SSF, Daphne Harrison Lecture: Jamie A. Thomas, Swarthmore
Zombies Speak Swahili
Wednesday, April 3, 2019 · 4 - 5:30 PM
Daphne Harrison Lecture
“Zombies Speak Swahili: Why Language Matters for Global Citizenship”
More and more universities are encouraging study abroad and global citizenship. But how
should students and faculty foster global study and intercultural communication? Drawing upon
fieldwork in Mexico and Tanzania, this talk reveals why language and communication are crucial
to cross-border collaboration and intercultural learning. The talk will explore identity and
globalization in language learning and study abroad through the metaphor of the undead, with
attention to the experiences of people of color in North America, as well as the Global South. It
will argue that we need to consider language, in addition to race, gender, sexuality, and ability,
as a key dimension of an intersectional approach to matters of identity and power.
Reception and book signing to follow.
Sponsored by: Dresher Center for the Humanities; Department of Africana Studies; Language,
Literacy, and Culture Program; the Office of International Education Services