The International Cricket Council Champions Tournament, beginning this week, highlights how national rivalries and geopolitical tensions can meet on playing fields

Courses in the Critical Sports Studies program in the Department of Ethnic Studies often start with the, a term coined by Jay Coakley, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The myth is that sports are inherently good, and most experiences in sports are positive and do not need to be studied critically.

In combating this myth, we examine sporting nationalism with the playing field serving as a symbolic battleground between nations. As Pakistan prepares to co-host the beginning this week, the nation's nationalistic rivalry with India comes to the forefront and reminds us that the competition on the field is often reflective of political tensions off of it.

India and Pakistan鈥檚 political tensions date back to the British partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, although ethnic and religious tensions predate the end of Britain鈥檚 colonization of the region. of the ICC since 1926, with .

Sporting relations between the nations have faced a number of stoppages, while other countries have canceled test matches because of threats and actual violence against cricket teams, .

The New Zealand cricket team canceled their remaining 2002 matches in Pakistan after a , while other countries like Australia refused to tour due to similar concerns. in Lahore during their test tour, which was scheduled after India pulled out of . As a result, Pakistan lost the opportunity to ; the 2025 ICC Champions Tournament is the first international cricket tournament to be hosted by Pakistan since the 1996 ICC World Cup. being named as a co-host for India鈥檚 matches in the tournament, exemplifying continued tensions between the nations.

Yet diplomacy has been fostered through sport as well, including the peace initiatives of former, which led to the first matches between the nations in Pakistan in 15 years in 1999 and the Friendship Cups in Canada in the 1990s and 2000s.

Colonization and sporting tensions

Colonization has been at the core of sporting tensions between dozens of nations, including Britain and members of the Commonwealth like Ireland and Australia. Ireland in particular has used international sporting events as a forum for protest against Britain鈥攎ost famously at the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, Greece. After being denied the gold medal in what many felt was a biased ruling by a judge from the United States, which followed the decision to force Irish athletes to compete on behalf of the United Kingdom, track and field athlete Peter O鈥機onnor scaled a flag pole and unfurled, a symbol of the movement for Irish home rule.

The Olympics also have long been a nexus for sporting nationalism. One of the most distinct examples of this was at the . In spite of rising concerns over antisemitism under Hitler, the United States, led by , and others agreed not to boycott the games in exchange for Nazi Germany suspending antisemitic messaging and the full enactment of the Nuremberg Laws until after the games.

Hitler saw the games as a forum to display Aryan supremacy through victory and spectacle. Television was introduced at the games along with the torch relay and the . The entire games were a primary example of 鈥渟portwashing,鈥� which uses sport to improve public opinion of a nation or group.

Much like the India-Pakistan rivalry, a number of other geopolitical tensions have played out on various sporting fields and courts around the world. George Orwell published in December 1945, a few months after the end of World War II, warning of the use of sport to encourage hyper-nationalism. Orwell was particularly critical of the Stalin regime鈥檚 use of sport to exhibit the Soviet Union and communism鈥檚 鈥渟uperiority鈥� over capitalism after the soccer team FC Dynamo Moscow toured Britain.

In 1952, the Soviet Union participated in its first Summer Olympic Games, setting off decades of displays of Cold War sporting nationalism on both sides of the Iron Curtain, but particularly exemplified by the competition between the U.

The Olympics became the largest stage for nationalistic competition. Every four years, the Cold War rivalries played out on the global stage of the Summer and Winter Olympics. Some of the most famous moments in Olympic history include the controversial end of the final, during which the Soviet Union beat the U.S. team by one point under questionable rule interpretations, and the in the semifinal of the ice hockey tournament, when amateur U.S. players defeated the Soviet Union.

Both events exemplified the rivalry between these superpowers. The 1972 Olympics also included the militants, leading to the murder of 11 Israeli athletes鈥攁n example of how ethnic-nationalism, sport and violence can intersect.

Boycott and protest

Boycotting sporting events and protest actions during competition have also been responses to various forms of nationalism and political tensions. The pending boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow by the United States intensified the attention on the competition between the USSR and the United States in Lake Placid during the Winter Games that year.

Recently, hockey reemerged as a forum for nationalism as the United States and Canada faced off twice in the . The tournament was limited to NHL players, so the teams were not technically the national teams of the countries included in the tournament. It did feature four of the five countries with the largest representation in the NHL (Russia was excluded due to the invasion of Ukraine), with the league leveraging nationalistic feelings between Finland and Sweden and United States and Canada. The heightened tension between the North American teams was due, in part, to comments by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the annexation our northern neighbors. This may serve as a preview of the heightened nationalism around the 2026 Olympic men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 ice hockey tournaments, especially if Russian athletes are permitted to compete.

The Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries in turn boycotted the . The invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

White nationalism and racial discrimination have also been a frequent motivator for protest and boycotts. promoted a boycott of the 1968 games in Mexico City, with several athletes鈥攊ncluding 鈥攄eciding not to go based on continuing discrimination of Blacks in the United States, lack of African American representation on the coaching staffs of Olympic teams, Muhammad Ali鈥檚 loss of his heavyweight championship due to his refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam War and apartheid policies in South Africa and Rhodesia.

Track and field athletes did decide to compete but famously raised their fists in protest after winning gold and bronze respectively in the 200 meters.

Apartheid policies also led to the South African Olympic Committee being . Prior to South Africa鈥檚 expulsion, several other organizations had banned the nation from hosting events as far back as 1934 due to their policies forbidding non-white participants to compete. After the New Zealand rugby team toured South Africa in 1976, 29 mostly African nations boycotted the Montreal Games that same year after the IOC refused to ban New Zealand.

This put pressure on Commonwealth countries to adopt the to expand the sporting boycott of South Africa. Taiwan also boycotted the 1976 games the day before the Opening Ceremony after the Canadian government鈥檚 refusal to

Sports like cricket and football are important cultural experiences in countries like Pakistan and India, but their presence is evidence of those countries鈥� colonial past and of . Most British colonies around the world adopted the sport soon after occupation, serving as historical examples of cultural imperialism.

Since international competition started in the 19th century, sports like cricket and events like the World Cup can simultaneously bring people together and promote community while also inflaming nationalistic tensions. For over 70 years, has done both.

Jared Bahir Browsh is an assistant teaching professor of critical sports studies in the 精品SM在线影片 Department of Ethnic Studies.

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While speakers acknowledged the change and uncertainty of the moment, they encouraged hope and the importance of continuing to work toward justice

The afternoon began with a karibu, the Swahili word for 鈥渨elcome鈥濃�攏ot just to the Glenn Miller Ballroom or the 精品SM在线影片 campus, but to the beloved community 鈥渨here everybody is included and nobody is excluded,鈥� said Reiland Rabaka, founder and director of the Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS), in opening the CAAAS Day Black History Month celebration Saturday afternoon.

The celebration came, as several of the speakers acknowledged, during a time of great change, when many are feeling the anxiety that often accompanies uncertainty.

