Conference Summary:

The incredible interdisciplinary and public scholarship opportunities of Human Rights Studies at UC Davis were demonstrated by the participants — faculty, graduate students, education professionals and undergraduate Human Rights Studies Minors  — of the 3rd UC Davis Human Rights Studies Spring Research Symposium, May 26, 2023 – International House, Davis.

The first panel, focusing on rights for vulnerable groups, featured three insightful presentations. Patricia Vidal Olivares presented her paper titled "Who Has the Right to Lunch? School Lunches in Chile and the United States in the 1960s," shedding light on the historical context and policies surrounding school lunches in both countries. Lauren R. Eastland discussed the contrasting goals of Bay Area Muslim homeschoolers and the Baptist-Burqa Coalition in her presentation "Human Rights and Homeschooling." Liza Grandia shared her research on the impact of environmental changes on indigenous communities in her paper titled "When the Mountains Trimble."

The second panel delved into the definitions of rights. Erika Lynn Schumacher from the Department of History presented her paper titled "Imagined Utopia in the Formation of Modern Germany," exploring the role of utopian ideals in shaping German society. Keith David Watenpaugh outlined a framework for the better integration of refugee thought into human rights thought, criticism and theory in "From 'Among the Ruins' to 'We Refugees' and 'The Land of Sad Oranges' Yesayan, Arendt, and Kanafani — Exile and the Framing of Refugee Diaspora Thought

After a brief coffee break, the conference continued with the third panel, focusing on community-engaged research and learning. Presenters Dheera Dusanapudi, Emma Tolliver, Ella Ross, and Ariana Tahmas, shared their recent projects, findings, and implications for human rights education and global solidarity through and update on the Article 26 Backpack Project. Tolliver, Lima, and Ross then presented "Dispatches from Argentina: Article 26 Backpack at the World Forum for Human Rights," discussing their experiences and insights gained from their visit to Argentina.

The fourth panel, also centered around community-engaged research and learning, featured multiple presentations. Lizbeth De La Cruz Santana and Mariana Perez Sierra presented a case study titled "Human Rights DIY Community-Engaged Projects in the University Classroom: CHI 130 United States-Mexican Border Relations." Benjamin Weber, Shingirai Taodzera, Genesis Lara, and Dominique Williams from African American Studies and the California History Project discussed the importance of teaching histories of human rights and reparations activism. Jeannette Money presented on the challenges of teaching at Aggie Square and building and maintaining critical community relationships in  "Immigrants, Refugees, and Community Engaged Learning."

Several attendees participated in the conference without presentations, including Ally Lazar, Shreya Murthy, Mara Uriol-Garate, Adam Zientek, Jannet Torres Espinosa, and Heghnar Watenpaugh.

Attendees had the opportunity to gain valuable insights and engage in meaningful discussions on these important topics, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange.