Pamela Runestad, assistant professor of anthropology, has been named the 2026-2028 Scholar for the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society (CSRCS). During her term, Runestad will focus on resources for faculty and staff with community engaged experiences in their courses. Additionally, she will help build CSRCS capacity for student research, internships and foster campuswide engagement. Runestad will assume her position on June 1, 2026.

鈥淚’m really excited to bring together expertise from CSRCS and PERCS regarding best practices for class site visits to religious sites so that we have resources for faculty and staff who facilitate community engaged experiences as part of their courses. I hope these will be useful for in-house courses and winter term courses abroad,鈥� Runestad said.

CSRCS Director Brian Pennington says that Runestad鈥檚 鈥渆xpertise in Japan and in medical anthropology will bring new skills and insights to the CSRCS. Her commitments to student learning and to campus culture are well known, and we will be excited to welcome her on board.”

Runestad is a Food Studies faculty member and is a medical anthropologist who began to combine interests in biology, social studies, and culture while teaching in Nagano, Japan, from 2000 to 2006. She moved to Honolulu to study medical anthropology in 2006 and returned to Japan for her doctoral research on HIV/AIDS, supported by Fulbright-Hays and the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation, from 2009 to 2013. She is particularly interested in medical narratives, and biocultural aspects of infectious disease, chronic conditions and nutrition.

鈥淎s a medical anthropologist, I’m also excited to contribute to the 鈥楤ridging Faith and Health鈥� microcredential and related conversations about interdisciplinary health and human experience on campus. My own research explores socio-cultural and religious components of maternity clinic strategies to engage patient-clients as the birthrate continues to decline in Japan,鈥� said Runestad. 鈥淪ometimes religious underpinnings of everyday practices are difficult to discern or are more complicated than they appear at first glance. Attending to those underpinnings can make root causes of social issues clearer.鈥�

This year鈥檚 symposium, 鈥淪ensorial Cosmologies and Cultural Resistance in Latin America,鈥� explored聽political strategies, activism, and theoretical interventions聽for combatting cultural homogenization in Latin America and the Caribbean.聽Presenters engaged themes such as religion, cosmology and critical theory; gender justice and eco-feminism; and migration from the global south and racial inequality in the USA.

Seventeen scholars from across the US joined 黑料不打烊 faculty conveners Federico Pous (World Languages and Cultures), Leyla Savloff (Sociology and Anthropology), and Juan Leal Ugalde (World Languages and Cultures) to feature work on counternarratives and cultural resistance offered by Indigenous cosmogony and artistic creation. Presentations included 聽topics such as 鈥淐atholic Feminism and Reproductive Justice in Argentina,鈥� 鈥淩esistance in Apu Kolki Hirka,鈥� 鈥淩evival in the Sikiru Movement,鈥� and 鈥淭rans Migrant Women鈥檚 Spatial Practices in Queens.鈥�

鈥淭he quality of papers presented, and the intellectual conversation we held at the symposium were very stimulating,” said Federico Pous, associate professor of Spanish. “We are currently preparing a dossier for the very well-known journal Acontracorriente, in which most of the participants at the symposium will publish an article on the topic of sensorious cosmologies. I hope to continue organizing academic encounters like this one in the future.鈥�

This year鈥檚 keynote presentation, 鈥淐ontemporary Audiovisuality as a Site of Cosmological Inscription,鈥� was delivered by Ana M. Ochoa, professor of music and ethnomusicology at Tulane University. Her lecture outlined her collaborative work on audio production among indigenous filmmakers in South America.

鈥淭he global politics of migration calls us to think how media, audiovisual and sound technologies are not simply a way to broadcast entertainment, art, or events. They have been part of the fabric of a sensorial cosmological transformation in the make-up of life聽and how we think of it,鈥� said Ochoa. “This is not only the case when, for example, indigenous peoples film聽their myths, or participate in transnational art events to affirm their cultures and聽cosmologies, but also as we trace the historical links between extractivism, the soundscape of life, and audiovisual sensoriums.鈥�

CSRCS Director Brian Pennington emphasized that supporting 黑料不打烊 faculty scholarship is a primary purpose of the symposium.