鈥淚 have spent many decades watching progress and regress,鈥� said 精品SM在线影片 Chancellor Justin Schwartz. 鈥淲e seem to step forward and then back and then forward again.鈥�

In emphasizing the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.鈥檚 observation that, 鈥淭he arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,鈥� Schwartz noted that the arc 鈥渋s not smooth like a rainbow,鈥� but rough and jagged. 鈥淭he arc does not bend on its own, people bend the arc. Collectively, we bend the arc toward justice.鈥�

, president of the University of Colorado, told those in attendance that 鈥渨e are not changing anything until we are required to do so by a lawful order. We鈥檒l keep our eye on the ball and continue to do our work. At this point, there鈥檚 very little we鈥檝e been required to do lawfully.鈥�

Saliman added that the University of Colorado remains committed to all of Colorado and encouraged people to 鈥渁pproach each other with compassion right now.鈥�

CU Regent , the second Black woman and third Black regent in the history of CU, was forceful in pointing out the lack of Black leadership within the CU system, while Annett James, president of the NAACP of Boulder County, emphasized the importance of accurately told history during Black History Month.

鈥淗istory must be approached as a discipline rooted in fact,鈥� James said, 鈥渘ot interpreted by those who wrote it.鈥�

Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett, while acknowledging the 鈥渟truggle, setback and oppression鈥� in Boulder鈥檚 history, said that 鈥渋n the days and years to come, we will continue to build the beloved community here in Boulder.鈥�

Carrying the theme of building the beloved community, Rabaka emphasized that 鈥渨e are going to keep doing this and we shall not be moved.鈥�

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Fifty years after Frank Robinson became the first Black manager in Major League Baseball, the league is struggling with a significant decline in Black players and leaders

As Black History Month begins Feb. 1 and Major League Baseball celebrates the making his debut as the first Black manager, the sport is at a point of introspection with the lowest number of African Americans players in

The milestone is both a reminder of how far baseball came since segregation and how delicate inclusion efforts are in baseball and other institutions in the United States.

As the United States emerged from World War II, and continued to keep the country largely segregated. The war, however, was also a turning point for African Americans, who demonstrated that their service was of equal value to others who fought in the war.

One such soldier was Jackie Robinson, the first athlete to letter in . His teammates broke the color barrier in the NFL in 1946, while 鈥攕even years before determined that 鈥渟eparate but equal鈥� thresholds for segregation were unconstitutional. Jackie Robinson鈥檚 last season as a player was 1956, the same season a young Frank Robinson debuted with the Cincinnati Reds.

In 1972, the Reds played the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. By that point, Frank Robinson had been traded twice and spent the season playing for Jackie Robinson鈥檚 former team, the Dodgers.

During Game 2 of the series in Cincinnati, . During his speech accepting the honor, , an opportunity he never got despite his expressed desire to manage a team. Jackie Robinson died nine days after his speech鈥擮ct. 24, 1972鈥攏ever seeing Frank Robinson hired as the first Black player-manager two years later.

during the 1974 season after openly campaigning for the manager position with the Dodgers. Cleveland was the first American League team to sign a , and broke ground again 28 years later by hiring Robinson. He was the first player to win MVP in both the National and American League, but had a rocky tenure with the team, often being pushed to play when he wanted to focus on managing and . He did lead the team to its first winning record in eight years in 1976, the last season he played, before being fired during the following season.

Inclusive Sports Summit

We change the game: Embracing the value of inclusive sports and recreation

When: 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5

Where: Dal Ward Athletic Center and Main Student Recreation Center

During this summit participants will

• Identify challenges, opportunities and best practices for advancing diversity, equity and inclusion work as practitioners and supporters.
• Learn tangible takeaways to build bridges and build unity across similarities and differences.
• Build skills and practice techniques for addressing inequities to help increase student retention, engagement and success.
• Connect with departments and programs across campus that are available to support students, staff and faculty.

The Inclusive Sports Summit is free and open to faculty, staff, students and community members.

Robinson went on to manage the San Francisco Giants and his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, winning manager of the year in 1989. He was fired from the Orioles during the 1991 season鈥攖he year Major League Baseball had the highest percentage of African American players in the league, 18% of all players. The following season, to win a World Series.

Robinson continued to work in the league office after his time with the Orioles, returning to the dugout after being tapped by , which the league owned at the time. The team moved to Washington D.C. in 2005 and his final season as manager was the first season for the newly founded Washington Nationals.

Declining youth participation

The dearth of opportunities for African Americans to coach and assume leadership positions in sports is not new; however, baseball has seen the most precipitous drop in participation, .

Contributing to this drop is the lack of African Americans in leadership positions, with only two African American managers, , and one ). In spite of these paltry numbers, three of the last five World Series winners have been

The numbers are even worse in college baseball, with ; of these 26 managers, 17 were from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The lack of visible leadership affects scouting, mentorship and even participation when players cannot see a career in the sport they love if they do not make it to the major leagues.

The low numbers of African American athletes in the college pipeline to the major leagues is only one of the reasons for the continued decline of African Americans in professional baseball. Like many sports, the privatization of youth sports is forcing many lower- and even middle-income families to reconsider their . Local governments and schools have slashed recreation and athletic budgets, leading to more expensive sports like baseball to be cut, which in turn leads to a higher reliance on private leagues.

Many families ultimately balk at the cost of playing baseball, steering their children into more accessible sports as . The relatively low number of Division I 13 maximum scholarships across This also leads some families to encourage their children to focus on other sports to earn a college scholarship.

Even if amateur baseball players get drafted and signed, minor league salaries are so low that the same issues can arise that exist in youth baseball: players who cannot afford to remain in the sport. Minimum salaries are between just under , when minor league players unionized and negotiated a raise from a minimum salary between $4,800 and $17,500.

Salary expectations have led many scouts to focus on international players, particularly from Latin America, where teams will make verbal agreements with children as in spite of the fact that teams . MLB turns a blind eye to these agreements that often push children as young as 10 from countries like the Dominican Republic to leave school to pursue baseball. These players may be given performance-enhancing drugs to make them look more mature and artificially improve their athleticism. These players are ripe for exploitation, including lower salaries since they are beholden to Major League clubs with which they make these 鈥渉andshake鈥� deals鈥攚hile their families take out  loans based on future earnings, . 

Hope for long-term results

Economics and leadership are not the only factors in the decline of African Americans in professional baseball. The sport has declined as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 pastime鈥� for decades, and for many is considered less 鈥渃ool鈥� than sports due to its slower pace鈥攁s well as kids鈥� alternative activities in the summer months鈥攍eading to a drop in viewership, .

