In the book, Kawade analyzes the heretofore unknown relationship between the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and the Indian jurist B. R. Ambedkar. Based on their shared understanding of the Brahmanic Manusmriti, Kawade reveals the “provocative similarities and irreconcilable differences” between the two thinkers. The book was published by Navayana Publishing House. Congratulations, Ankit!

In remembering Professor Connolly, former students, friends, and colleagues commend his commitment to research engaged with real-world problems, his lively and welcoming approach to teaching, and his always steady support to friends and students. In the words of Professor P.J. Brendese, “[Bill] challenged us to think outside of ourselves and to expand the apertures of our consciousness. To know him well was to admire him deeply.” Professor Robbie Shilliam, current department Chair, noted that Professor Connolly’s “momentous contribution to our department endures and will endure.

Dr. Engelhard’s article, titled “Imperial mobilities, errantry, and the displacement of the Chagos Islanders”, uses the 1968 displacement of Chagos Islanders by the British under the guise of claiming the Chagossians as “contract workers” to argue that apparently clear distinctions between “migrants” and “natives” obscure more mobile political relations. The article highlights the need to multiply conceptual frameworks for recognizing multiple forms of uprooting and rooted identity. Congratulations, Dr. Engelhard! 

PhD Candidate Sebastian Cortesi has been awarded the Program in Latin American Studies (PLAS) post-doctoral fellowship at Princeton University for the academic year of 2026-2027. The fellowship awards “the most promising early career scholars from any discipline who are engaged in research related to Latin American Studies, including the Caribbean and Brazil”. To learn more about the PLAS fellowship, click here. Congratulations, Sebastian!

Professor Robbie Shilliam was featured in an episode of the podcast Peer Review: Creativity and Fulfillment in Academia. In the episode, he reflects on bringing creativity and community to academia through the field’s interdisciplinarity, co-teaching courses, building structures for sustained collective success, and even making time to play Assassin’s Creed. Listen on Apple Podcasts here.

Professor Robert Lieberman appeared on CNN to talk with Michael Smerconish about the political labels of Socialism, Communism, and Democratic Socialism in light of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani’s recent New York City mayoral victory and meeting with President Donald Trump.

In a recent article for the magazine The Atlantic, journalist Idrees Kahloon discusses the many problems that plague contemporary political parties that make them both unpopular with the public and ineffective at governing, creating current dangers of Right-wing populism. Kahloon quotes from Daniel Schlozman & Samuel Rosenfeld’s recent book The Hollow Parties: The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Politics in particular to describe the weaknesses of the Democrat and Republican Party’s today as “hollow parties” that suffer from the disconnect between party operatives and the mass voting public. Check out the article here!

Dr. Sabrina Axster was awarded the Oxford University Press Early Career Research First Book Prize for her book project Controlling Migrants: Vagrancy, Indentured Labor, and the Policing of Mobility in Germany. The Prize guarantees a fully open access publishing contract with OUP, in addition to publication in hardback. Congratulations, Dr. Axster!