special. We’re fully booked with gratitude!

And a very special thank you to our SHH staff for organizing this community-engaged event series! 💛

04/02/2026

📢 ONE WEEK AWAY!

Join the Department of American Studies for the 2026 David Noble Lecture, titled “Auntologies: Q***r Aesthetics and South Asian Aunties” by Dr. Kareem Khubchandani. ✨

This year’s Noble Lecture draws on the tools of q***r studies to demonstrate how the study of aunties can elucidate important questions of gender, sexuality, and normativity.

📅 Thursday, April 9
⏰ 6:00pm-7:30pm
📍 Cowles Auditorium (), University of Minnesota & Zoom
🔗 Register here: z.umn.edu/aunties

Reception catered by + books available to purchase from (with the opportunity to have your books signed by Dr. Khubchandani 👀) after the lecture.

All are welcome!

03/16/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Elliott Powell, Associate Professor of American Studies and Asian American Studies, for being named a Arthur "Red" and Helene B. Motley Exemplary Teaching Award recipient!

Professor Powell currently serves as the Director of Graduate Studies in American Studies, as well as the Associate Director of the Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender, & Sexuality Studies (RIDGS).

Each year since 1994, the College of Liberal Arts | University of Minnesota has recognized a select group of faculty who are outstanding teachers of graduate and undergraduate students. The award is named in honor of Arthur “Red” Motley, who was an alumnus of the University, a charter member of the University of Minnesota Foundation and a recipient of the University’s highest honor, the Regents Award. In keeping with the qualities embodied by Red Motley, this award is designed to reward top educators who demonstrate their passion and commitment to teaching and is made possible through a gift from the family and friends of Red Motley and alumni of the College.

Congratulations on this very well-deserved recognition, Dr. Powell! We are grateful for your scholarship and commitment to our brilliant students.

https://cla.umn.edu/news-events/news/announcing-our-2026-motley-teaching-award-recipients

Congratulations to Elliott Powell (American studies) and Andrew Scheil (English), CLA's 2026 Motley Teaching Award Winners.

03/06/2026

Dr. Bianet Castellanos, Professor of American Studies and Director of the Institute for Advanced Study, University of Minnesota, was invited to curate a table display at the Weisman Art Museum which is on view now as part of the Librería Donceles exhibit. Dr. Castellanos' display showcases books that focus on Indigenous issues such as colonial violence, the power of social movements, and the resilience of Indigenous languages and cultures. The display includes an essay by Dr. Castellanos discussing the importance of the exhibit and the books selected as ways to understand the complex histories of Latina/o/x and Indigenous peoples.

Librería Donceles is a social-practice art project by artist/educator Pablo Helguera that takes the form of a Spanish-language used bookstore and event space; the exhibit is open now through May 17, 2026.

Article by Andrea Vargas Mungaray: https://cla.umn.edu/american-studies/news-events/story/highlighting-indigenous-issues-libreria-donceles

02/05/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Kareem Khubchandani (Tufts University) will deliver the 2026 David Noble Lecture, entitled “Auntologies: Q***r Aesthetics and South Asian Aunties.” The figure of the aunty is ubiquitous in South Asian public culture. Most recently, incumbent New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani repeatedly named the “aunties” that tirelessly supported his mayoral campaign. This is not an uncalculated mention and has many precedents. During Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential run, she described herself as “Auntie” on her Twitter profile and had a “chitthi brigade” of South Indian aunties supporting her campaign. In 2016 an Indian newspaper caused a national stir by labeling a politician “aunty national.” The mention of “aunties” in South Asian contexts is vexed, inviting both warmth and revulsion. This talk draws on the tools of q***r studies to demonstrate how the study of aunties can elucidate important questions of gender, sexuality, and normativity.

Dr. Kareem Khubchandani is Associate Professor of theater, dance, and performance studies at Tufts University and F.O. Matthiessen Visiting Associate Professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies at Harvard University. He is the author of the award-winning books Decolonize Drag (OR Books)and Ishtyle: Accenting Gay Indian Nightlife (University of Michigan Press). He is also co-editor of the Lambda Literary-nominated Q***r Nightlife, guest editor of Text and Performance Quarterly’s “Critical Aunty Studies,” and associate editor for GLQ: A Journal of Le***an and Gay Studies (Duke University Press). His new book, Lessons in Drag: A Q***r Manual for Academics, Artists, and Aunties is now out from Brandeis University Press.

📅: April 9, 2026
⏰: 6:00pm-7:30pm
📍: Cowles Auditorium (Humphrey School of Public Affairs) & Zoom

We thank our co-sponsors for their support in bringing this event to fruition: College of Liberal Arts | University of Minnesota; CLA's Office for Diversity, Inclusion, Community Engagement, and Equity; University of Minnesota Theatre Arts & Dance; Race, Indigeneity, Gender & Sexuality Studies Initiative - RIGS UMN; ; Ihrc Ihrc; ; University of Minnesota English; ; Department of Anthropology, UMN; U of MN Asian American Studies; UMN Asian & Middle Eastern Studies

For disability accommodations, please contact Tamara Hageman ([email protected]).

Register for the lecture: z.umn.edu/auntologies

The 2026 David Noble Lecture, organized by the Department of American Studies, will be presented by Dr. Kareem Khubchandani (Tufts University).

01/22/2026

On Friday, January 23, the offices of the Departments of American Indian Studies, American Studies, and Chicano & Latino Studies will be closed in solidarity with our Twin Cities community. We stand with community members calling for justice and accountability.

11/18/2025

We invite you to join the University of Minnesota at this year’s conference to celebrate a year of accomplishments and collaborations at our reception on Saturday, November 22nd, at 6:30 pm.

📅: Saturday, November 22
🕑: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
📍: Terrace & Ballroom Lobby, Puerto Rico Convention Center

We look forward to connecting with you in Puerto Rico! All are welcome.

11/18/2025

The application for the American Indian and Indigenous Studies (AIIS) PhD program are open! All materials are due by January 2, please see our website for more information or email [email protected]

11/10/2025

Join us this Thursday for our Upstander Training! 📚