What’s your name, current standing and research focus?
My name is Mumia Abu-Jamal, and I'm a current student in UCSC's Ph.D. program in the History of Consciousness department.
What interests me is social movements, among them Black religious movements, which, at the grassroots level, are expressed in a myriad of ways. What are the commonalities between them? What are the discrete differences -- and why? I'm reading broadly now, and deciding what will be useful in these areas of inquiry.
How did you hear about Histcon and what made you apply and decide to attend?
I think I've probably read about this in bios/blurbs re: Dr. Angela Y. Davis, as a professor of HistCon. What really struck me was the doctoral work of the late Dr. Huey P. Newton, the dissertation of which was published as “War Against the Panthers”. His work opened the door of the possible. But a friend of mine, Dr. Johanna Fernandez, Ph.D (award-winning historian) actually urged me to put in the application to the program.
I couldn't be more thrilled to approach this work here at HistCon. It truly is the challenge
of a lifetime.
What are you working on now?
After so many published works (about a dozen books), I'm never far from a book's conception. Recently, I've been working on a book about .....'Love'. Even such an idea seems great fun!
Other than that, I write/orate commentaries roughly on a weekly basis.
When you’re not hard at work in the HISC program, how do you like to spend your time?
When you’re not hard at work in the HISC program, how do you like to spend your time?
Time? "Time?" -- "What's that?” (: D. (Joking...). I really like to read stuff that teaches me stuff. A good book is of inestimable value. To relax and feel human, I paint (cards for family members). When I really wanna boogie, I do music.