鈥淪ymposium participants, led by Drs. Savloff and Pous, have already developed a detailed roadmap for publishing these papers, and we are excited about the important collection that will result,” said Pennington.

For more information, visit the On the Edge Symposium webpage.

The volume is a comprehensive introduction to the essential methods, concepts and practices of conducting ethnographic research in and about digital environments. Written by 60 global contributors across 12 chapters with accompanying case studies and concept explorations, it provides both theoretical foundations and practical guidance for digital ethnographic work. The book also examines ethical challenges specific to digital research environments while maintaining a commitment to reflexive, co-present research that acknowledges how our interactions with digital technologies transcend boundaries of citizenship, race, gender identity, age and ability.

Proctor began this project because he found selecting readings for his courses on internet culture difficult. The classes聽had constantly been torn between well-researched and theorized but dense and jargon-laden articles on one hand and readable popular “think pieces” without any basis in research or evidence on the other. This left a gap between the two. This book hopes to bridge that divide, seeking to be approachable and useful but also theoretically and methodologically rigorous. The objective is to provide practical advice on the methods, concepts, and themes of digital ethnography, so that students can effectively conduct their own studies, whether in or out of the classroom. To this end, it鈥檚 presented in an approachable style ideal for students and researchers in anthropology, media studies, science & technology studies, and communications who seek to understand contemporary hyper-mediated environments, as well as professionals outside academia who need practical, accessible guidance for conducting rigorous digital research.

The main chapters are a deep-dive into themes such as “virtual reality research” or “digital ethics.” These are paired with short “case studies” that feature different digital ethnographic studies being done currently, written by the researchers doing the work. These involve research on shamanic use of selfies in the Amazon, Iranian feminist social media collectives, GIS use in Cameroon and Polish dark net drug markets, along with many others.聽Each chapter also includes a “micro-chapter” about a central concept, e.g., “affordance,” “platform,” “meme,” and so on.

Rena Zito, associate professor of sociology, discussed Tourette syndrome, both living with the condition and the recent incident at the BAFTA film awards, on CBC Listen’s “” program on Feb. 28, 2026.

At the BAFTA film awards in London on Feb. 22, 2026, John Davidson, whose life inspired the聽award-winning biopic 鈥淚 Swear,鈥� involuntarily shouted a racial slur during Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo鈥檚 speech. The incident has inspired intense conversation around Tourette syndrome and its symptoms.

Zito says it’s important for people to understand that vocal tics do not signify someone’s internal thoughts and feelings. She says the vocal tic often ends up being the opposite of what someone might say or do.

“It can be really hard for people without Tourette syndrome to wrap their head around saying words that you neither intend nor mean,” said Zito on “Just Asking.” “When it comes to things like simple motor tics like shoulder shrugging or hard blinking, people who don’t have Tourettes, they’ve experienced hiccups, they’ve experienced muscle twitches, so they can really wrap their heads around these kinds of tics, but they don’t really have a comparable frame of reference for those intense vocal tics. They’re not used to having no control over the words that come out of their mouths when they’re sober.”

Zito also wrote about the condition in a piece for “The Conversation,” and noted that tics can sometimes be “situationally relevant.”

“There are different ways the environment can matter,” said Zito. “One way it can matter is through stress. Any kind of stress, whether it’s positive or negative, can really exacerbate tics or cause tics to emerge. Sometimes you see something in the environment, you see a person, you see something, you hear something and that can set off a tic.”

Since his 2023 arrival at 黑料不打烊, Kelly has hosted a 鈥榣istening tour鈥� and spent time with each department to hear directly from faculty and staff about what they value. Kelly said that common themes soon emerged from those conversations and the new statement reflects dozens of discussions.

黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences new vision statement reads: 鈥淭he Heart of an 黑料不打烊 Education: Ignite Curiosity, Engage Challenges, Transform Worlds.鈥�

The mission statement then declares:

鈥淯pholding the centrality of the liberal arts, we explore and apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge for inquiry, creativity, discovery and problem solving in a complex and changing world.鈥�

The statement lists core values that include accessibility, belonging, critical thinking, diversity, equity and inclusion, integrity, intellectual curiosity, problem-posing and respect for human dignity.

