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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260504T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260504T190000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
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SUMMARY:Kuumbwa Jazz Presents - Gregorio Uribe
DESCRIPTION:“Colombian artist Gregorio Uribe\, whose blend of contemporary cumbia and timeless charisma has marked him as an artist to watch.” – Billboard \nUribe was recognized by the Colombian government as one of “The 100 Most Successful Colombians Abroad”\, and has received honors from the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts for his contribution to Latin music. He is currently recording his fourth studio album\, a groundbreaking collection of songs that will take the Colombian accordion to a new level of versatility. This concert date will feature a dynamic combination of solo and band performances.\n\n \nGregorio Uribe is a Latin GRAMMY-nominated Colombian singer-songwriter and accordionist. He graduated from Berklee College of Music and has performed his music at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert\, Carnegie Hall\, Madison Square Garden\, and the New Orleans Jazz Fest\, among others. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Rubén Blades\, Carlos Vives\, and Paquito D’Rivera\, as well as with folklore masters Alfredo Gutiérrez\, Carmelo Torres\, and Martina Camargo. \nFor more information: Kuumbwa Jazz – Gregorio Uribe \n\nPresented by the Kuumbwa Jazz Center and Co-sponsored by The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/kuumbwa-jazz-presents-gregorio-uribe/
LOCATION:Kuumbwa Jazz Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://thi.ucsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Untitled-design-38.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260505T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260505T133000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260416T164517Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260417T051750Z
UID:10007923-1777982400-1777987800@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:The Current Status of the Torment Nexus\, and how are those Stochastic Parrots?
DESCRIPTION:Let’s check in on two of our old friends in the critical history of artificial intelligences. What’s the status of the torment nexus today? And how are those stochastic parrots? This talk will provide an update on AI projects that continue to abuse their science fiction namesakes (RIP the Metaverse & Horizon Worlds)\, and reevaluate the major claims of the 2021 paper “On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots”\, including what they got wrong (water\, parrot intelligence\, etc.)\, what issues are still as relevant as ever (data provenance\, data bias\, energy usage; limits of scaling)\, and what they didn’t really address (speculative finance\, hyperscaler monopoly). \nZac Zimmer is an associate professor in the literature department at University of California\, Santa Cruz. He is an interdisciplinary scholar of literature\, culture\, and technology in the hemispheric Americas\, and teaches classes on Latin American literature\, science fiction\, ethics\, technology\, and the poetics of California infrastructure. He is the author of First Contact: Speculative Visions of the Conquest of the Americas (2025). In addition to his current research on the infrastructure of techno-systems\, he co-facilitates the Ethics and Astrobiology reading group\, part of the University of California\, Santa Cruz’s Astrobiology Initiative. Recent open access publications on artificial intelligence include “Outlier and Collapse: The Enron Corpus and Foundation Model Training Data” and “El ingenio de la inteligencia (The Knowledge Mill)“. \n\nThis event is presented by The Humanities Institute’s ± AI Initiative \nBanner image from Cory Doctorow’s Pluralistic
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/the-current-status-of-the-torment-nexus-and-how-are-those-stochastic-parrots/
LOCATION:Humanities 1\, Room 210\, 1156 high st\, Santa cruz\, CA\, 95060\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260505T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260505T190000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260423T174101Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260424T161850Z
UID:10007929-1778007600-1778007600@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Master Class - Gregorio Uribe: A Journey Through Colombian Music
DESCRIPTION:A Journey Through Colombian Music is an interactive presentation through which Uribe will take the audience across the different regions of Colombia and teach a local rhythm from each; as well as share their historical and geographical contexts. This is an interactive class designed for non-musicians and musicians\, alike. \n \nCan’t make it in person? You can stream it! Register here for virtual attendance. \nGregorio Uribe is a Latin GRAMMY-nominated Colombian singer-songwriter and accordionist. He graduated from Berklee College of Music and has performed his music at NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert\, Carnegie Hall\, Madison Square Garden\, and the New Orleans Jazz Fest\, among others. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Rubén Blades\, Carlos Vives\, and Paquito D’Rivera\, as well as with folklore masters Alfredo Gutiérrez\, Carmelo Torres\, and Martina Camargo.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/master-class-gregorio-uribe-a-journey-through-colombian-music/
LOCATION:Kuumbwa Jazz Center
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thi.ucsc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/gregorio-uribe-cropped-2.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260506T121500
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260506T133000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260323T225935Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260323T225935Z
