King Hall Launches Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies

UC Davis School of Law has launched the Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies, a new initiative that will serve to focus and connect the work of faculty and students at the School of Law and across the UC Davis campus in the areas of critical race and nation studies and honor the life and work of the late Professor Keith Aoki.  The Center was formally introduced at a special reception on October 7 at King Hall.

Professor Keith Aoki died at the age of 55 on April 26, 2011 following a prolonged illness. A brilliant scholar, devoted teacher, and beloved colleague, Professor Aoki had a lasting, positive impact on faculty and students at the School of Law and beyond. He was an accomplished and respected scholar who used words, art, music, and engagement to create a significant body of work in civil rights, critical race theory, intellectual property, and local government law. Although he contributed to scholarship in many fields, his work connecting critical theory, race, and immigration issues was close to his heart.

The Aoki Center will sponsor programs at King Hall and across the UC Davis campus that highlight critical scholarship, connecting faculty who conduct critical scholarship on issues involving race, immigration, and/or nation with one another and with interested students.  The Aoki Center also will foster student excellence in critical race theory with initiatives that connect learned theory to practice, improving the lives of subordinated groups. Finally, the Aoki Center will serve the pedagogical mission of the School of Law with initiatives that enrich the student experience, including presentations, panels, and discussions.

Faculty affiliates of the Aoki Center include Law School Dean Kevin R. Johnson and Professors Angela Harris (chair), Gabriel "Jack" Chin, Lisa Ikemoto, Leticia Saucedo, and Rose Cuison Villlazor.

Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies

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