Dear Reader,
Greetings, from the Pedro Pires Institute for Cape Verdean Studies at Bridgewater State University!
The institute is a new entity created specifically for a more rigorous academic and social engagement with Cape Verde and the Cape Verdean experiences both here and in the diaspora. As you may know, the socio-historical trajectory of Cape Verdeans is somewhat complex given Cape Verde’s connections to institutions such as slavery, imperialism/colonialism, migration and demographic shifts. Because of this history, in a sense, Cape Verde experienced globalization some 500 years ago and a current analysis of Cape Verdean experiences and identities is particularly important for a broader understanding of the complex social dynamics that we experience today.
Through scholarly research and social engagement, the Pedro Pires Institute for Cape Verdean Studies fosters knowledge production and dissemination, while highlighting the culture of Cape Verde.
At the Pedro Pires Institute for Cape Verdean Studies, we are taking on this challenge by forging paths that allow for creating, sharing and disseminating knowledge of the history and culture of Cape Verde through a rigorous engagement with scholarship. Grounded in a rich historical past, with a solid foundation in the present and an eye on the future, the institute aims to become the center of Cape Verdean studies worldwide through the development of publication outlets, the creation of documental archives, and the general promotion of academic works focusing on Cape Verde, the diaspora and Cape Verdean experiences and identities.
We invite you to be part of the writing of this narrative-in-the-making as a collective endeavor that values the experiences of past struggles, celebrates current feats and engages challenges as well as future opportunities.
Respectfully,
Joao J. Rosa, PhD
Academic Director