African Americans have also been historically discouraged from playing certain positions, particularly the on-field leadership positions of catcher and pitcher, the latter of which is the most visible position in the sport. has historically impacted all sports, including basketball ( and football due to discriminatory and false assumptions that African American players were not intelligent enough to play those positions. Basketball and football have seen dramatic shifts at these positions while baseball still sees limitations for

As with viewership, some of the issues pushing African Americans from baseball are emblematic of the decline in baseball鈥檚 overall popularity. However, there are some glimmers of hope for the future of African Americans in the sport. The House v. NCAA settlement will allow schools to increase the number of student athlete scholarships up to the roster limit, which is 34 in Division I鈥�

The opportunity to earn compensation directly from schools may also support continued involvement in the sport. Much like , however, revenue sharing will disproportionately go to the top-earning sports: .

Outside of the college ranks, MLB has been actively involved in a number of initiatives to try to increase participation among young players, including that was started in 1989 and is now sponsored by Nike. Players like Jimmy Rollins and recent Hall of Fame inductee C.C. Sabathia are both alumni of the program, but results have been less impactful in recent years with fewer alumni from the United States advancing to professional baseball. , a training academy focused on African American pitchers and catchers, in conjunction with USA Baseball during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. , named for the Hall of Fame player, is a round-robin tournament for HBCU baseball programs that runs every year at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Florida.

There is hope these efforts will yield long-term results and reverse the decline of African American players in baseball. The sport still needs to address its in the United States and the lack of African American mentors and leaders in the sport, but some of the structures are there to encourage a renaissance of great Black baseball figures 50 years after Frank Robinson broke the managerial glass ceiling.

Jared Bahir Browsh is an assistant teaching professor of critical sports studies in the 精品SM在线影片 Department of Ethnic Studies.

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Political science Professor Federiga Bindi says the new, Islamic rebel-led government is telling the West what it wants to hear but that the situation on the ground is concerning

In May, 精品SM在线影片 Department of Political Science professor and foreign policy expert  was asked to spearhead the creation of a conference sponsored by the  regarding the future of Syria. The Middle Eastern country had been mired in a grinding civil war for 13 years with no end in sight, and AFSC was concerned the world had largely forgotten about the conflict and its resulting humanitarian crisis.

By the time the two-day conference, titled Reframing the Conversation Around Syria in Europe, convened in early December at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, the  that had governed the country for more than 70 years collapsed spectacularly as Muslim rebels swept through the country and seized the capital of Damascus.

鈥淓verybody was surprised鈥攅ven that the rebel attack took place,鈥� says Bindi, noting the war had essentially settled into a stalemate for some time. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the interesting thing, because to prepare for this conference, I talked to a lot of experts. I went to Brussels several times鈥攁nd nobody expected something like this. So, everybody was taken by surprise, and everyone was surprised how quickly things happened.鈥�

In past years, the Assad regime had been able to successfully battle insurgents with support from Russia and Iran. However, with Russia bogged down in its war in Ukraine and Iran on the defensive after Israel鈥檚 attacks on it, as well as allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon鈥攆ollowing the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel鈥攖he situation on the ground in the Middle East is very different today, Bindi says.

鈥淎lso, there are indications that they (the rebels) were not alone鈥攖he U.S.,  Israel and Turkey directly or indirectly supported them, because Syria was an ally of Iran, and if you take away Syria as an ally of Iran, then Iran can鈥檛 resupply Hezbollah in Lebanon,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o, the change (in leadership in Syria) is bad for the Russians, but I think it鈥檚 even worse for Iran.鈥�

Meanwhile, Israel and Turkey can be considered the winners resulting from the outcome and the new major regional power in the Middle East, she adds.

What next for Syria?

At the December conference in Brussels, attendees鈥攊ncluding foreign policy experts and Syrian activists鈥攚ere 鈥渃learly happy that Assad was gone, but they were also very wary,鈥� Bindi says. 鈥淭heir first message was, 鈥榃e shouldn鈥檛 just say this is great, because we don鈥檛 know what happens next.鈥欌��

While many Syrians at home and abroad鈥攁nd many in the West鈥攈ope for peace and healing in Syria, Bindi says there are too many variables to know if that鈥檚 possible. One particular concern is whether the new government, composed of leaders from the Islamic rebel group Hay鈥檃t Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), will show tolerance for the country鈥檚 religious and ethnic minorities and support basic human rights.

While noting that , the charismatic leader of HTS, has swapped his combat fatigues for business suits, dropped his wartime pseudonym for his real name, and downplayed his past jihadist views for a more moderate form of Syrian nationalism in interviews with Western media, Bindi says the news that has been coming out of Syria is not encouraging.

鈥淭he way he (Sharaa) presents himself, dressed in a suit and speaking with western media, he鈥檚 been very conciliatory. For example, he just met with the custodian of religious sites in Jerusalem. He said, 鈥楥hristians are going to be allowed to live in peace. Don鈥檛 worry. I鈥檓 a big supporter of the Pope.鈥� So, the rhetoric is very conciliatory, very Western, but the acts are not. The little news we have out of Syria is that Alawi (members of a religious minority to which previous President  belongs and drew power from) have been beaten and even killed.鈥�

Separately, when the German foreign minister, who is a woman, recently visited Syria with a European delegation, HTS leaders declined to shake hands with her but did shake hands with male delegation members. Bindi says that could suggest HTS endorses strict Muslim prohibitions regarding interactions between men and women, in contrast with Syria鈥檚 recent past as a Muslim but largely secular country that allowed women many of the freedoms found in the West.

鈥淪o, that may suggest they (HTS) are not that liberal after all,鈥� she says. 鈥淎 former envoy to Syria, who I know very well, told me he鈥檚 convinced Syria is going to be a theocracy-style government like in Afghanistan.鈥�

Meanwhile, Bindi says rightwing leaders in Europe are using the change in leadership in Syria to say that the roughly 2 million Syrian refugees can safely return home, but it鈥檚 her view that 鈥淪yria is not safe by any means.鈥�

Foreign troops occupy Syria

Currently, several foreign governments have military troops occupying portions of Syria, and Bindi says the potential for clashes with Syrian forces and with each other remains ever-present, noting that those foreign powers have sometimes competing objectives. Israel has occupied the Golan Heights and nearby areas in Syria for what it says are security reasons, the United States has occupied portions of the country with the stated objective of fighting ISIS while also supporting the Kurds, and Turkish armed forces have occupied the northern portion of Syria to support rebel forces and to potentially combat what it calls Kurdish terrorists. Meanwhile, Russia, which maintained naval and air bases in Syria during Assad鈥檚 regime, still has some troops in the country.

鈥淎t the moment, there is no territorial integrity in Syria,鈥� Bindi says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see the Kurds giving up their territory in Syria. I don鈥檛 see the Turks giving up their territory. I don鈥檛 see the Russians leaving, if they can keep their bases. And I don鈥檛 see the Americans and the Israelis withdrawing. Nobody wants to give up their territories, so it鈥檚 a big mess.鈥�

The new leadership in Syria likely isn鈥檛 happy that portions of the country are occupied by foreign powers, but it鈥檚 not in a position to demand their withdrawal, and it may grudgingly accept the status quo if it is allowed to implement a theocracy, she says.

