Duke’s Community-Based Language Initiative (CBLI) brings language to life through relationships, real-world experiences and learning with communities. read more about More Than Words: How Community Changes Language Learning at Duke »
The Phi Beta Kappa Society has selected Abby H. Shepherd, a Ph.D. candidate in Romance Studies at Duke University, as the winner of the 2026 Walter J. Jensen Fellowship in recognition of her exceptional work as a scholar of French language, literature, and culture. Established in 2001 by Professor Walter J. Jensen (ΦΒΚ, UCLA), this award provides this year’s winner with a stipend of $17,000 and round-trip travel to France for six months of continuous study. read more about Duke Ph.D. Candidate Abby Shepherd Awarded Walter J. Jensen Fellowship »
Provost Alec D. Gallimore announced Wednesday he will lead a year-long initiative focused on the arts and humanities that will affirm and celebrate the essential role of these fields of study at Duke and establish a strengthened institutional vision for the future.“Duke has a distinguished tradition of leadership in the humanities and the arts, and they remain at the heart of our liberal arts education,” Gallimore said. “Humanistic inquiry and artistic practice enrich our students in countless ways. They offer timeless… read more about Elevating the Arts and Humanities at Duke »
What does it mean to belong? As the Duke University community reflects on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences arts and humanities departments are exploring that question. We the People is a university-wide collaboration that marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Over the next year, through lectures, conversations, performances, exhibitions, courses and student-centered… read more about 'Belonging?' Initiative Invites Duke Community to Ask What Belonging Means »
As a T-SUMR fellow, Trinity's program for mentored undergraduate research, Duke senior Quindlan Kelleher spent the first half of her summer studying gene expression for her senior thesis with mentor Gregory Wray, professor of Biology.For the second half of the season, she traveled to Dayton, Oregon, working as a wine server at Stoller Family Estate in the Willamette Valley and pouring tastings with a view. An introductory genetics course redirected Quindlan, a double major in Biology… read more about Out of the Office, into the Vineyard »
What does it mean to ask why the humanities matter?The question can sound almost too familiar. Universities have spent years explaining the humanities in terms of what they produce: critical thinkers, effective communicators, adaptable graduates. But over the course of a four-part series this spring, faculty at Duke approached the question from another direction. They considered what becomes possible when we learn to look more carefully at the world around us—at the stories we inherit, the technologies we build, the… read more about How We’ve Come to Talk about the Humanities »
Quindlan Kelleher had a busy summer. As she looks toward her final year at Duke, the senior brings with her two seemingly disparate experiences: a summer of research, along with time spent working in Oregon’s wine country. Duke senior Quindlan Kelleher is a double major in Biology and French. (Courtesy of Kelleher) For the first part of the summer, Kelleher, a double major in Biology and French, completed research for her senior thesis in the lab of Gregory Wray, professor of… read more about Lab Work, With a Side of Pinot »
This summer, Duke lecturing fellow of Romance Studies Germain Choffart returned to his hometown of Saint-Avold, France, leading eight students through DukeEngage France. Working alongside local organizations like Missions Locales and Écoles de la Deuxième Chance, the students are helping young adults build skills and opportunities in a region still recovering from the decline of its coal industry.From entrepreneurial workshops and street art restoration to short films… read more about Out of the Office, into Saint-Avold »
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences is increasing its support for early-stage interdisciplinary research efforts with new funding for four faculty-led research initiatives designed to foster collaboration across the social sciences, natural sciences and arts & humanities. The projects — spanning biodiversity, statistics, mental health, philosophy, cultural heritage and data science — came out of a competitive call for proposals launched last year. Two initiatives, Causality at Duke and BioTA: Biodiversity… read more about Trinity Funds Four New Faculty-Led Research Initiatives »
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences recently honored four staff members with Dean’s Pillar of Excellence Awards. The Dean’s Pillar of Excellence Awards recognize outstanding non-teaching staff whose work strengthens the mission and daily life of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. The 2026 awards honor individuals who consistently demonstrate outstanding service, leadership, initiative, community, collaboration, enthusiasm and inclusion. Established in 2017, the award celebrates staff accomplishments and… read more about Trinity College Honors Four Staff Members with Dean’s Pillar of Excellence Awards »