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SUMMARY:Sanjay Barbora - Territorial Autonomy\, States and Politics in the 21st Century: Notes from a Frontier
DESCRIPTION:How can we interpret the increasing centralisation of political authority and decision-making in the 21st century\, and can movements for autonomy provide an answer to this question? The concept of territorial autonomy has been a complex issue in modern politics\, especially since the emergence of postwar nation-states in the 20th century. While it provided a useful framework for understanding the structure of the modern state and its legal systems\, it has also been a convenient tool for governance\, where calls for autonomy have often been subject to the shifting nature of power. In this presentation\, I will draw on my personal involvement with autonomy movements in the region James Scott\, Willem van Schendel\, and Sanjib Baruah refer to as “Zomia\,” to explore the challenges faced by much of the world today. \nSanjay Barbora studies agrarian change\, social movements\, wildlife conservation\, human migration and urbanisation in the global south\, especially in South Asia. Before coming to UCSC\, he worked as a media development professional with Panos South Asia and as one of the founding faculty members of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences\, Guwahati Campus. He reads Seamus Heaney’s poems when he is confused\, and cook for friends and family when he is able. \n\nPresented by the Center for Cultural Studies and co-sponsored by the Center for South Asian Studies and the Department of Anthropology Colloquium. This event is open to all students\, faculty\, staff\, and members of the public consistent with University policy and state and federal law. \n\n \nSpring 2026 COLLOQUIUM SERIES \nTHE CENTER FOR CULTURAL STUDIES hosts a weekly Wednesday colloquium featuring work-in-progress by faculty & visitors. We are pleased to announce our Spring 2026 Series. Sessions begin promptly at 12:15 PM and end at 1:30 PM (PST) in Humanities Building 1\, Room 210. \nStaff assistance is provided by The Humanities Institute.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/sanjay-barbora-territorial-autonomy-states-and-politics-in-the-21st-century-notes-from-a-frontier/
LOCATION:Humanities 1\, Room 210\, 1156 high st\, Santa cruz\, CA\, 95060\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260506T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260506T203000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260416T165754Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260424T210154Z
UID:10007924-1778092200-1778099400@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:The Deep Read San Diego Salon
DESCRIPTION:UC Santa Cruz and The Humanities Institute (THI) invite you to a special event at Stone Brewing in Liberty Station to discuss this year’s Deep Read book\, the New York Times bestseller\, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make our Worlds\, Change our Minds\, and Shape our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake. \nAs part of The Deep Read program of The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz\, this event is designed to invite curious minds like yours to think deeply about literature\, art\, and the most pressing issues of our day. Even if you haven’t read the book\, we encourage you to come and enjoy the discussion and connect with fellow San Diego alumni and fellow Deep Readers to discuss the foundational role of fungi and fungal networks in our lives and world. \n \nBeer and light bites provided by Crown College alumnus and co-founder of Stone Brewing\, Steve Wagner! \nThis event is open exclusively to UCSC alumni and San Diego Deep Readers. \nParticipants: \nLaura Martin\, Deep Read Faculty Lead\nLaura is a Continuing Lecturer for Porter College and the Literature Department at UC Santa Cruz where she earned her PhD. She is the Deep Read Faculty Lead and a Research Program Manager for the Deep Read and other programs at The Humanities Institute. \nChristian Schwarz\, Educator and Naturalist \nChristian is an educator and naturalist from California. A UC Santa Cruz alum\, he’s co-authored two field guides — Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast and Mushrooms of Cascadia. He is a research associate of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and the Ken Norris Center for Natural History at UCSC\, where he has taught undergraduate courses in mycology and community science. \nIrena Polić\, Deep Read Founding Director\nIrena is the Managing Director of The Humanities Institute and the Assistant Dean for Research and Engagement in the Humanities Division. She is a proud UCSC alumna and a passionate advocate for the humanities in the public sphere. \nHost: \nSteve Wagner is a Crown College alumnus and the co-founder of the national brewing company Stone Brewing. He is a strong supporter of The Humanities Institute\, the Literature Department\, and affiliated graduate students. Wagner was transformed by his time as a student at UCSC\, where he studied English literature and was inspired by the radical education system and inspiring professors.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/the-deep-read-san-diego/
LOCATION:Stone Brewing Liberty Station\, 2816 Historic Decatur Rd UNIT 116\, San Diego\, CA\, 92106\, United States
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260507T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260507T133000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260318T185608Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260319T200017Z
UID:10007884-1778155200-1778160600@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Gukha Amin — From the Margins: The Lives and Labor of Yemen’s "Undesirable" Subjects