Given the situation in Syria today, it鈥檚 hard to predict what comes next, Bindi says. Still, one scenario that Bindi says is very unlikely is that Bashar Assad, who fled to Moscow as the rebels closed in on Damascus, will ever return to power.

鈥淚 think he鈥檚 gone, just like the Shah in Persia,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to have a golden exile in Russia, and that will be it. He should be happy he saved his skin, unlike Saddam Hussein (in Iraq) and unlike Muammar Gaddafi (in Libya).鈥�

The other scenario that Bindi finds very unlikely is that the United States and Europe will commit major military forces to Syria to attempt to promote nation-building and democracy, like they attempted with Iraq and Afghanistan.

鈥淭he strategy of exporting democracy to the Middle East has failed miserably, because our understanding of the region was faulty and the Middle East is such a kaleidoscopically complex region,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o, I don鈥檛 think we will put boots on the ground in Syria. That, I think, is fairly certain. The more plausible is that we just let them be, like we ultimately did in Afghanistan.鈥�

Risks remain for the West, as well as Syria

Bindi says such a scenario does not automatically mean that the risks to the West are minimized, however, with the new Republican U.S. administration and Congress.

鈥淭o be frank, the most important variable is what will happen in Washington, D.C., after Jan. 20. That鈥檚 the true reality,鈥� she says. 鈥淪yria is definitely not a priority for Trump, but the neighboring states are. The loss of (Assad) was a blow to Iran, and we know that for Trump, Iran is a foe, so what might the (new administration) allow Israel to do? I say that because Israel can only attack with the support of the U.S. It鈥檚 a very dangerous situation.鈥�

Meanwhile, with so much recent conflict in the Middle East, Bindi says she is concerned that people in the West have become numb to all the fighting.

鈥淚 think we鈥檝e gotten way too used to violence,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he images don鈥檛 touch us anymore. Kids die. We鈥檝e become accustomed to the horror. We鈥檝e lost our humanity, and I think that鈥檚 very scary.鈥�

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精品SM在线影片 economist Alessandro Peri makes the case that empowering the young can meaningfully affect climate policy and climate outcomes

The consensus opinion in previous research鈥攖hat future generations are the major beneficiaries of proactive climate policies鈥攖ends to emphasize the importance of intergenerational altruism. However, that perspective largely ignores the idea that selfish incentives of current young and old generations can be an important driver to undertake climate policy, says Alessandro Peri, assistant professor in the 精品SM在线影片 Department of Economics.

Recent studies indicate that peak global warming occurs within a decade of emissions. Thus, current climate policy could benefit young generations later in their lifetimes, says Peri, a macroeconomist whose research focus includes computational and environmental economics.

Meanwhile, climate policy may benefit the current old generations by reducing the damages associated with climate change and therefore increasing the value of their assets.

In the paper, recently published in the Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, Peri and his two co-authors advanced what they say is the first study to examine the direction and magnitude of the selfish incentives of young and old to undertake climate policy.

In the economic model Peri and his co-authors developed, the younger generation (ranging from infants to those aged 35) and the older generation are both part of solutions addressing the climate crisis. The older generation tends to control most of the world鈥檚 physical assets, such as factories, he notes.

鈥淲hat we found after we analyzed, theoretically and quantitively, this question of selfish incentives for climate policy is that incentives of the younger generation can be an important driver for climate policy to address the challenge of global warming,鈥� says Peri.

Abatement measures related to reduced carbon emissions can affect the asset owners鈥� wealth and, accordingly, the old generation鈥檚 selfish incentives to support or oppose climate policy, but the effect is quantitatively small. Hence, Peri says, the exhortation in the title: 鈥淓mpower the Young!鈥�

When climate policy is a win-win

To explore the selfish incentives for climate policy, the model Peri and his co-authors developed uses a two-generation overlapping generations model, rather than the more common infinitely lived agent model. Peri says the two-generation structure permits a clear distinction between the two types of self-interest: the younger generation鈥檚 concern for its future consumption and the older generation鈥檚 desire to protect its wealth.

For the incentives of the current young and old generations to undertake climate policy to be aligned (a win-win situation), climate policy must increase the value of the assets owned by the old generations.

鈥淭hink about it like if you own a house in front of a lake,鈥� Peri explains. 鈥淵ou don't really like the lake, but someone else decides to clean the lake. Well, the value of your house close to the lake is going to increase; you鈥檙e going to benefit indirectly from the cleaning of the environment on your wealth. The (increase) of this price allows the older generations to engage in climate policy and be happy about climate policy.鈥�

For this to happen, Peri and his co-authors created an economic model that uses endogenous asset prices, relaxing the assumption of fixed asset price adopted by most models in the climate literature.

As wealth is transferred from the older generation to the younger one, for the asset price to increase it has to be the case that current young generations want to save more.

鈥淭hey (the young) are willing to consume a little bit less today and save for tomorrow, so that they can consume more tomorrow,鈥� as a result of climate policy, Peri says. 鈥淎nd what we show is that for that to happen, it means the young have to have a high elasticity of intertemporal substitution, which is just a fancy way of saying that they are willing to transfer more consumption from today to tomorrow鈥� as a result of the effect of climate policy on the value of consumption over time.

Still, based upon the results of computational research done for the research paper, Peri says he and his co-authors determined that selfish incentives for the younger generation proved more quantitatively important for climate policy than those of the old generation.

Goal to spur further research and discussions

Peri says he hopes the economic model for addressing climate change that he and his co-authors created will complement existing research on economic policy related to climate change, including those that rely on altruistic motivations. He says he does not expect lawmakers to adopt the model as policy, but he hopes the paper will spur further research by economists and prompt discussions among policymakers.

Discussions about combatting climate change are particularly timely now, Peri says, given that in 2024 the temperature of the earth reached 鈥攂efore heat-trapping fossil fuels began accumulating in the atmosphere. The Paris Climate Accords, signed by representatives for numerous countries in 2016, aims to keep warming below that level when looking over multiple years.

鈥淭his is the great challenge we are facing nowadays, with the announcement in 2024 that we reached 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times. So, it鈥檚 been the hottest year that we鈥檝e observed since the pre-industrial era,鈥� Peri says. 鈥淲ith the new evidence that has shown that emissions today will have an impact in our lifetime in terms of global warming, we wanted to add our new part 鈥� looking at how selfish incentives can help mitigate this great human challenge.鈥�

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The success of simulcasts means that fans can expect to see more creative takes on traditional sports, including SpongeBob SquarePants calling Saturday鈥檚 NFL Wild Card game

As the final seconds of Super Bowl LVIII ticked off, according to social media, the biggest star was not MVP Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce or even Taylor Swift; it was a sea sponge and his starfish best friend. l starring SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star as commentators was a huge hit, with on-field graphics and animations featuring Nickelodeon stars and, of course, slime.

