Home

Calendar

Filter

Search

Canceled: Fall 2020 Diversity Seminar

Diversity Seminar Series

Nicholas Creary, Center for Diversity & Enrichment 

“‘Charting the Unknown Possibilities of Existence’: The Crimes of Humanity on Trial in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Abderrahmane Sissako’s Bamako” 

This presentation focuses on contradictions between notions of benevolent explorers and the realities of colonization and explores the disparity between romantic visions of exploration and the realities of conquest in a comparison of Q’s trial of the Enterprise crew for the crimes of humanity in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Africa’s trial of international financial institutions for the crimes of neo-colonialism in Abderrahmane Sissako’s film, Bamako. In “Encounter at Farpoint,” (1987) the series premier of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q accused humanity of being “a dangerous, savage, child-race,” and called on Picard and the Enterprise crew “to answer for the multiple and grievous savageries of the species.” In the epilogue of the series finale, “All Good Things. . .” (1994), Q asserted that “the trial never ends” and that the “exploration that awaits [humanity]. . .[is] charting the unknown possibilities of [human] existence.” In a similar fashion, African society places the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on trial for the crimes of neo-colonialism in Abderrahmane Sissako’s courtroom drama, Bamako (2006). This presentation argues that it is possible to read Sissako’s vision of the chastened international financial institutions sentenced to “community service for life” as one of Q’s unknown possibilities, i.e., a world in which the former colonial and current neo-colonial powers voluntarily give up domination of the underdeveloped world and allow African nations to chart their own courses and develop their respective societies to their fullest potentials in their own ways, on their own terms, and in their own times. 

The Center for Diversity and Enrichment (CDE), in collaboration with the Office of Graduate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; the University Libraries; and the Office of the Provost is pleased to announce this semester’s Diversity Seminar. The Diversity Seminar is a series of presentations that provides a safe and supportive space in which scholars may present their research to colleagues and students on campus. As part of its mission to promote student success and enrichment, the CDE seeks to support and promote the scholarship of faculty, staff, and graduate students with historically underrepresented global majority and/or marginalized identities at the University of Iowa. Scholars whose research addresses populations with marginalized identities may also submit proposals. All sessions will held via Zoom.  

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact in advance at

  • Types