Community Reflections

• 鈥淭here were several opportunities for different groups, departments, branches, interdisciplinary programs, to discuss versions on the table. It was in those conversations where we might learn how a word or phrase was heard within and across disciplines; where we found convergence, deeper awareness, and respect. The both-and of this process modeled what we value and genuinely captures our shared identity as 黑料不打烊 College.鈥� – Caroline Ketcham, associate dean of 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of exercise science
• 鈥淚t was always important to us that this wasn鈥檛 a process where faculty were just asked to weigh in at the end, after the real decisions had already been made. From start to finish, it was grounded in listening to what faculty across the college say we do well and what values they believe guide our shared work. Our task wasn鈥檛 to invent a mission, vision and values, but to clearly articulate what faculty are already living and leading with. I think that鈥檚 why faculty can so readily see themselves and their departments represented in the final statements.鈥� – David Buck, associate dean of 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of psychology
• 鈥淗aving shared goals and articulated values helps everyone in the college feel connected as a community, value each other鈥檚 work and prioritize our energies on initiatives that matter to us.鈥� – Shannon Duvall, interim associate dean of 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of computer science
• 鈥淚 appreciated the collaborative nature of it all, not just between the dean鈥檚 office and department chairs, but also extending to faculty members across 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences. It really did involve all of us. What particularly stood out to me were the conversations in our chairs鈥� meetings with the dean where we came to agreements on core values. It鈥檚 inspiring to see that distinctly different types of disciplines uphold the same core values.鈥� – Joel Karty, chair of the Department of Chemistry and 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Sydney F. & Kathleen E. Jackson Professor of chemistry
• 鈥淚 appreciated being part of a process that felt genuinely collaborative. Our participation was not merely symbolic. It felt meaningful, and I experienced the dean鈥檚 office as truly listening. The process itself was also inspirational, and I feel bolstered in leading my own department through similar work. It was powerful to see such a broad, collective effort take shape into something tangible.鈥� – Samantha DiRosa, chair of the Department of Art and a professor of art and environmental studies
• 鈥淭he process of creating a new vision statement, mission statement and core values for 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences was both thoughtful and deeply collaborative. Over many months, department chairs worked together to reflect on what makes us distinctive and how best to express those qualities in guiding statements. The process intentionally sought input from across departments, ensuring that everyone in the college had the opportunity to contribute their perspectives. Personally, the time spent reflecting with fellow chairs on what makes each of our departments special fostered a deeper sense of shared purpose and collective commitment.鈥� – Carrie Eaves, chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Policy and associate professor of political science and public policy

Kelly said he was pleased the final language resonated with the faculty in the college.

鈥淭he true measure of a successful attempt to lead a group or an organization towards a renewed vision, mission and core values is whether the words and sentiments 鈥榮ound like us鈥�,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I heard that some faculty believed my presentation of our vision, mission and core values at our spring faculty meeting 鈥榮ound like us,鈥� I knew that our work together in small and large group settings was a huge success. It means that stakeholders were heard and that the words resonate so much so that the tune or melody is familiar. The vision, mission and core values reflect truly who we are and where we are going with much intention.鈥�

A recent article in The Conversation by Rena Zito, associate professor of sociology at 黑料不打烊 who lives with Tourette syndrome, is challenging widespread misconceptions about Tourette syndrome, particularly the belief that it commonly involves shouting curses or slurs.

At the BAFTA film awards in London on Feb. 22, 2026, John Davidson, whose life inspired the聽award-winning biopic 鈥淚 Swear,鈥� involuntarily shouted a racial slur during Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo鈥檚 speech. The incident has inspired intense conversation around Tourette syndrome and its symptoms.聽

Zito writes that 鈥渇ewer than 1 in 5 people with Tourette鈥檚 experience taboo tics, such as coprolalia 鈥� involuntary obscene or offensive speech.鈥� Despite this, pop culture has cemented the idea that swearing defines the condition. In reality, she explains, most tics are far more ordinary, including 鈥渆ye blinking, shoulder shrugging, throat clearing or brief sounds.鈥�

Coprolalia, the clinical term for involuntary swearing, affects only about 10鈥�20% of people with Tourette syndrome. Even fewer individuals experience socially taboo words such as racial slurs. Yet these rare symptoms often dominate public perception and media portrayals.