This was not the first time a media conglomerate aired or streamed a simulcast as a companion to its main broadcast to attract more fans. ESPN鈥檚 first basic simulcast was in 1987 after the network gained partial rights to the NFL鈥攖he first cable network to air the NFL鈥攁greeing to simulcast the game on . When ESPN2 launched in October 1993, it offered a second ESPN network to sports fans and within a year ran its first alternative broadcast, bringing in-car views to .

Jared Bahir Browsh is the Critical Sports Studies program director in the 精品SM在线影片 Department of Ethnic Studies.

In 2006, the network created later renamed the Megacast, leveraging the popular basketball rivalry between Duke University and the University of North Carolina to offer local broadcasts and alternative camera views for the game. The previous year, ESPN had launched its college-focused ESPNU and ESPN360, its broadband broadcast service, and used these newer platforms along with its .

ESPN offered statistics and other data on its high-definition networks, which were still separate from the standard-definition networks, and even offered polling through ESPN mobile before social media exploded.

These simulcasts and 鈥淢egacasts鈥� aimed to give dedicated fans a more in-depth look at the game or event that was being broadcast. At the same time, leagues and sports broadcasters were looking for different ways to attract young and casual fans who enjoyed sports but were not the obsessive fans at which these Megacasts were targeted.

Courting younger fans

For a long time, leagues took young fans for granted, In today's expanding media environment, young and casual fans have infinite options for entertainment, so leagues and their broadcasting partners have had to strategize new ways to attract new audiences.

One of these efforts debuted in 1973: Peter Puck, an anthropomorphic hockey puck created by NBC executive Donald Carswell and animated by Hanna Barbera. NBC had just obtained the rights to the NHL, which was struggling to grow its audience in the United States. Carswell thought Peter would be a great way to teach U.S. audiences the rules of professional hockey through three-minute shorts between periods. Although NBC stopped airing the NHL in 1975,

The 1980s brought a sea change for sports as cable and improved marketing began to create the enormous sports media environment we experience today. As networks competed for viewers, sports became a reliable form of entertainment to attract audiences who had more choices than ever. As football continued to dominate the sports landscape, buffered by the 1984 Supreme Court decision to allow college football broadcasting to , other leagues strategized to draw fans to television, stadiums and arenas.

Throughout the 1970s, teams had built larger stadiums and debuted mascots like the to entertain fans. The following decade, as the NBA struggled to find a broadcaster to air its championship games live, David Stern鈥攚ho took over the league as commissioner in 1984鈥� the NBA experience, making attending games more family friendly with more timeout and halftime entertainment.

It just so happened that same year that the most marketable athlete of all time came into the league. Michael Jordan was not only a boon for adult basketball fans, but also kids who wanted to In 1992, Jordan co-starred with Bugs Bunny in the Nike advertising campaign He retired the next year to play baseball before returning to the NBA in March 1995. The following summer, Bugs and Jordan reunited to film which grossed more than a quarter of a billion dollars after it premiered early into the NBA season in November 1996.

As a part of this effort to draw new fans, leagues also produced shows aimed at younger fans like which debuted in 1980 and featured MLB players and managers teaching baseball fundamentals. Ten years later, 鈥�premiered on NBC鈥檚 Saturday morning schedule, joining a growing sports media industry aimed at kids that included publications like Sports Illustrated for Kids and video games like the Madden, FIFA and NBA 2k series, among the most popular video game series of all time.

Primetime slimetime

The consolidation of the U.S. media system throughout the 1980s and 1990s led to massive media conglomerates. Unsurprisingly, NBC held the network broadcast rights for the NBA when 鈥淣BA Inside Stuff鈥� aired. As broadcast and cable networks came under the same corporate umbrella as film and animation studios, new opportunities for cross promotion emerged. Disney bought ESPN and opened the , named after the anthology series that aired under one of their other subsidiaries, ABC, from 1961 until 1997     . Disney also founded an NHL team, , in 1993鈥攏amed after the popular 1992 kids hockey movie鈥攁nd in 1996 debuted 鈥� on ABC, which featured anthropomorphic hockey playing superhero ducks.

The success of Space Jam and the continued media conglomeration strengthened the relationship between animation and sports. NASCAR rights holder FOX debuted an animated action series featuring NASCAR branding, a day before the 1999 race season finale. Cartoon Network aired the marathon in 2003, featuring interstitial interviews with NBA players in the lead-up to the All-Star Game, which aired the evening of the game on TNT (both networks were owned by Warner subsidiary Turner).

In 2016, appeared on the Cartoon Network series the same night as a TNT basketball doubleheader and a few days before the All-Star Game. Later, the of the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest in the lead-up to the NBA All-Star Game airing on TNT.

Although these series and specials expanded the visibility of league branding and special events, the engagement with actual games was limited. When Viacom and CBS merged again in 2019, after splitting 14 years earlier, they began strengthening the relationship between former Viacom network . They began featuring Nickelodeon content on CBS All-Access, now Paramount+, and in 2021 Nickelodeon aired an between the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints featuring Nickelodeon live-action and animated stars joining the real-time NFL broadcast with alternate announcers Nate Burleson and Noah Eagle. Current Denver Broncos coach , similar to the traditional Gatorade shower.

The following season, premiered on Nickelodeon, a highlight show hosted by Burleson that strengthened the relationship between the NFL and Nickelodeon. This relationship exploded during last years鈥� Super Bowl as the Nickelodeon simulcast on the cable network and Paramount+ was credited for a growth in game viewership, especially among younger and casual fans who appreciated the

A pineapple under the arena

As media conglomerates continue to leverage sports rights to attract audiences and increase subscriptions to their streaming services, they have also leaned into the popularity鈥攁nd meme-making possibilities鈥攐f these simulcasts. Several months after the Nickelodeon simulcast of the Wild Card Playoff, Disney leveraged its Marvel Cinematic Universe to produce a simulcast, on ESPN2 and its streaming service, which was similar to the Wild Card game on Nickelodeon and featured special graphics and superhero-themed content related to the real-time NBA games between the Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans. the company behind augmented games like the Arena of Heroes simulcast, extended their contract in the summer of 2024.

In 2023, Disney aired its own fully animated simulcasts with the NHL broadcast in March and the Toy Story-themed NFL game in September. Both regular-season games included a rendering of the real-time broadcasts featuring stars from its animated franchises. Disney followed this up in December 2024 with another featuring 鈥淭he Simpsons鈥� and the Christmas Day animated simulcast featuring classic characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. In between these two games, NBC鈥檚 Peacock service offered an alternate stream of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans featuring graphics from the

As SpongeBob and Patrick prepare to announce the Nickelodeon simulcast of the 2025 NFL Wild Card game between the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers Saturday, fans should be prepared for more of these simulcasts as networks and streaming services try to market these games to young and casual fans, boosted by social media memes like   and .

Jared Bahir Browsh is an assistant teaching professor of critical sports studies in the 精品SM在线影片 Department of Ethnic Studies.

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精品SM在线影片 anthropologist says 鈥楲ucy鈥� is pivotal to the science of human origins a half-century after her discovery

A half-century after her discovery in Ethiopia, the 3.2-million-year-old hominin popularly known as 鈥淟ucy鈥� remains a critical touchstone in humanity鈥檚 understanding of its origins.

