FRANK Talks

Faith in the Borderlands: Immigration and Religion in Arizona Dr. Leah Sarat, Arizona State University, Associate Professor, School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies Many immigrants facing the challenges and risks involved in traveling to and settling within the United States turn to religious beliefs and practices for strength, empowerment, and to establish a sense […]

Is This Racist? Racial Literacy and Social Media Dr. Kathy Nakagawa, Arizona State University, School of Social Transformation Many parents and educators avoid conversations about race and racism with their children and students, yet young people are regularly exposed to images, stories, videos and statements that reflect racial societal attitudes. This exposure often comes through […]

Rescued Lives, Transformed Communities: Refugee Resettlement in Arizona Lori Robinson, MSW Candidate, ASU School of Social Work Emily Taylor, International Rescue Committee-Phoenix According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, there are currently over 60,000,000 displaced persons in the world, most of them women and children.  Less than one percent of the refugees worldwide […]

Energy in an Uncertain World Dr. Jennifer Richter, Arizona State University, School of Social Transformation Energy can be made affordable, accessible, and sustainable for all Arizonans.  Energy is never just about technology, but about the values and ideals that a society has about its design and distribution.  But what will it take to achieve energy […]

Religious Liberty in America: How do we Set Limits on Free Exercise? Steve Kilar, Arizona State University, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution dictates that Congress “shall make no law … prohibiting the free exercise” of religion. In Arizona, we’ve been confronted with this question in […]

Local Democracy and Politics in Education: Does it help or hinder student achievement?  Dr. Carrie Sampson, Arizona State University, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College In 2008, The Atlantic published an article entitled “First, Kill All the School Boards: A modest proposal to fix the schools.” The article emphasized school boards’ failure to lead school districts […]