A key misconception, Zito notes, is the belief that 鈥渢ics reveal what people 鈥榬eally鈥� think and feel.鈥� In fact, she emphasizes, 鈥渢ics often compel people to say or do precisely what they most wish to avoid.鈥� The neurological urges behind tics are involuntary and do not reflect a person鈥檚 beliefs, character or intentions.

Zito writes that 鈥渢hese socially inappropriate tics can draw unwanted attention and lead to exclusion, bullying, hostile encounters and barriers to employment.鈥� The stigma can be as distressing 鈥� or more distressing 鈥� than the tics themselves.

Her article calls for greater public understanding of Tourette syndrome鈥檚 complexity. By recognizing that taboo tics are uncommon and involuntary, communities can move beyond stereotypes and toward empathy, ensuring people with Tourette鈥檚 鈥渘eed understanding and support to participate fully and safely in public life.鈥�

Read Zito’s full piece in .

Community Conversations & Civic Engagement

Deliberative Dialogue 鈥� America鈥檚 250: What鈥檚 Next America?

Monday, Feb. 23, 4:30 p.m., Lakeside 212

As America marks its 250th year, this dialogue invites reflection on our shared past and the opportunity for diverse voices to share space and ideas to develop a collective vision for the next 250. Sponsored by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Political Engagement Work Group

Better Together: Breaking Bread, Building Bridges

Feb. 24 鈥� May 5, every other Tuesday, 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Join us at Better Together this spring for connection and conversation. This time together invites us to live fully in the present and reflect on what makes this moment meaningful. Share stories, explore diverse perspectives, and build community. .

Dr. Habiba Sarabi: Education Rights of Afghan Women

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Alumni Gym

Join a conversation with Dr. Habiba Sarabi on the global impact of Afghanistan鈥檚 ban on women鈥檚 education and the fight for educational rights and gender equality. Dr. Sarabi, an Afghan politician, women鈥檚 rights activist, and medical doctor made history as the first woman to be appointed a provincial governor in Afghanistan, leading Bamyan Province. She previously served as Minister of Women鈥檚 Affairs and Minister of Culture and Education, where she focused on expanding education, protecting the environment and advancing the rights of women.

State of the Union Address Watch Party

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 8-10:30 p.m., Moseley 105

Join us for pizza and a live viewing of President Trump鈥檚 first State of the Union address of his second term. Come watch, discuss and stay informed. Sponsored by 黑料不打烊 Votes!

Love Your Body, Berry Much

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 11:30 a.m. 鈥� 1:30 p.m., Lakeside Entrance

Stop by for coconut-lime strawberries and a strawberry mocktail, courtesy of 黑料不打烊 Dining, while also learning tips for mindful eating. Swing through, grab a treat and discover ways to build healthier habits. Visit the for more information.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss 鈥� 鈥淢an Up: Understanding Misogyny to Prevent Extremism

Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture

Thursday, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m., Numen Lumen Pavilion, McBride Gathering Space

Extremism expert Cynthia Miller-Idriss examines how misogyny 鈥� online and off 鈥� fuels the rise in far-right and mass violence, and offers strategies for interruption and prevention rooted in everyday life. The Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Lecture honors Lauren, who was set to join 黑料不打烊’s Class of 2015 before her murder by a former boyfriend in July 2011. Established in her memory, the fund educates the 黑料不打烊 community on healthy relationships and building a culture free from violence. Visit the Spring Cultural Calendar for more information about upcoming events this semester.

Adventure Time with 黑料不打烊 Outdoors!

Adventures in Leadership Summer Staff Positions Available

Applications are now open for summer Adventures in Leadership staff positions, where you鈥檒l guide incoming first-year students through exciting outdoor experiences. Earn potential internship credit and build leadership skills. Apply today on the 黑料不打烊 Job Network!

黑料不打烊 Challenge

The 黑料不打烊 Challenge is a great way to help classes, teams, organizations, corporations or cohorts grow through building authentic relationships, learning how to manage resources, developing creative thinking, and applying knowledge in new ways. Visit the 黑料不打烊 Challenge website to review the options, gather your group, and complete the interest form to schedule a customized, no-cost experience.