Officially labeled A.L.288-1, Lucy extended humanity鈥檚 ancient history by almost a million years, and she remains a standard to which decades of discoveries have been compared.

鈥淟ucy is instantly recognizable in a world awash in fossils,鈥� says Matt Sponheimer, a 精品SM在线影片 professor of anthropology whose research focuses on the ecology of early hominins from the African continent. 鈥淪he is in many ways a touchstone.鈥�

American anthropologist Donald Johanson first noticed what appeared to be a human-like elbow while out looking for fossils with a graduate student on Nov. 24, 1974, at Afar, Ethiopia, and soon spied multiple fragments nearby. He and his team eventually unearthed 47 remarkably well-preserved bones鈥攁bout 40% of a complete skeleton鈥攊ncluding skull fragments, a mandible with teeth, ribs and pieces of an arm, leg, pelvis and spine.

Lucy was eventually revealed to be an early hominin鈥攁 member of a hominid subfamily that includes humans, chimps and bonobos鈥攚ith a brain about one-third to one-fourth the size of modern humans who walked upright. Research suggests that Lucy鈥檚 kind thrived in a wide range of ecosystems, from woodlands to grasslands and riverine forests.

Sharing characteristics of both Australopithecus africanus, a previously discovered hominin from South Africa, and chimpanzees, Lucy was assigned to a new species, Australopithecus afarensis.

Lucy's well-preserved skeleton, comprising about 40% of her body, provided unprecedented insights into early hominin anatomy.

A singular discovery

When Lucy was discovered, she was 鈥渟ingular,鈥� Sponheimer says. But subsequent research has uncovered hundreds of fossils from Australopithecus afarensis as well as other distinct hominin species and footprints of bipedal hominins preserved in volcanic ash.

Despite fifty years of major discoveries, anthropological consensus still considers Lucy a likely ancestor to modern humans. 

Beyond her monumental significance to the scientific understanding of human origins, Lucy has played a key role in educating people about evolution and anthropology.

Her fame and wide recognition have helped spur generations of children鈥檚 and students鈥� interest in the field.  Johanson鈥檚 best-selling 1981 book, , is still widely read by popular audiences.

鈥淎 huge number of anthropologists were inspired by that book,鈥� Sponheimer says. 鈥淲hen I read it, I remember thinking, 鈥榃ow, this is the kind of thing I would like to pursue.鈥欌��

Years later, he considers not just anthropology but also research in the broader humanities, arts and sciences to be critical to human knowledge and flourishing. He cautions against the unforeseen consequences of American culture鈥檚 gradual shift to a more instrumental, economic view of the world.

鈥淓xploring is part of what it means to be human. What鈥檚 more human than experiencing wonder and trying to understand the world around us? Tens of thousands of years of archaeology teaches us that. Channeling exploration into a narrow economic field of vision misses the point, I think, and is ultimately self-defeating on the economic front,鈥� he says.

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精品SM在线影片 researcher Lori Peek emphasizes that the impact of natural disasters can be multiplicative

Six-year-old Samantha鈥檚 new ballet slippers, ready for her first dance class, sat untouched as Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans in 2005. Five years later, another disaster鈥攖he Deepwater Horizon oil spill鈥攃ompounded her family鈥檚 challenges.

鈥淟osing everything and having to start over, that has happened to me so many times, it just feels like I lost my childhood,鈥� she reflected when talking with Lori Peek, 精品SM在线影片 Department of Sociology professor.

Stories like Samantha鈥檚 illuminate a deeper truth: The harm caused by disasters doesn鈥檛 fade when the news cycle moves on. Hers is one of many stories Peek has heard while conducting research for more than a decade in the Gulf Coast region.

Peek, who also serves as director of 精品SM在线影片鈥檚 , has dedicated her career to understanding how disasters shape the lives of children and families.

Out of the spotlight, families across the country are fighting against systemic challenges, emotional tolls and inadequate support to get their lives back on track. Peek鈥檚 research focuses not just on immediate devastation, but also on the long road to recovery that so many disaster survivors must travel.

The compounding effects of disaster

Most natural hazards leave visible scars when they sweep across a landscape鈥攆looded homes, shattered schools and shuttered businesses. Peek鈥檚 ethnographic approach reveals the experiences of people and the hidden struggles they face while navigating the aftermath of major disasters.

Her long-term, collaborative research along the Gulf Coast, recently highlighted in a Journal of Child and Family Studies article titled 鈥�,鈥� underscores how compounded disasters can upend entire communities for decades.

鈥淥ne disaster can obviously wreak havoc on a young person鈥檚 life,鈥� Peek explains. 鈥淏ut now we are living in an age of extremes, where families and communities may be affected by multiple disasters in a relatively short period.

鈥淭he impact of these events isn鈥檛 additive鈥攊t鈥檚 multiplicative.鈥�

Peek鈥檚 longitudinal study of Gulf Coast children illustrated this phenomenon. After , countless families were just beginning to rebuild their lives when the Deepwater Horizon spill once again devastated local economies and ecosystems.

Children like Samantha, Peek notes, are particularly vulnerable in such contexts. They absorb not only the immediate chaos of a disaster but also the long-term stress of financial insecurity, familial upheaval, displacement and disrupted support systems.

Peek and her co-authors use the term 鈥渢oxic stress鈥� to describe this chronic strain. Its effects can lead to serious health and developmental challenges that persist for years鈥攐r a lifetime.

Samantha鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 isolated. Rather, it鈥檚 one of many narratives underscoring the profound sense of loss that lingers long after the immediate crisis concludes.

Peek believes these stories must be heard and addressed if communities and families are to build resilience against future disasters.

鈥淯ntil relatively recently, the recovery phase of disaster was the most understudied,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat started to change after Katrina. But now we are in a new era, where disasters are becoming more severe and intense, and communities are being hit more often.鈥�

This not only makes studying disasters more complicated, but it also can lead to recovery resources being averted just when they are needed most, she adds.

The role of support systems

Peek鈥檚 research emphasizes that recovering from a disaster cannot be an individual journey. Robust support systems are necessary. 

鈥淔or children to recover from disasters, they need support from their family members, peers, teachers and broader community. Strong institutions鈥攕uch as stable housing, quality health care and safe schools鈥攁re equally crucial,鈥� she says.

Yet many children lack these foundational supports even before disaster strikes, Peek notes. When a catastrophe does occur, it magnifies pre-existing inequalities, and vulnerable families often find themselves in even more precarious situations.

On the bright side, Peek says, 鈥渄isasters can be catalysts for change. But only if recovery funding is targeted toward the people and places that need it most.鈥�

A call to action

Peek鈥檚 findings highlight the imperative to ensure that recovery efforts reduce inequalities both before and after disasters occur. She co-created a Gulf Coast-based youth empowerment program called that was designed to make such fundamental changes in the lives of youth and their communities.

