Arts & Humanities

Funding Early-Career Faculty: The Transformative Impact of the Hellman Fellows Program

February 27, 2025
Aimee Chang, Division of Arts & Humanities

Inspired by UC Berkeley Professor Frances Hellman and started at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, the Hellman Fellows Fund(link is external) provides much needed support to pre-tenure assistant professors who have served for at least two years. Established in 1995, the Hellman Fellows Program has since expanded to include all ten UC campuses and a handful of private institutions.

Over 2,000 faculty have...

https://artshumanities.berkeley.edu/news/funding-early-career-faculty-transforma…

Why conspiracies are so popular — and what we can do to stop them

February 6, 2025
Kara Manke

Even in the face of overwhelming evidence, false narratives can be incredibly sticky. Many people insist that the earth is flat, that childhood vaccines cause autism, or that climate change is a hoax, despite ample scientific evidence to the contrary.

“Stories are very powerful,” said Timothy Tangherlini, a UC Berkeley professor in the Department of Scandinavian and the School of Information. “We’re much more comfortable with hearing stories that confirm our beliefs than ones that challenge...

https://news.berkeley.edu/2025/02/05/why-conspiracies-are-so-popular-and-what-we…

Author and alum Valerie Williams-Sanchez (English B.A. '92) on the power of diverse narratives

January 10, 2025
Valerie Williams-Sanchez, Ph.D., is a UC Berkeley alum who graduated with an English degree in 1992. Today, Valerie is a consultant, researcher, publisher, and creator of the children’s picture book series, Cocoa Kids Collection®.

In this interview, Valerie shares the inspiration for her self-published series, Cocoa Kids Collection, which centers minority and multiracial children as they "tackle big issues with wit, whimsy, and chocolate." Read on to learn how Valerie's experience at UC Berkeley has influenced her work and research, and to...

2024 Winter Commencement: A day of reflection, celebration and advice

December 30, 2024

Graduate wearing cap and gown speaks from a lectern

Prisha Bhadra said her journey to graduate from UC Berkeley began long before she set foot on campus. Her parents, who immigrated from India, “left behind familiarity, security, and every single loved one they had” to give her the chance to choose her own path. For students with immigrant roots, she said, “This moment feels bigger than just us. It’s the...

https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/12/23/2024-winter-commencement-a-day-of-reflectio…

UC Berkeley Awarded $2.6 Million Grant for “A Counter-Imaginary in Authoritarian Times”

December 20, 2024
Sarah Fullerton

Berkeley, CA — UC Berkeley’s Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry (CICI) and the International Consortium of Critical Theory Programs (ICCTP) have been awarded $2.6 million to support a groundbreaking multi-year initiative titled “A Counter-Imaginary in Authoritarian Times.” Through collaborative workshops, conferences, performances, publications, and a dynamic, open-ended digital platform, this project brings together academics, artists, activists, and other community members to develop concrete strategies, tools, and proposals to create a counter-...

https://artshumanities.berkeley.edu/news/uc-berkeley-awarded-26-million-grant-%E…

No. 1 book of the century, ‘My Brilliant Friend’, is subject of UC Berkeley research, courses

December 17, 2024
Sarah Fullerton

My Brilliant Friend, by the pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante, is the New York Times’ No. 1 book of the century. This recognition, and the recent adaptation of Ferrante’s four-novel Neopolitan Quartet into an HBO series, underscores this writer’s profound influence.

Ferrante’s popular novels, translated into English by Ann Goldstein, are an intimate exploration...

https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/12/16/no-1-book-of-the-century-my-brilliant-frien…

Marianne Constable named inaugural Distinguished Rhetoric Faculty Fellow

December 17, 2024
by Alexander Rony

The Department of Rhetoric selected Marianne Constable as the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Rhetoric Faculty Fellowship. Constable is a UC Berkeley professor, a leading authority in law and language, and a co-founder of the Association for the Study of Law, Culture, and the Humanities.

“Marianne Constable has amassed a glittering record in scholarship, teaching, and service over the course of her 34-year...

Vasugi Kailasam (SSEAS) is the 2024 recipient of the Pyrtanean Faculty Enrichment Award

December 16, 2024
Aimee Chang, Division of Arts & Humanities

This article originally appeared on the Division of Arts & Humanities on December 6, 2024.

Headshot of woman with dark hair smiling at camera The Division of Arts and Humanities is proud to announce that South and Southeast Asian Studies Assistant Professor Vasugi Kailasam is the 2024 recipient of the Pyrtanean Faculty...

24 L&S News Highlights from 2024

December 16, 2024
Looking back on another outstanding year, Berkeley Letters & Science has compiled “24 L&S Highlights of 2024”—a recap of news, events, and announcements from the L&S community this year. Here are just a handful of the many stories demonstrating the extraordinary work of L&S students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Enjoy! Milestones & Research

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The Financial Heart Behind TDPS: Lyazzat Cohen

December 6, 2024
Meet Lyazzat Cohen, Financial Services Analyst for the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS).

With over 20 years of experience in finance and qualifications in business administration and cost engineering, Lyazzat excels in supporting TDPS’s creative mission. Lyazzat thrives on solving financial challenges, collaborating with faculty and staff, and applying her expertise to ensure smooth operations.