Last Chance to Become an Orientation Leader

Application Deadline is Friday, Feb. 27

The Orientation Leader application is still live. As an OL, you are an integral part of the orientation process. You will play a pivotal role in the transition of all the new students to 黑料不打烊, serving as a guide and mentor to new students throughout their transition. by this Friday, Feb. 27.

Sponsored by the聽Alamance County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Alamance brings together professionals from business, government and nonprofit sectors across聽Alamance County. Participants are selected through an application process, and their employers sponsor their involvement, allowing one full-day absence each month for immersive learning experiences across the county.

Throughout the year, the cohort travels to sites around Alamance County to explore topics including education, foodways, history, law enforcement and public services and health care. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 program offered participants insight into the university鈥檚 approach to experiential learning and civic engagement.

During their campus visit, participants engaged with faculty, staff and students in聽the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, the Center for Design Thinking and the Maker Hub. Workshops were led by Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and Dan Reis, assistant director of creative learning technologies, with assistance from student representatives. Leadership Alamance alumni Bob Frigo, director of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and assistant dean of campus life, Sara Beth Hardy, assistant director of community partnerships and Kyle Anderson, associate director of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life also presented civic engagement initiatives at 黑料不打烊.

Pamela Runestad, assistant professor of anthropology and a member of the Leadership Alamance Class of 2025, helped plan this year鈥檚 programming.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� works with community partners outside the institution in a number of ways every day,鈥� Runestad said. 鈥淭he Leadership Alamance Class of 2026 will get a snapshot of what that is like, and hopefully consider ways we can work together in the future.鈥�

Following their time on campus, participants spent the afternoon learning more about the聽Alamance-Burlington School System聽and other educational sites throughout the community.

Each year, members of the 黑料不打烊 community participate in Leadership Alamance, strengthening partnerships and fostering collaboration across sectors. Through the program, community leaders build connections and develop shared strategies aimed at making Alamance County a stronger, safer and more equitable place.

Alexis Franzese, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at 黑料不打烊, was recently featured on the 鈥淚n the FIELD鈥� podcast hosted by Heidi James-Dunbar of the Foundation for International Education (FIE).

In the episode, Franzese discusses her new co-edited volume, “Why the Magic Matters,” and explores themes that shape her work, including authenticity, identity and well-being. The conversation also highlights the impact of study abroad and off-campus learning experiences, drawing on Franzese鈥檚 experience teaching in London through 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Global Education Center partnership with FIE. The episode examines how immersive educational environments, including spaces like Disney, can function as powerful sites of learning and self-discovery.

The full episode is available at and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Associate Professor of Sociology Raj Ghoshal has published new research that examines how Black-alone and multiracial Black Americans think about Black identity. The article, entitled “,” draws on qualitative and quantitative data from 163 Black American adults.

Ghoshal’s article notes that previous studies had investigated the possibility of divisions emerging between Americans who consider themselves Black-alone and those who identify as Black and at least one other race. These studies frequently assumed that if monoracial and multiracial Black Americans were to see Black identity differently, the division and possible community fracture would concern whether multiracial Black Americans were equal members of the Black community.

Ghoshal’s research finds that monoracial and multiracial Black Americans do indeed see Black identity differently in some notable ways, but that they are not divided on whether multiracial Black Americans are full community members: both groups agree that they are. Instead, the groups differ in how important they think cultural-experiential factors and other people’s racial appraisals are in Black identity. For instance, Black-alone Americans see family experiences with slavery and segregation, as well as what race others judge a person to be, as more important elements of Black identity than do their multiracial counterparts. Strikingly, whether respondents are monoracial or multriacial shapes their views on these questions more strongly than other factors like their political ideology, educational attainment, gender, region, or age.

Ghoshal argues that the fact that on-average differences of opinion between monoracial and multiracial Black Americans about Black identity exist, yet have nothing to do with monoracial and multiracial identity, constitutes the “Black-multiracial identity paradox.” He suggests that this concept helps explain why diverging opinions have not fractured Black identity in the ways prior researchers believed they might.

Ghoshal’s research was supported by 黑料不打烊’s Faculty Research and Development. The study appears in the journal , an official publication of the American Sociological Association.