Amid the recent controversy over police violence against civilians, the Institute for Latino Studies is hosting a conversation between two political scientists at Notre Dame as part of its Black History Month programming. The talk will take place in the Hesburgh Center Auditorium from 12 pm to 1 pm on Monday, February 27th.
Assistant Professor of Political Science David Cortez will be in conversation with ILS Director and Professor of Political Science Luis Fraga. The event is styled as a lunchtime “fireside chat” in which the two scholars will discuss the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis at the hands of police, as well as similar instances of fatal interactions. A livestream will be available on latinostudies.nd.edu for those who cannot attend in person.
Race is central to any discussion regarding policing in America, Cortez says, so that will be a key aspect of their chat. In previous semesters, Cortez has taught a course at Notre Dame, "Race and Policing in the U.S." He is a faculty fellow at the Institute for Latino Studies.
Cortez's research centers on ethnic and racial identity, with particular focus on intersectional and situational identity salience. His research engages questions of belonging, obligation, and liminality to reveal the careful negotiation of cross-cutting social group memberships of Latinx immigration agents caught between two worlds: the police and the policed.
Fraga's research interests are American politics, specializing in Latino politics, voting rights, immigration and education.
Free and open to the public. Grab and go lunch provided. Visit the event page for more info.
Watch livestream below on Feb 27th, 12 p.m.