Jackson School of International Studies

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Conventional history states Christopher Columbus was from Genoa, Italy, but he may have been, in fact, a Sephardic Jew from the eastern Iberian Peninsula, according to a new documentary by Spain’s national broadcaster that also rekindles questions of religious persecution and the treatment of Indigenous communities. Devin Naar, associate professor of history and of Jewish studies at the UW, is quoted.

Happening September 18–27, 2024, Dawg Daze offers more than 500 events hosted by student organizations and UW departments. Kick off the fall quarter and celebrate a return to campus with these can’t-miss recommendations from the College of Arts & Sciences!

"In the Old Town of Rhodes, a picturesque tourist destination in the Aegean Sea, stands a monument to a dark period in the island’s past. In the former “Djuderia,” the Jewish quarter, a marble obelisk commemorates the deportation of the island’s small but vibrant Sephardic Jewish community to Auschwitz-Birkenau on July 23, 1944," writes Devin Naar, associate professor of history and of Jewish studies at the UW.

It has been five years since Washington’s signature “sanctuary” law went into effect, prohibiting most local officials from cooperating with immigration enforcement. Since then, Washington jail and law enforcement agencies have committed hundreds of alleged violations, according to a report by the UW’s Center for Human Rights. Angelina Godoy, professor of law, societies, and justice and of international studies, as well as director of the Center for Human Rights at the UW, is quoted.

"The first comprehensive federal immigration legislation in the history of the U.S., the 1924 law solidified features of the immigration system with us today: visa requirements, the Border Patrol, and the category of the 'illegal alien.' Even as the primary targets of immigration restrictionism have shifted over the century, the consequences for immigrants and their communities remain profoundly shaped by the system created in 1924," writes Devin Naar, associate professor of history and of Jewish studies at the UW.

Tutors, laptops, printers, audiobooks — all are affected by the district ransomware attack, and could take months to return to normal. Jessica Beyer, co-leader of the Cybersecurity Initiative in the UW Jackson School of International Studies, is quoted.

The UW is delighted to announce the recipients of the 54th annual University of Washington Awards of Excellence! The awards honor outstanding alumni, faculty, staff, students and retirees who contribute to the richness and diversity of our University community.

As the war in Sudan unfolded with escalating intensity, its repercussions were felt far beyond the nation’s borders, impacting lives even in distant corners of the globe. For one University of Washington (UW) Seattle graduate student, whose journey was abruptly disrupted by the eruption of conflict, the experience became a harrowing testament to the unpredictability of global events and travel. Meet Yasir Zaidan, whose pursuit of knowledge on port cities led him to Sudan.

The story of how the USS Turner Joy ended up in middle of one of the defining events of the 20th century, starts deep in the heart of the ship — the Combat Information Center. Christoph Giebel, associate professor of history and of international studies, is quoted.

Nearly a year after the Hollywood writers' strike started, the entertainment industry remains in flux. Daniel Bessner, assistant professor of international studies at the UW, says TV and film writers are feeling the brunt of the changes.

More than a month after a man died at an immigrant detention center in Tacoma, federal officials released a report, as required by Congress. The report lacked one key detail: a cause of death. The UW's Phil Neff, project coordinator at the Center for Human Rights, and Angelina Godoy, professor of both international studies and law, societies and justice and the director of the Center for Human Rights, are mentioned.

“3 Body Problem,” a Netflix adaptation of the popular Chinese sci-fi novel by the same name, is causing controversy in China for its depiction of the Cultural Revolution. How do the Chinese people see this crucial period of their history? Madeleine Dong, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.

A man who died last week at one of the nation’s biggest immigrant detention centers, located in Tacoma, had been held in solitary confinement for more than three years and possibly almost four, according to federal data analyzed by the UW’s Center for Human Rights. Angelina Godoy, professor of law, societies and justice and of international studies, as well as director of the Center for Human Rights at the UW, is quoted.