DESCRIPTION:Join the Center for the Middle East and North Africa for a presentation by Gukha Amin.  Her talk follows the lives of social outcasts and marginalized Black people who lived and moved across Southern Arabia in the first half of the twentieth century using deportation records\, petitions\, and criminal cases. These include street performers\, sex workers\, sanitation laborers\, and others who colonial officials labeled as “undesirables.” Moving across Somalia\, Djibouti\, Ethiopia\, and Southern Arabia\, these subaltern actors reveal the porous contours of an “Oceanic Yemen\,” a global space that reincorporates Southern Arabia into its historic oceanic networks and makes legible Yemen’s deep links to the Horn of Africa. The talk centers these individuals’ labor\, mobility\, and gendered experience to unpack the complex subject and racial formations unfolding in twentieth-century Southern Arabia and the broader region. It asks who were the men and women that made up the social margins of this global space? How does their labor and gendered experience challenge our understanding of gender and sexuality? And what do these internal outsiders teach us about how categories of race\, Blackness\, and caste overlapped and operated in the twentieth-century Middle East and beyond? \nGukha Amin is a historian of modern Yemen and a current UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Santa Cruz. She is interested in questions of race and racialization in the Middle East and North Africa. Her book project\, The Nesting Margins: Identity and Belonging in Oceanic Yemen is a social history of racial and social minorities living and moving across late-nineteenth and early twentieth-century Southern Arabia. Gukha is the founder and curator of The Global Yemen Project\, an ongoing digital humanities project that narrates the global histories of an “Oceanic Yemen” through the lives of those on the margins of Yemeni society. \n\nPresented by the Center for the Middle East and North Africa. Lunch will be served during the talk.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/from-the-margins-the-lives-and-labor-of-yemens-undesirable-subjects/
LOCATION:Humanities 1\, Room 210\, 1156 high st\, Santa cruz\, CA\, 95060\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260507T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260507T193000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260414T204850Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T205011Z
UID:10007914-1778176800-1778182200@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Rasanblaj as Spirit Turn: Gina Athena Ulysse in Conversation with Jennifer González
DESCRIPTION:Please join us for a conversation between Gina Athena Ulysse and Jennifer González\, discussing Ulysse’s solo exhibition Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements. \nThe internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view at the IAS as an inaugural Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation\, produced in community from things collected\, found\, purchased and donated\, centers on the concept developed by the artist of “rasanblaj”\, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people\, spirits\, and ideas. \nThe artist will be joined in conversation by noted art theorist and scholar Jennifer González\, professor of history of art and visual culture.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/rasanblaj-as-spirit-turn-gina-athena-ulysse-in-conversation-with-jennifer-gonzalez/
LOCATION:Institute of the Arts and Sciences\, 100 Panetta Avenue\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260508T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260508T160000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260414T212124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T222409Z
UID:10007919-1778250600-1778256000@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:The Annual Maya K. Peterson Memorial Lecture
DESCRIPTION:In early 2018\, the city of Cape Town nearly ran out of water. South Africa’s “Mother City\,” renowned for its cosmopolitan population and natural beauty\, faced the prospect of a “Day Zero\,” when it would be forced to close its taps and force millions to queue for water rations. Across much of the continent\, though\, water scarcity is an everyday reality\, with nearly 1 in 3 people lacking access to sufficient drinking water. How did this become the case? This talk explores the history of water on the African continent\, using a historical lens to understand the present-day water crisis. It shows how these resources came to be “colonized” through the mechanisms of imperialism in Africa. European colonial actors in the 19th and 20th centuries attempted to transform the ownership\, management\, and meaning of water with the aim of harnessing its powers to advance their objectives. In doing so\, they created deep seeded inequities and underdevelopment that has persisted in the decades since African colonies gained their independence. This historical analysis shows that many of the present-day obstacles to providing clean\, safe water stem from legacies of colonial rule. Yet it also shows the many ways in which everyday Africans proved resilient\, finding ways to thrive despite the odds. \nMatthew Bender is Professor of History at The College of New Jersey. His research focuses on modern African social and cultural history\, with interest in the environment\, natural resources\, and agriculture. A leading scholar in water history\, he has authored numerous articles\, essays\, and chapters as well as a book entitled Water Brings No Harm: Management Knowledge and the Struggle for the Waters of Kilimanjaro (Ohio University Press\, 2019). \n\nThe Maya K. Peterson Explorations in History Seminar Series at UCSC honors the life and spirit of a brilliant scholar\, teacher\, and mentor whose career was cut short by her untimely death in 2021. A specialist in Russian\, Central Asian and environmental history\, Maya was a valued member of UCSC’s faculty in the History Department and the Humanities Division. The Explorations in History Seminar Series celebrates Maya’s passions for the study of history\, for dialogue between the humanities and the sciences\, and for innovative scholarship across disciplines—passions that she shared generously with students\, colleagues\, and communities around the globe. \n\nThis event is made possible by the generous support of the Maya K. Peterson Memorial Endowment.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/the-annual-maya-k-peterson-memorial-lecture/
