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Mark Oppenheimer, 2022 Distinguished Lecturer in Judaic Studies, returns to George Mason University on March 30, 2026, to talk about his landmark biography of Judy Blume. He will speak at 6:30 in Fenwick Library Main Reading Room. This event is open to the public. Most Americans know the name Judy Blume because of her beloved classics: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing; Deenie; and Summer SistersBut little is known about the real woman behind the iconic persona, and the unlikely journey of her literary ascension, until now. In Judy Blume, journalist, historian, and longtime Blume aficionado Mark Oppenheimer pens a beautiful, multidimensional portrait of the acclaimed author through extensive interviews with Blume herself, invaluable access to her papers and correspondence, and thoughtful analysis of Blume’s beloved novels, including early, unpublished works that shed light on the pathbreaking writer she would become. Oppenheimer goes deep, exploring Blume’s middle-class 1950s upbringing, complicated childhood, varied relationships and marriages, unabashed sexual experiences, bouts of heartache and loss, and enduring legacy as a champion of free speech and contemporary literature. Oppenheimer peels back the curtain to reveal the woman behind the literary empire in all her complex, multifaceted glory—a true gift for anyone who grew up reading and loving these extraordinary books.

The AbuSulayman Center for Global Islamic Studies at George Mason University mourns the passing of Yaqub Mirza and Abdulaziz Sachedina.

IIR Graduate Research Assistant, Anand Cherian’s recent article, “Middle-class Indian students: Migration recruiters and aspirations” was published in Population, Space and Place. Using ethnographic research as well as conducting in-depth and narrative biographical interviews, this article explores the perspectives of Indian middle-class aspirations regarding international migration and how they navigate educational mobility.

On September 23, 2024, the Department of Religious Studies hosts its third annual distinguished lecture in Judaic Studies. Aaron Dorfman, executive director of A More Perfect Union, will speak on "American Jews, American Democracy."

The Institute for Immigration Research (IIR) is excited to welcome Elyse Adams as program coordinator beginning in August 2024. Elyse has worked as an administrative assistant for the IIR since January of 2024, performing logistical, organizational, and operational duties for the institution while completing her graduate degree.

This year, George Mason University’s Sociology and Anthropology Department hosted a table in the Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference bookroom to spread the word about the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and our Bioarchaeology program.

The Spring 2024 cohort of Next System Fellows is now open for applications, offering a unique path to realizing your ambitions. Creating a new world system is our ultimate goal and the focus of our research.

Laurie Schintler, Associate Professor, Schar School of Policy and Government, is set to receive funding from the National Science Foundation for the project: "Perceptions of Efficiency and Bias in Peer Review: Algorithmic versus Human Decision Making." This project is a collaboration between the Schar School of Policy and Government (GMU) and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology (CHSS-GMU). The investigators on the team include: PI Laurie A. Schintler; Co-PI Connie L. McNeely, Professor, Schar School of Policy and Government; and Co-PI James Witte, Professor, Sociology, Sociology and Anthropology; Director, Institute for Immigration Research.

James C. Witte, Professor, Sociology, Director, Institute for Immigration Research (IIR), and Michelle S. Dromgold-Sermen, Assistant Director, IIR, received funding for: "Refugee Resettlement and STEM Education." This conference will focus on how STEM-oriented educational opportunities through high schools, registered apprenticeships, community college, and four-year institutions can all play a significant role in addressing urgent humanitarian needs, while also expanding the nation’s STEM workforce.