On a cloudy, winter-escaped December in Florida, I sat down to write the introduction to this issue of the journal. So much has happened since our last issue, with the world turning topsy-turvy with multiple local, national, and global crises through wars, trafficking, displacement of the most vulnerable, and a rise of bigotry, xenophobia, and hate-inspired killing. Witnessing these heartbreaking events can corrode one’s soul, draining the energies required to write, produce content, and draw from expansive and creative possibilities. In such moments, I look for inspiration from those who went before us and faced challenging situations while fighting for freedom, equity, and humanizing rights for everyone.
I contemplate on our abilities to move the needle toward a desired, aspired direction. As humanities and social science scholars, do we navigate our movements in our field from a place of social responsibility? Or do we publish our scholarship to combat the...