Global American South

The Global American South project explores the changing face of the southern United States and its interaction with the rest of the world. It builds upon UNC's long tradition of being the intellectual center for the study of the American South.

Launched with grants from the Rockefeller and the Mellon foundations in the 1990s, this project explores economic restructuring, demographic shifts, political trends and cultural dynamics that pose both challenges and opportunities to the American South.  The project draws in a diverse group of scholars, policy makers, practitioners, community and corporate leaders.

Among the major activities that have emerged from the Global American South project are:

Navigating the Global American South is an annual conference, and you can view its 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 programs.  In 2009, it will explore the Global American South through films, animations, video shorts, music, documentaries, visualizations, website projects, photography and other multi-media forms.

Going to Carolina del Norte presents the stories of Mexican immigrants living in Orange County, North Carolina and their families who remain in Celaya, Guanajuato.

Carolina Navigators is an outreach program that provides global presentations to K-12 classrooms.  Last year, 71 UNC students made 351 presentations to 9,963 K-12 students in 60 schools and 13 counties across North Carolina.

Scholars’ Latino Initiative is an academic mentoring program between UNC students and selected Latino high school students who demonstrate promise, determination, discipline, and need.

Esse Quam Videri is a response to the stereotyping of Muslims by artist Todd Drake who has been working with Muslims in North Carolina to create self-portraits that share real, rather than seeming, reflections of self to a wider audience.

The Handbook is a CD resource for educators who work with children of Mexican origin. It describes the Mexican educational system, the geography and history of Mexico, and cultural differences between Mexico and the United States.

A Student Research Circle is studying global and local refugee issues while another circle is providing health care to immigrants in our community.

A Faculty Working Group is focusing on economic development, another is pursuing exploring the Global American South through the humanities, and a third group is researching the 287g program.

The Latino Migration Project is a collaboration between the Institute for the Study of the Americas and the Center for Global Initiatives, recognizes the need to understand the impact and implications of the expanding Latin American presence in our state and region.

For more information on any aspect of the Global American South project, please contact globalsouth@unc.edu.