The Declaration of Independence proclaimed powerful ideals about liberty, equality and the right of people to govern themselves — and the meanings of these notions has been debated, interpreted and tested ever since. As Duke celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the milestone offers a chance to look beyond 1776 and revisit the ideas that helped shape the nation. The following Trinity College courses explore the intellectual roots, global revolutions… read more about 1776 in the Classroom: Exploring the Ideas Behind the Declaration of Independence »
Congratulations to Kate Driscoll who was appointed Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of Romance Studies! read more about Professor Kate Driscoll Appointed Mellon Assistant Professor of Romance Studies »
Power in the modern world is increasingly exercised not just through military force, but through technology, finance and control over information.Walter D Mignolo, professor at Duke University, argues that while what we historically see as “formal colonialism” may have largely ended, systems of Western dominance continue through economics, culture, technology and knowledge production.“Coloniality is not over. It is all over the world,” Mignolo said, arguing that modern ideas of development and progress often have the effect… read more about Duke's Walter Mignolo Comments on Big Tech's Global Dominance »
Beginning Monday, May 11, a new library search platform will launch.Learn more here. read more about New Library Search Platform Will Launch On May 11 »
“Whenever I said I was interested in Black Italians, people would ask: ‘Are there Black people in Italy?’,” said Duke doctoral student Barbara Ofosu-Somuah. The question — and the assumptions behind it — helped spark Ofosu-Somuah’s research into Black Italian literature, translation, and the circulation of Black feminist thought in contemporary Italy. Now, the Romance Studies Ph.D. candidate has been awarded the prestigious Rome Prize, earning a year-long fellowship at the American Academy in Rome, where she will… read more about Studying Black Feminist Thought in Italy as Rome Prize Fellow »
Christina Colwell knew she wanted a college where friendships would grow beyond the classroom and professors felt more like mentors than voices at the front of a lecture hall. A campus visit with her father during Blue Devil Days made that vision a reality. “The faculty and students I met were so kind and accessible, and there was such a vibrant community spirit,” she recalls. “I remember calling my mom and telling her I needed to be here.” From her sophomore year in the… read more about Rewriting the Formula: How Christina Colwell Brought Her Path to Science, Language and Cameron Indoor »
Karina Lu is a senior from Seattle, Washington majoring in History with a concentration in Law & Governance and a minor in French. During her time at Duke, she competed in the American Moot Court Association Nationals, was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, received a Fulbright Scholarship, and published research with the Duke Center for Firearms Law and the Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law. Her senior thesis, “Embodying the Revolution: Female SentDown Youth on the Yunnan Frontier, 1969–1980,” explores… read more about Karina Lu '26: Learning to Think Across Disciplines »
Angelli Garibaldi-Arias is a first-generation student born in Lima, Peru, and raised in Denver, Colorado. She is double majoring in English and Romance Studies with a minor in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Her research focuses on medieval and early modern literature — particularly Dante’s Divine Comedy and Cervantes’ Don Quixote — exploring questions of ethics, migration, empire and human value. Through literary and philosophical analysis alongside interviews with immigrants, her honors thesis, “Global Inequalities:… read more about Angelli Garibaldi-Arias '26: Reading Migration Through Literature »
Romance Studies doctoral student, Barbara Ofosu-Somuah, has been awarded the Rome Prize to work on her dissertation. “Reimagining Italianità: Black Feminist Forms and the Politics of Belonging" explores how Black feminist thought has circulated and developed through translation and other forms of cultural production in contemporary Italy. Integrating archival research with oral history, Ofosu-Somuah documents how Black feminist politics became embedded within Italian feminist discourse and how Black Italian… read more about Barbara Ofosu-Somuah Awarded the Rome Prize »
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2026/04/16/cesar-chavez-was-n… read more about 'Cesar Chavez was no friend to the undocumented whom ICE now persecutes' - Sarah Quesada »
