Leo Chavez, “Beyond Academic Walls: Unpacking the Latino Threat Narrative”

Leo Chavez, professor of anthropology at the University of California, Irvine, will discuss the challenges and possibilities of interdisciplinarity in the second talk of this year’s Public Intellectuals Forum. Drawing on his recent book, The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation, Chavez discusses paired chapters on the “problem” of Latina sexuality and reproduction – one deconstructing the discourses, the other crunching the numbers. What are the problems and possibilities, Chavez asks, of integrating questions and methodologies from both the humanities and social sciences? How can we as scholars successfully produce and advocate for interdisciplinary research that engages current issues and public policy debates while still prioritizing cultures, contexts, and the human experience?
This talk will be discussion-focused. Advance reading selections will be available on the Public Intellectuals Forum website: http://publicforum.ucdavis.edu <http://publicforum.ucdavis.edu>

This event is free and open to all. Talks begin at 5:30 pm and are followed by a no-host reception at 7 pm.
The Public Intellectuals Forum is sponsored by UC Davis Humanities Institute and the Center for History, Society and Culture. This talk is co-sponsored by the Consortium for Women and Research at UC Davis.