Join the Keough-Naughton Institute for an event with Tyler Anbinder, professor emeritus of history at George Washington University, who will discuss his newest book Plentiful Country: The Great Potato Famine and the Making of Irish New York (Hachette, March 2024).  Copies of the book will be available for purchase at this event, which will also be followed by a book signing.  Book Description From the award-winning author of Five Points and City of Dreams, a breathtaking new history of the Irish immigrants who arrived in the United States during the Great Potato Famine, showing how their strivings in and beyond New York exemplify the astonishing tenacity and improbable triumph of Irish America.  In 1845, a fungus began to destroy Ireland’s potato crop, triggering a famine that would kill one million Irish men, women, and children—and drive over one million more to flee for America. Ten years later, the United States had been transformed by this stupendous migration, nowhere more than New York: by 1855, roughly a third of all adults living in Manhattan were immigrants who had escaped the hunger in Ireland. These so-called “Famine Irish” were the forebears of four U.S. presidents (including Joe Biden) yet when they arrived in America they were consigned to the lowest-paying jobs and subjected to discrimination and ridicule by their new countrymen. Even today, the popular perception of these immigrants is one of destitution and despair. But when we let the Famine Irish narrate their own stories, they paint a far different picture.   In this magisterial work of storytelling and scholarship, acclaimed historian Tyler Anbinder presents for the first time the Famine generation’s individual and collective tales of struggle, perseverance, and triumph. Drawing on newly available records and a ten-year research initiative, Anbinder reclaims the narratives of the refugees who settled in New York City and helped reshape the entire nation. Plentiful Country is a tour de force—a book that rescues the Famine immigrants from the margins of history and restores them to their rightful place at the center of the American story. Speaker Biography Tyler Anbinder is an emeritus professor of history at George Washington University, where he taught courses on the history of American immigration and the American Civil War era. He is the author of three award-winning books and of numerous articles, and his publications have been honored with the Avery Craven Prize of the Organization of American Historians, the Mark Lynton History Prize of the Columbia School of Journalism, and the Hubbell Prize of the Society of Civil War Historians. Anbinder has also held the Fulbright Commission’s Thomas Jefferson Distinguished Chair in American History at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and has won three prestigious research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Originally published at irishstudies.nd.edu.

Please join us for a celebration of our common home in preparation for Earth Day this year. Featuring guest speaker Marinel Ubaldo, a leading youth climate activist from the Philippines. Her talk will be followed by a flower planting ceremony and remarks from faith leaders in the South Bend area. Marinel Ubaldo is an advocate for climate justice and the environment. She is a registered social worker and one of the Founders of the Youth Leaders for Environmental Action Federation, a youth-led organization based in Eastern Visayas that aims to mentor youth individuals and organizations in climate advocacy. She was the Advocacy Officer for Ecological Justice and Youth Engagement of Living Laudato Si' Philippines, and the Philippine Country Coordinator for UN COY16 Glasgow. She also serves as the Philippine Focal Point for Climate Science Olympiad. Marinel has been actively involved in educating communities — especially, the youth and children — about climate change and the roles they can take to adapt and mitigate to its effects. She has spoken to world leaders on behalf of Filipinos during the opening of the UNFCCC COP21 in Paris and in UNFCCC COP25 in Madrid. She has been trained by former US Vice-President Al Gore as a Climate Reality Leader and her global campaign with Amnesty International calling on the Philippine government to ensure relocation of Super-Typhoon Haiyan survivors generated 528,070 actions from around the world. 3:30 pm Interfaith Flower Planting4:00 pm Conversation with Marinel Ubaldo Refreshments provided. RSVPs are not required. All are welcome and encouraged to attend! This event is co-sponsored by the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, and the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, with support from the the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights, the Keough School for Global Affairs, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, and Sustainability at Notre Dame. Originally published at ansari.nd.edu.

One of the pathologies that produce poverty in the current economic system is the simultaneous deification of things and reification of people: we invest divinity in material things, while people are treated as instruments toward profit. In this lecture, William T. Cavanaugh will explore the Eucharist as an antidote to this idolatry. The Eucharist provides a better, sacramental way of seeing God's presence in the material world, while simultaneously offering an identification of people, especially the poor, with God in Christ. This is part of a six-part lecture series called "The Only Solution is Love: The Eucharist and Catholic Social Teaching."  This lecture will be presented by William T. Cavanaugh, professor of Catholic studies and director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University, with a response by Jenny Newsome Martin, Ph.D., Department of Theology, University of Notre Dame. For more information, please click here.  Originally published at mcgrath.nd.edu.

Register to attend via Zoom The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (Span. JEP) is a transitional justice mechanism created as part of the 2016 peace agreement signed between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) guerrilla group. Colombia’s transitional tribunal was established to investigate, prosecute and sanction those who committed international crimes during the Colombian armed conflict. Its focus has been on achieving truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition. Likewise, the JEP’s objective is also to contribute to the reintegration of offenders. While the use of restorative justice in the JEP’s cases presents an opportunity to promote a more inclusive and holistic approach to justice, a myriad of questions and challenges also arise, such as:How will the JEP guarantee victims’ rights and their participation in the restorative process?Within the framework of restorative justice, which elements seem crucial for the process of reintegration of offenders to be successful?Which kind of challenges do judges face when they integrate restorative principles in sanctioning war crimes and crimes against humanity?Panelists will offer insight on the challenges faced and advances made, while reflecting on practices that can assist future transitional scenarios. This includes the development of local solutions that transform armed conflict and observe International Law standards. Panelists: Introduction by R. Scott Appleby, Marilyn Keough Dean and professor of history  Justice Roberto Vidal, president and magistrate of the JEP  Justice Marcela Giraldo Muñoz, magistrate of the Judicial Panel for Amnesty or Pardon in the JEP  Justice Ana María Mondragón Duque, deputy judge (Magistrada Auxiliar) at the JEP  Steve Hege, regional deputy director, United States Institute of Peace  Nicolás E. Buitrago Rey, Ph.D. fellow and doctoral student affiliate, Kellogg Institute for International Studies  Moderated by Josefina Echavarria, professor of the practice; director of the Peace Accords Matrix           Register to attend via Zoom This event takes place within the framework of the Legacy Project at the University of Notre Dame, which seeks to preserve the digital archive of the Colombian Truth Commission, and provides unique sources of testimonies from more than 30,000 victims, witnesses and offenders of the 52-year-long armed conflict. It is cosponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society, and Clingen Family Center for the Study of Modern Ireland.     Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.

Postdoctoral Research Associate Samantha Heinle presents her recent scholarship on Franz Kafka and music. Her talk will feature works that consider crises of musical communication in postwar Germany, existential dread in rock and pop music, and sonic distortions that are both glitch and feature in contemporary compositions. This lecture is free and open to the public.  Originally published at music.nd.edu.

Join us for an evening with the legendary pioneer in college athletics, former University Vice President & James E. Rohr Director of Athletics, Jack Swarbrick. Maria Wainscott, a senior in the Sport, Media and Culture minor, In-Game Stadium host, and a Fighting Irish Media sideline reporter, will interview Jack Swarbrick, athletic director emeritus, about the major changes in college sports that occurred during his tenure at Notre Dame and his proudest accomplishments as director of athletics.  The evening’s discussion will include topics such as Name, Image, and Likeness at Notre Dame; the dawn of streaming services and social media in college athletics. This evening will honor Jack and his legacy. Free and open to all students, faculty and staff. Originally published at smacminor.nd.edu.