The United Nations Human Rights Office has described the humanitarian crisis in Haiti as a “cataclysmic situation” as gang violence has brought political uncertainty and economic turmoil to the country. 

The Honors College will present a panel of faculty, community and students with expertise on Haiti who will discuss the near collapse of the Caribbean nation’s state institutions and their personal experiences in the country from 4 - 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in the Honors Student Lounge (GEAR 130). 

Faculty and community members who will provide context and lead a question-and-answer session include:

• Moderator: Caree Banton, associate professor of African diaspora history and the director of the African and African American Studies Program at the U of A;
• Ralph Jean-Pierre, doctoral student in agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University;
• Yanick St. Jean, professor of sociology at Northwest Arkansas Community College; and 
• Gaëtane Ternier, doctoral student in chemistry and biochemistry at the U of A

“In the West, Haiti lives in our imagination via a particular narrative,” Baton said. “This Pulse promises an epistemological re-evaluation of how our perceptions of Haiti are formed and how the nation state arrived at this point. We often forget that Haiti played a central role in destroying slavery throughout the Americas, thus stamping a moment of significance in the history of democracy, laying the foundation for the persisting global struggles for human rights. As the scholar Laurent Dubois reminds us, ‘In this sense we are all descendants of the Haitian Revolution, and responsible to these ancestors.’ Come hear a different narrative of Haiti from the mouths of Haitian scholars.”

The Honors College Pulse discussion series began in 2016 and was named in remembrance of victims of the Pulse nightclub shootings. The discussions allow students to ask questions about current events and trends and learn holistically from varying interdisciplinary perspectives across campus. Panel discussions have featured conversations around affirmative action, the Dakota Access Pipeline Project, Roe v. Wade, the viral phenomenon of “Barbenheimer,” the legal ramifications and decisions related to hate crimes, ways to fight local hunger and poverty, as well as the war in Ukraine. 

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and brings together high-achieving undergraduate students and the university’s top professors to share transformative learning experiences. Each year the Honors College awards up to 90 freshman fellowships that provide $80,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students’ academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. All Honors College graduates have engaged in mentored research.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.