By bringing together policymakers, educators and community leaders, Peek aims to create frameworks that protect communities before the next disaster strikes.

She also emphasizes the importance of not just studying disaster recovery but acting before communities are devastated by the next hurricane, flood or wildfire. To achieve this, Peek advocates for policies that prioritize equity and resilience, emphasizing the need for long-term planning and cross-sector collaboration.

"One disaster can obviously wreak havoc on a young person鈥檚 life. But now we are living in an age of extremes, where families and communities may be affected by multiple disasters in a relatively short period."

鈥淩ecovery frameworks are still designed as if a single disaster is affecting a place, and as if recovery is occurring in a neat, stepwise fashion. That鈥檚 simply not the reality.鈥� 

Through her work, Peek hopes to reshape how communities and policymakers approach disaster recovery. As Samantha鈥檚 story reminds us, disasters leave marks that linger far beyond the headlines. The disruption of her childhood dreams reveals a profound need for systems that protect society鈥檚 most vulnerable.

With the right support, Peek notes, children like Samantha can regain their footing and even thrive in the aftermath of disaster.

Peek鈥檚 vision for the future鈥攐ne where no child鈥檚 dreams are washed away by hurricanes or tarnished by oil spills鈥� enters on resilient communities safeguarded by robust support systems and programs that address systemic issues rooted in poverty and racial inequality.

鈥淚f we can use the small windows for change opened by disasters to make progress in reducing鈥攔ather than exacerbating鈥攊nequality and suffering, that would be a real win for current and future generations.鈥�

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精品SM在线影片 anthropology PhD candidate Sabrina Bradford has been learning what鈥檚 on the menu for grizzlies in Montana

If you鈥檙e ever heading to Montana鈥檚 backcountry, you鈥檇 be hard pressed to find a better guide than Sabrina Bradford, a 精品SM在线影片 PhD candidate in biological anthropology.

Bradford has spent more than a decade in the area鈥檚 countryside, mostly on horseback, studying conflict between humans and wildlife, social-ecological systems, livestock damage and the grizzly-bear diet.

Lately she鈥檚 been getting noticed for that last item.

Anthropology PhD candidate Sabrina Bradford (left) wrote Grizzly Bear Foods: Reference Guide to the Plants, Animals, and Fungi in the Montana Grizzly Bear's Diet, published by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

This fall, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks published her new 100-page book, , which will be part of the state鈥檚 鈥渂ear aware鈥� education program for the public in 2025.

鈥淚 saw a lot about how grizzlies used the landscape,鈥� says Bradford, who sometimes has ridden 20 miles a day in the backcountry doing research and working as a guide and bear education specialist. 鈥淚 took plenty of photos of grizzly bear signs鈥�areas where it looked like a tiller had rolled through the soil, over rocks and torn up trees. I wanted people to be able to see the landscape similar to the way I did. It鈥檚 really important to me that the public understands what bears are actually doing on the landscape.鈥�

Of course, that landscape is a massive buffet for grizzlies, whose four food groups are plants, animals, fungi and trash from humans. A few specific examples of their diet: grasses, shrubs, seeds and fruits of trees, mushrooms, ducks, bird eggs, trout, salmon, squirrels, beaver, moose, bison, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, ants, termites and bees.

Bradford, who graduates this month, says grizzlies serve an important role as seed dispersers within the ecosystem there, and many of the shrubs grizzlies eat produce berries (e.g. huckleberry, raspberry, serviceberry, grouse whortleberry, buffaloberry) that are dispersed via scat.

鈥楶retty cool animals鈥�

鈥淏ears are pretty cool animals,鈥� Bradford says. 鈥淭hey have incredible spatiotemporal memory [they can recall where and when food was presented], and they use social learning. Mom teaches her cubs food acquisition strategies. This is key for people to understand, those who question why cubs were removed from an area as well as when the mother is removed for dumpster diving. She鈥檚 just teaching her cubs how to access a reliable food resource.鈥�

Bears are also not above stealing other animals鈥� food stash, an activity called kleptoparasitism.

Grizzly bears sometimes steal other animals' food stashes, an act called kleptoparasitism. (Photo: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks)

鈥淧eople who hike in grizzly country with their dogs off the leash say their dog will protect them. That doesn鈥檛 really work,鈥� Bradford explains. 鈥淜leptoparasitism is one of the food-source acquisition strategies grizzlies use, and they鈥檒l steal food from packs of wolves. Wolves will yield to grizzly bears, and your dog is nowhere near as tough as a pack of wolves.鈥�

Bradford says while she鈥檚 seen many grizzlies, she鈥檚 never had to use her bear spray. Her advice to avoid attacks: 鈥淩ealize that the human voice is the most powerful deterrent out there, not radios or bear bells. Talk loud in areas of low visibility so the bears can hear you coming. It鈥檚 critical to understand that you shouldn鈥檛 surprise a bear, that they鈥檒l do anything to protect their cubs. And be aware of magpies or ravens in the forest because they鈥檙e a sign you might be hiking up on a carcass.鈥�

And while grizzlies鈥� sense of hearing is strong, their sense of smell is astounding. 鈥淭he size of the olfactory bulb, the part of the brain that processes scent information in grizzlies, is more than five times larger than humans鈥� olfactory bulb.鈥� She advises people to sleep in clothes they haven鈥檛 cooked in: 鈥淛ust because you can鈥檛 smell food on your clothes doesn鈥檛 mean bears can鈥檛.鈥�

Bradford adds that there is a common misunderstanding that grizzlies are looking to wipe out the first person they see and that livestock producers want to kill all grizzlies.

鈥淭hat isn鈥檛 true,鈥� she says. 鈥淵es, livestock loss to grizzlies does occur, but ranchers I interviewed said over 80% of the grizzlies out there never cause any trouble. And other ranchers reported that it鈥檚 common to see grizzlies grazing grass in the same fields that the cattle use.鈥�

She recalls one rancher telling her, 鈥溾�橶ildlife is embedded deep in our traditions. We don't hate grizzly bears; they're amazing animals. I don't want to give up all I have to the grizzly bear but I'm willing to share it.鈥欌�� 

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In a newly published book, 精品SM在线影片 Professor Reiland Rabaka delves into the culture and sound of music鈥檚 鈥榖est-kept secret鈥�

Barely two months into the 鈥�70s, Funkadelic鈥攍ed by George Clinton, Jr.鈥攔eleased something of a musical manifesto with the song 鈥淕ood Old Music鈥�:

Everybody鈥檚 gettin鈥� funky

In the days when the funk was gone

I recall not long ago

When the funk it was goin鈥� strong.

精品SM在线影片 Professor Reiland Rabaka (left) recently published The Funk Movement: Music, Culture, and Politics.

In hindsight, the lyrics hint not only at funk鈥檚 musical and cultural impact, but at the forgotten shadows in which funk has often lived.