The Office for Faculty Advancement has awarded seed grants to seven new projects led by Duke faculty members. The theme for this grant cycle is “Building Community and Strengthening Networks to Improve the Faculty Experience.”Faculty were invited to propose innovative initiatives to build community, creative approaches to address specific mentorship needs, and novel approaches to improve the faculty experience.The seed grant program will provide financial support for these projects through April 2027. Project leaders… read more about Trinity Faculty Awarded Seed Grants by Duke Office of Faculty Advancement »
A public policy and French double major, Miller’s undergraduate work explores how democracies and institutional design have reduced status-based political backlash. She completed her honors thesis in public policy under the advisement of Professors Nick Carnes and Mallory SoRelle. Inspired by the French legislative elections, Annabel’s thesis examines support for populist parties and whether changes to electoral systems could sway voting behavior. Additionally, as an intern for Congressman Brad Schneider, Miller conducted… read more about French Major Annabel Miller Earns Competitive Gaither Junior Fellowship at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace »
Two Duke Seniors, Annabel Miller and Mia Xie, were selected among only 18 winners nationwide for the competitive James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This marks an institutional first: two Duke students earning the fellowship in a single year. Miller and Xie will each spend a year at the Carnegie Endowment supporting the work of senior scholars at the forefront of domestic and international policy.“We are so proud of Annabel Miller and Mia Xie for earning the James C.… read more about Two Trinity Seniors Win Gaither Junior Fellowship at Carnegie Endowment »
Learning a new language isn’t just about grammar and vocabulary, it’s a gateway to forming personal connections, shifting perspectives and viewing the world beyond our own front doors. “It’s one of the most transformative things a student can do in college,” says Luciana Fellin, professor of the practice in Romance Studies and Linguistics, and chair of the Trinity Language Council. “Languages aren’t just codes, they’re living systems infused with culture, history and complex societal issues.”At Duke… read more about Language Is Culture; Culture Is Language »
Post contributed by John B. Gartrell, director John Hope Franklin Research Center The John Hope Franklin Research Center is pleased to share that the archive of philosopher, scholar, and author Sylvia Wynter will be opened to the public beginning March 3. The archive, which was acquired by the center in 2018, has been undergoing processing for the past 2 years and the writings series will be made available first to researchers, with the remaining sections of the collection opening by the summer of this year.To… read more about Franklin Research Center Announces the Opening of the Sylvia Wynter Papers, Exhibition, and Symposium »
There is an ancient Otomi story about the beginning of the world. It’s a tale of a boy who, many years ago, escaped from the evil rulers of the world. He climbed a great tree, from which drops of water sprang forth, giving rise to corn. By the time the evil rulers realized what was happening, the boy had risen to become the Sun. The animated short film from “68 Voces - 68 Corazones” based on the Otomí (Hñähñul) traditional tale, "Ra m´ui ra hyadi ne ra tha" (The beginning of the… read more about Bringing Indigenous Languages to Life Through Animation »
In the fall, the Department of Romance Studies partnered with the French-American Chamber of Commerce of the Carolinas (FACC Carolinas) and SKEMA Business School to host the Journée Découverte du Français Professionnel et des Affaires: a symposium on French for business. Karine Provot (left) and Emma Howell (right) collaborated with SKEMA’s Director Gisa Rollin to bring around 40 French-speaking students from the international business school to campus for the event. (Jacob Whatley/… read more about Discovering French for Business and Beyond »
Read the article in the Duke Chronicle about this year's French Film Festival. read more about Duke's French Film Festival opens with a focus on memory, identity and resistance »
Presented in collaboration with Screen/Society and with the support of Albertine Cinémathèque This year’s program features recent works by emerging French and Francophone filmmakers, alongside restored classics and politically engaged documentaries. Each film is introduced by a guest expert and followed by a discussion, creating a vibrant forum for critical thinking and exchange. Themes include memory, identity, resistance to authoritarianism, and the complexity of desire… read more about 2026 French Film Festival, Jan. 29 - Feb. 13 »
Read María Molano Parrado's article about her internship experience, read more about From the Classroom to the Galleries: My Internship at El Museo del Barrio »