Robert Kragalott Lecture

Robert Kragalott Lecture on Genocide, Mass Atrocity, and Human Rights

Ohio Wesleyan's annual Kragalott Lecture honors the career, contributions, and memory of Robert Kragalott, Ph.D., a professor in the OWU Department of History from 1964 to 1991. 

Kragalott's scholarly interests included Russian and Yugoslavian history, and he researched and published on the Treaty of Versailles.

The lecture series was endowed with a gift from 1969 OWU graduate Carroll P. "Pete" Kakel III, Ph.D., a research historian and lecturer.  Dr. Kakel's gift honors the career, contributions and memory of Dr. Robert Kragalott with the hope that the Kragalott lectures will encourage audiences to engage in the past.

This lecture took place February 19, 2025, 5 p.m. & February 20, 2025, noon.

This year, The B.A. Jones Lecture on Race & Society (SOAN), The R. Kragalott Lecture on Human Rights, Genocide & Mass Atrocity (HIST),and The B.F. Marsh Lecture on Public Affairs (PG) hosted a lecture and panel discussion. On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 5:00 p.m., the departments heard the lecture, "Refusing Death: Immigrant Women of Color on Environmental Racism and Classism" delivered by Nadia Kim, Ph.D..

Nadia Kim, professor of Sociology, holds the George Sumey Jr. Professorship in Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University.  Her research focuses on US race and citizenship injustices concerning Korean/Asian Americans, South Koreans, and Latinx immigrants, and on fights against environmental racism/classism (esp. by women) and on comparative racialization of Latinxs and Asian and Black Americans. Throughout her work, Kim's approach centers (neo)imperialism, transnationality, and intersectionality.  For her book, Refusing Death (NYU, 2021), Kim received the 2023 Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Outstanding Book Award (Society for the Study of Social Problems), the 2023 Distinguished Scholarship Award (The Pacific Sociological Association), the 2023 Outstanding Achievement in the Social Sciences Book Award (Association of Asian American Studies) and an Honorable Mention, Best Publication Award (American Sociological Association).  Kim is also the author of the award-winning book, Imperial Citizens (SUP, 2008), and has numerous award-winning journal articles.  

The following day, Thursday, February 20, 2025, at noon in Merrick Hall 301, the departments held a panel discussion, "The Intersection of Environmental and Racial Justice" which included Nadia Kim, Ph.D. joined by local panelists, Laurie Anderson, Ph.D. (Professor of OWU Biological Sciences) and Ashley Toenjes, Ph.D. (Professor of OWU Environment & Sustainability).  The discussion was compelling and thought provoking.  

This lecture and panel discussion were sponsored by the OWU History, Politics & Government, and Sociology & Anthropology Departments and the Sagan National Colloquium supported by the B.A. Jones Lecture on Race & Society, The R. Kragalott Lecture on Human Rights, Genocide & Mass Atrocity, & The B.F. Marsh Lecture on Public Affairs Endowed funds. 

Past Lectures:

• 2025 - "The Intersection of Environmental & Racial Justice" Panel Discussion
  Nadia Y. Kim, Ph.D., Laurel Anderson, Ph.D., OWU Biological Sciences, Ashley Toenjes, Ph.D., OWU Environmental & Sustainability Sciences (2/20/25)
  
• 2025 - "Refusing Death: Immigrant Women of Color on Environmental Racism and Classism"  Nadia Y. Kim, Ph.D., professor of Sociology, holds the George Sumey Jr. Professorship in Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University (2/19/25)
• 2024 - "How and Why Did Genocide become the 'Crime of Crimes'?"  A.Dirk Moses, Ph.D., Professor of International Relations at City College of New York
• 2023 - "When, How, and Why Has the United Sttes Put Human Rights 'at the Center' of its Foreign Policy?" Sarah B. Snyder, Ph.D., American University School of International Service