鈥淥ne of the many reasons funk frequently is not understood to be funk has to do with its ghettoization within the music industry and White music critics鈥� tendency to lazily lump most post-1945 Black popular music under the 鈥榬hythm & blues鈥� moniker,鈥� writes musicologist Reiland Rabaka.

鈥淚n other words, because White music critics often serve as musical gatekeepers for White music fans, telling them what is 鈥榟ip鈥� and 鈥榟ot鈥� and what is not, most White folks never developed an ear for, or serious appreciation of, classic funk in the ways they did for pre-funk Black popular music such as blues, jazz, rhythm & blues or even soul music.鈥�

Rabaka, a 精品SM在线影片 professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies and director of the Center for African and African American Studies, aims a scholar鈥檚 eye at funk in his newly published book The Funk Movement: Music, Culture, and Politics. Originally scheduled for 2025 release, a deluge of pre-orders prompted publisher Routledge to release it in late October.

鈥�(Funk is) this musical gumbo, where you鈥檝e got all these different kinds of music and not just distinctly Black music,鈥� Rabaka explains. 鈥淎frican American culture is a hybrid heritage鈥攚e鈥檙e talking about an incredibly creolized culture, and as Black folk in America, we鈥檙e not searching for some sort of purity. Music reflects our multiple traditions and heritages and also allows us to live out loud. The musical audacity in funk, even if it鈥檚 just for three minutes and 30 seconds, when Parliament Funkaldelic says dance without constrictions, we鈥檙e dancing without constrictions.鈥�

No rap without funk

The Funk Movement joins Black Power Music! Protest Songs, Message Music, and the Black Power Movement, released in 2022, and Black Women's Liberation Movement Music: Soul Sisters, Black Feminist Funksters, and Afro-Disco Divas, released in 2023, in Rabaka鈥檚 ongoing exploration of the confluences of music, culture, identity, politics, place and people.

"It鈥檚 not a coincidence that James Brown comes out and says, 鈥楽ay it out loud, I鈥檓 Black and I鈥檓 proud鈥� after Martin Luther King was assassinated,鈥� says Reiland Rabaka. (Photo: James Brown performing in the Musikhalle in Hamburg, Germany, February 1973. Heinrich Klaffs/WikiCommons)

He comes to this work not only as a scholar, but as a musician: 鈥淚 was the kid from the projects who got bussed to these incredible creative arts schools,鈥� he says. 鈥淔rom there, I was able to get a truckload of music scholarships, which is how I became the first person in my family to go to college.

鈥淚 really feel like my musicology is coming full circle, coming back to where I started. I was a performing jazz musician and have a performing arts degree, so in a way I鈥檓 what social scientists call a participant researcher鈥擨鈥檓 deeply involved in a lot of the music I write about. It lends my work a kind of insider鈥檚 knowledge, a kind of intimacy with my subject. I鈥檓 not just somebody writing to achieve tenure; these are passion projects to me.鈥�

Rabaka came to funk not only loving the music but fascinated by its place at the nexus of the women鈥檚 liberation movement, the sexual revolution, the Black power movement, the evolving civil rights and gay rights movements and all the other political and social upheavals of the 1970s. However, he acknowledges in his book that funk鈥攂oth the music and the culture鈥攊s often subsumed into musical movements that are more broadly familiar to non-Black audiences.

鈥淢ost funk, both as a genre of music and a cultural movement, has not resonated with non-Black fans of Black popular music the way a lot of pre-funk Black popular music has,鈥� Rabaka writes. 鈥淚t is like funk is one of the best kept secrets of Black popular music, even though it, more than any other post-war Black popular music genre, laid the foundation for the mercurial rise of rap music and hip-hop culture in the 1980s and 1990s.鈥�

In other words, Rabaka says, 鈥渢here鈥檚 no rap, no hip-hop, without funk.鈥�

Reiland Rabaka鈥檚 book Black Women's Liberation Movement Music: Soul Sisters, Black Feminist Funksters, and Afro-Disco Divas was recently named Best History in the category Best Historical Research in Recorded Blues, R&B, Gospel, Hip Hop or Soul Music in the 2024

The goal of the ARSC Awards Program, according to the organization, 鈥渋s to recognize and draw attention to the finest work now being published in the field of recorded sound research.鈥�

In the book, Rabaka, a professor in the University of Colorado Department of Ethnic Studies, critically explores the ways the soundtracks of the Black Women鈥檚 Liberation Movement often overlapped with those of other 1960s and 1970s social, political and cultural movements, such as the Black Power Movement, Women鈥檚 Liberation Movement and sexual revolution. His research reveals that 鈥渕uch of the soul, funk and disco performed by Black women was most often the very popular music of a very unpopular and unsung movement: The Black Women鈥檚 Liberation Movement.鈥�

Rabaka and his fellow award winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony during ARSC鈥檚 annual conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in May.

Say it out loud

However, funk鈥攍ike the broader umbrella of 鈥渁rt鈥� under which it lives鈥攃an be difficult to define; listeners know it when they hear it. And it鈥檚 more than music: 鈥淚t鈥檚 the sound and the aesthetics of Black bohemia,鈥� Rabaka says.

In his book, Rabaka approaches the funk movement as it encapsulates both the music and the culture of funk, focusing on the golden age of funk that鈥檚 generally categorized between 1965 and 1979. He notes that while funk is often dismissed as simple party music, it addressed and embodied the upheaval and frustrations of the times in which it was born.

鈥淭o adequately interpret funk, one needs to understand key moments in African American history and culture, especially the struggle to end racial segregation that culminated in the 1960s and the beginning (and unfulfilled promises) of the era of racial integration in the 1970s,鈥� Rabaka writes.

鈥淔unk can be interpreted as 鈥榓 discourse of social protest鈥� and 鈥榯he critical voice of a post-Civil Rights Movement counterculture鈥� that challenged mainstream histories that attempt to nicely and neatly paint the 1960s as the decade of racial segregation and the 1970s as the decade of racial integration, 鈥榚qual opportunity,鈥� and 鈥榰biquitous optimism.鈥欌��

When Marvin Gaye asked 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Going On,鈥� Rabaka says, Sly Stone answered several months later with 鈥淭here鈥檚 a Riot Goin鈥� On.鈥�

鈥淚n the book I say it鈥檚 not a coincidence that James Brown comes out and says, 鈥楽ay it out loud, I鈥檓 Black and I鈥檓 proud鈥� after Martin Luther King was assassinated,鈥� Rabaka says. 鈥淭here was mass disillusionment, mass depression, so funk is also a deeper and darker sound, a grittier sound. It exists in a lot of levels, where it can be good-time music, sure, but sometimes there are a lot of heavier topics and themes that go on in funk.鈥�

Rabaka is particularly fascinated with the women of funk and is already working on a book that brings them out of the shadows.

鈥淔unk, I argue, was a Black popular music response to the hippie movement, to the women鈥檚 movement, to Stonewall even,鈥� Rabaka says. 鈥淏lack America has a way of refracting things that are going on in mainstream America, saying, 鈥楬ow does that speak to us?鈥欌��

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