Scholars at various University of California campuses have recently founded a new interdisciplinary research collaboration called the UC CUBA Initiative, which brings together scholars from all UC campuses to coordinate and develop UC Cuba related academic activities, and highlights the importance of studying all aspects of Cuban reality, historically and in the present.

An initial goal of the program is to sponsor library exhibits at each participating UC campus, and the UCI Libraries are pleased to inaugurate the series with an exhibit, titled California Universities Building Amistad: The UC CUBA Initiative, that will open on November 15, 5:30 pm, in Langson Library. Curated by Phillip Macleod, Research Librarian for Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American Studies, the exhibit will highlight both the research of UCI faculty who are participating in the UC Cuba Initiative and the breadth of library resources that support scholars and students who study Cuba. Materials on display will focus on pre- and post-Revolutionary politics, the stormy relationship between the U.S. and Cuba, a diverse array of topics in the social sciences, visual and performing arts, literature, and several examples from UCI’s collection of Cuban artists’ books.

The opening night event is free and will feature a talk led by Raúl Fernández, UCI Professor of Chicano/Latino Studies and Head of the UC CUBA Initiative. The exhibit will be on display through April 2008 in the Langson Library Reynolds Gallery during regular library hours. For more information, please call 949.824.4651.