HHL Student Conference Program
History Humanities and Languages Student Researc Conference
December 2, 2024
ACAD 300 (White Oak and Houston Rooms)
All 'A' Panel sessions meet in White Oak Room; All 'B' panel sessions meet in Houston
Room
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM Coffee and breakfast snacks in the White Oak Room
Meeting Topic:
History without Borders
Time:
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Moderator:
Dr. Aaron Gillette
Presenters:
Emily Warren: “The Compromise of 1877 and the End of Reconstruction”
Mark Kansteiner: “The Correct Path of Struggle: Soviet Theories of Fascism and Their Effect on the Popular Front”
Carlos Alvariño: “Revoltosos y juguetones: Anarchist and Libertarian Socialist Ateneos during the Spanish Civil War”
Meeting Topic:
Mixing Apples, Coconuts, and Oreos: A Comparative Analysis of Race, Gender, and Class in Ethnic American Literature
Time:
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Moderator:
Dr. Vida Robertson
Presenters:
Shayan Rauf: “Disabling Injustice: Understanding the Systemic Oppression of Arnold Spirit and Polly Breedlove”
Britney Molina: “Runaways: Interrogating the Escape ad Loss of Mary Spirit and Marin"
Marla Marin: “Tools of Whiteness: White Women as Agents of White Supremacy”
Shanice Turner: "Father DisFigures: Examining the Flawed Paternal Figures of Cholly Breedlove and Arnold Spirit Sr."
Meeting Topic:
Philosophy, Ethics, and Social Practice
Time:
11:30 AM - 12:55 AM
Moderator:
Dr. Annalee Ring
Presenters:
Cari Tucker: “Epistemic Responsibility and Social Exclusion: From Salem to Modern America”
Yasmeen Ammourah: “’Are Islamic Practices Good for Animals?”
Meeting Topic:
Double Vision: White Supremacy and Double Consciousness in Toni Morrison’s Bluest Eye
Time:
11:30 AM - 12:55 PM
Moderator:
Dr. Vita Robertson
Presenters:
Claudia Chappelle: “Washing Away Black Funkiness: Soaphead Church and the Religion of White Supremacy”
Lyric Harris-Whitby: “In Search of Self: Pauline, Polly, and the Quest for Happiness””
Josefina Guerrero: “’Escaping the Funkiness: The Heteronormativity Politics of Respectability Geraldine in the Bluest Eye”
Guadalupe Villa: Blackness: Polly Breedlove’s Double Consciousness in Morrison’s The Bluest Eye
Break: 1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Meeting Topic:
Latin American and Latinx Cultural Studies/ Estudios culturales latinoamericanos y latines (Spanish-language panel)
Time:
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM
Moderator:
Dr. Albert DeJesús
Presenters:
Adam Selim Guehria: “The benefits of Immigration in the US”
Alexis Gutiérrez: “Explorando la identidad híbrida en ‘My Graduation Speech’ de Tato Laviera y ‘Alma Pocha’ de Américo Paredes”
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM White Oak: Closing Remarks and Announcement of Best Paper
Student Academic Biographies
Carlos Alvariño is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Houston-Main Campus. He is a history major with a minor in Latin American studies; he also plans to pursue a second major, probably in Linguistics. His interests include Latin America, social and revolutionary movements, and indigenous peoples of the Americas. He plans on pursuing a PhD in Latin American history to work as an academic and as an activist in his home country, Perú.
Yasmeen Ammourah is a Philosophy Major focusing on Social Theory regarding religion and feminism at the University of Houston-Downtown. She will be graduating by Spring 2025 and is planning to go to graduate school for Cross-Cultural Studies and Global Studies to become a professor in Social Studies specializing in post-colonialism and Global Issues.
Adam Selim Guehria is a Criminal Justice major and Spanish minor at the University of Houston-Downtown. He has a special interest in legal services, politics, world cultures, and foreign languages. He will be graduating from the University of Houston-Downtown in December of 2024. He plans on applying to Law School after graduation and working in a work environment that involves intellectual work.
Alexis Gutiérrez is a full-time student currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Spanish at the University of Houston--Downtown. Passionate about language and literature, Alexis plans to attend graduate school after graduation, with the goal of earning a master's degree in Spanish literature. This journey reflects his commitment to exploring the rich cultural and literary traditions of the Spanish-speaking world. Beyond academics, Alexis has a keen interest in the intersections of language, culture, and identity.
Bianca Juarez is a first-year honors student majoring in Philosophy with an interest in pursuing a double major in Political Science/Government. She has a strong passion for political work, including active research, advocacy, and activism, alongside her academic focus on philosophy, particularly in epistemology and ethics. She plans to earn a master’s in journalism with a political concentration after completing her undergraduate studies, followed by a Juris Doctor degree to pursue a career as an international corporate lawyer, politician, and/or potentially a judge. Outside of academics, she enjoys physical activity and reading, particularly in science fiction and historical genres, with a goal of reading over 50 books annually.
Mark Kansteiner is a history major pursuing a minor in English at the University of Houston-Downtown. He is a graduate of Lone Star College where, after earning his Associate of Arts Degree, he transferred to UHD as a junior. He plans to graduate in the Fall of 2025 and teach high school history.
Emily Warren is a history graduate student at Sam Houston State University. She is particularly interested in World War II and the Holocaust. After graduating with a bachelor's degree, this is her first year in graduate school. After college, she plans on working with the Holocaust Museum in Houston and eventually teaching the next generation of historians.