A student studying cultural studies on the stairs leading up to Hospitality Hall.

Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies News

The Department of Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies allows students to create degree programs from courses across disciplinary boundaries, including cultural studies, linguistic studies, Asian studies, Latin American studies, multi-disciplinary studies, and social science studies.

Current Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies News

undergraduates
Campus News |

A collection of top headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.

two women in swimsuits on boat on lake mead
People |

The Robert Scott Hooper Photograph Collection at UNLV preserves decades of celebrity portraiture, commercial imagery, and the changing visual culture of Las Vegas. 

collage of small square artworks
Arts and Culture |

Open to the public through Dec. 20, the collection was curated through a collaboration between the museum and UNLV's Asian and Asian American Studies program.

Norma Jean Almadovar, a sex worker rights activist, poses with her collection of documents.
Research |

The Norma Jean Almodovar Papers document decades of advocacy and expand UNLV’s collecting initiative on sexual entertainment and economies.

June campus horizon shot
Campus News |

The top headlines featuring UNLV’s staff and students.

A portrait of Saipin Chutima, the founder of a staple Las Vegas Thai food chain, Lotus of Siam.
Campus News |

UNLV students explore Asian American culture, one bite at a time, in Mark Padoongpatt's class.

Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies In The News

Las Vegas Sun

UNLV appears several times on U.S. News & World’s Report’s new Best Global Universities rankings.

New York Times

Virtual sex work is nothing new on TV. But this year it is more visible, central to series like “Euphoria,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” and “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.”

Wired

As more sex workers quit the industry, some are having to navigate tough questions around consent and the “afterlife” of work they no longer want to be associated with.

Our Weekly LA

In South Central Los Angeles, generations of African American families reside alongside expanding immigrant communities. Debates over citizenship in this context extend beyond legal considerations, encompassing history, identity, economic structures, and daily life.

KTNV-TV: ABC 13

Academics and activists in the Las Vegas Valley are remembering Ruby Duncan after her passing at the age of 93. She made it her mission to stand up for better services for needy families.

The Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Beams Podcast

A deep dive into the origins of the Make America Great Again movement.

Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Experts

An expert on gender, sexuality, media, and popular culture.
An expert in African American culture and the history of slavery in the U.S.
An expert on Asian American history, race and racism, and Thai cuisine.
An expert in U.S. women's history, political activism, oral history, and feminism.
Javon Johnson is an expert in African American literature, black pop culture, black feminist theory, and black queer theory.  
An expert in educational equity and race theory in education.

Recent Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Accomplishments

On June 18, 2026, Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) gave a presentation on the history of Juneteenth and its enduring importance throughout the nation and the Las Vegas Valley. His speech took place at the annual "Flag Raising" for the holiday held at the North Las Vegas City Hall.
On June 18, 2026, Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) received a "Certificate of Recognition" from the City of North Las Vegas for his "commitment to fostering greater awareness and understanding of African American history in the community." The certificate was signed by North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown, Mayor…
Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Department) was listed as a "Historical Consultant" for a PBS short documentary on the southern tradition of raccoon hunting. He provided historical context for the practice, including its intersections with race and class in southern history.
Christopher D. E. Willoughby (African American & African Diaspora Studies/Interdisciplinary, Gender & Ethnic Studies) was featured on the Massachusetts Historical Society's podcast "Historians & their Histories." For this podcast, Willoughby discussed his journey as a historian and scholar in African American Studies, as well as his…
Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) spoke with KTNV, Channel 13 News in Las Vegas. I provided reflections upon Ruby Duncan's legacy of activism in the Las Vegas valley, noting it is important to continue her human rights campaign in the modern era.
Tyler D. Parry (Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies) gave a presentation about his recent article, "Canines: Enforcing Race and State," during the 2026 Organization of American Historians annual conference. His presentation was part of a panel analyzing the role of animals in historical records, based upon a forum published by the…