Historical and contemporary issues of race, ethnicity and migration are the topics of a three-day University conference that kicked off Thursday.
Hosted by the University’s Immigration History Research Center, the conference will explore the topics through social, legal, medical and economical lenses.
The conference attempts to serve as a networking channel for graduate students and scholars to exchange ideas and research, said Rudy Vecoli, the center’s director.
“To understand what America has been about and is about, one needs to take into account the repeated influx of new people who have different cultures, different backgrounds and different ways of life,” Vecoli said.
Thursday’s opening session on the impact of Latino immigration presented by Washington Post writer Roberto Suro served as the highlight.
More than 200 people are expected to attend the conference, titled “Race, Ethnicity, and Migration: The United States in a Global Context,” at the Minneapolis Holiday Inn Metrodome. Some events will also be held at the University’s Andersen Library.
Although most of the conference highlights University research, it will also offer speakers from 10 different countries, including Germany, Ireland, Mexico and Greece.
The University’s center for research on immigration history has held short seminars for three years leading up to the conference.
Humphrey Institute faculty member Kathleen Fennelly emphasized the need for research and discussion on the topic.
“We could have a conference like this every month for 10 years and never cover the breadth of research and discussion that’s needed,” Fennelly said.

Fabiana Torreao welcomes comments at [email protected]