Princeton Caribbean Connection

Date
Nov 11, 2023, 10:00 am5:00 pm
Location
Audience
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Graduate Affairs
  • Public
  • Undergraduate

Details

Event Description

Commencing in 2004 as ‘A Taste of Carnival’, the Princeton Caribbean Connection (PCC) held three annual academic conferences engaging Princeton undergraduate students with the thought provoking scholarly conversations surrounding the Caribbean, bringing together renowned scholars such Dr. George Irish, the Executive Director of the Caribbean Research Center and Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Medgar Evers College, Sherri-Ann Butterfield, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Sociology, Rutgers University and Holger Henke, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Political Science, Metropolitan College of New York. The conference served as a means of connecting undergraduate students interested in Caribbean studies with scholars who have helped and continue to shape the field and expand possibilities for the region in academia and even beyond.

Now, in 2023, Princeton Caribbean Connection celebrates its 20th anniversary of existence at Princeton; a new edition of this conference seeks to accomplish goals similar to its predecessor’s. The current absence of a formal department for Caribbean studies at Princeton University has created a significant gap in the academic curriculum. It has limited Princeton students interested in this area of study, especially those interested in the Anglophone, Francophone, and Dutch-speaking Caribbean to a small number of courses and faculty and without a dedicated central academic home. Recognizing this gap, the PCC conference aims to bridge it temporarily, creating a space where Caribbean academia and culture can be intertwined, celebrated, and made accessible to young scholars. By serving as a catalyst for education, the conference emphasizes and showcases the Caribbean region as a subject deserving of academic inquiry. Our goal is to immerse passionate students in their Caribbean interests, expand their knowledge, and inspire a new generation of scholars and advocates while fostering a community that recognizes and appreciates the academic potential of the Caribbean's future. Additionally, with this conference we strive to raise awareness about the necessity of having a formal space Caribbean studies at Princeton.

The conference theme draws its inspiration from the influential literary work, “A Small Place” by the esteemed Antiguan-American writer, Jamaica Kincaid along with the Jamaican proverb, "Wi likkle but we tallawah," which translates to "We are little but we are strong." Despite the Caribbean islands' small size, their profound impact on shaping the world, spanning from music to food, surpasses their physical dimensions. Similarly, despite our small size, the PCC community consistently creates profound and lasting impacts on the institution and the world at large.

Event Type
Panel Discussion
Event Category
AAS Co-Sponsored Event

 

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Any individual, including visitors to campus, who requires accommodation should contact Dionne Worthy ([email protected]) at least one week in advance of the event.