LOCATION:Alumni Room\, University Center\, CA\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260508T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260508T200000
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260421T205558Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260422T234532Z
UID:10007925-1778263200-1778270400@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:The Strait of Hormuz and War in Iran: Film Screening and Discussion
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a screening of Plate It With Silver and a discussion by Nidhi Mahajan (UCSC) and Stephen Zunes (USF) on the Strait of Hormuz. \nDoors open at 5:30 PM. Event begins at 6:00 PM. \nFor 50 years\, the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV) has equipped our community with tools to build a just and peaceful world. We’re proud to collaborate with UCSC’s Center for the Middle East and North Africa to host this film screening and discussion. The Center is dedicated to the project of creating community and promoting education and research about the histories\, politics\, and cultures of the peoples who live in the Middle East and North Africa. This event is part of our Santa Cruz United in Love initiative cultivating Beloved Community\, shared learning\, and solidarity. We hope you’ll join us as we continue to deepen our collective integrity and accountability. \nJoin us for a screening of the film Plate it with Silver and a discussion by Nidhi Mahajan (UCSC) and Stephen Zunes (USF)\, two prominent experts on the Persian Gulf region. While recent events have highlighted the centrality of the Strait of Hormuz for shipping routes and oil\, the film explores the deeper ways that global trade and local religious practices intersect. The screening will be followed by a discussion on the current war in the Persian Gulf\, its regional reverberations\, and the longer histories of trade in the Indian Ocean. \nStephen Zunes is a professor of Politics and Director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco. He has written and lectured extensively about Iran and U.S. Middle East policy and has been one of the few American scholars allowed to visit Iran in recent years\, meeting with top government officials\, leading dissidents\, and ordinary Iranians. \nNidhi Mahajan is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of California\, Santa Cruz. Her first book\, Moorings: Voyages of Capital across the Indian Ocean\, was published by UC Press in June 2025. She has also published in journals such as Comparative Studies of South Asia\, Africa\, and the Middle East\, Monsoon\, History of the Present\, and Island Studies Journal. In addition to her academic work\, Mahajan is a practicing artist\, with her projects exhibited at the Sharjah Architecture Triennial\, Diriyah Biennale (Saudi Arabia)\, Macondo Literature Festival (Kenya)\, Hayy Jameel (Saudi Arabia)\, Khoj Studios (India)\, and other international venues. \nEveryone is welcome. Sliding scale ticket donations ($0-50) support RCNV’s vital work.
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/the-strait-of-hormuz-and-war-in-iran-a-film-screening-and-discussion/
LOCATION:Resource Center for Non Violence
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260509T101500
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260509T101500
DTSTAMP:20260426T171033
CREATED:20260402T180248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T205633Z
UID:10007909-1778321700-1778321700@thi.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Saturday Shakespeare - Macbeth
DESCRIPTION:Saturday Shakespeare in Santa Cruz Presents Macbeth by William Shakespeare Aptos Library on Aoril 18\, 25\, May 2\, 9 & 16 2026 at 10:15 a.m in the Aptos Library Betty Leonard Community Room (in person or join by Zoom). The first hour will be a conversation with the scheduled guest speaker followed by a volunteer read aloud of the play. On May 16\,a video of a live stage production will be shown. This event series is co-sponsored by the UC Santa Cruz Shakespeare Workshop. \nFor more information\, Zoom Link\, or to volunteer to be a reader\, contact: saturdayshakespeare@gmail.com \nGuest Speakers / Video Recording \n\nApril 18: Julia Reinhard Lupton\, Distinguished Professor Emerita of English & Comparative Literature & Co-Director of the New Swan Shakespeare Center at UC\, Irvine. Reading: Act 1\nApril 25: Charles Pasternak\, Acclaimed New York-based theatre director and actor\, Paul will direct Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s 2026 production of Macbeth. Reading: Act 2 through Act 3\, Scene 3\nMay 2: Abigail Heald\, Lecturer in Literature @ UC Santa Cruz & Stanford. She is writing a book on the relationship between art and emotion in Shakespeare’s work. Reading: Act 3\, Scene 4 through Act 4\, Scene 2\nMay 9: Paul Mullins\, Actor / Director\, Artistic Director of Santa Cruz Shakespeare. Reading: Act 4\, Scene 3 through Act 5\, Scene 8\nMay 16: Video recording of a live stage production at the Globe Theatre\, directed by Tony Award winning director Eve Best\, and starring Joseph Millson (Macbeth) and Samantha Spiro (Lady Macbeth).
URL:https://thi.ucsc.edu/event/saturday-shakespeare-macbeth-may9/
LOCATION:Virtual and In Person
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