Listed below are the candidates for Vice President 2024-2025 and Executive Council 2024-2026. Voting will be available and carried out during the CSA conference.
| Vice-President, Executive Council 2024-2025 The Vice-President serves for one year after which she/he assumes the Presidency: |
 Rita Keresztesi I am Professor of English at the University of Oklahoma. I received my Ph.D. in Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1999. My research and teaching focus on Caribbean, African American and African literary and cultural studies. I was a Fulbright U.S. Scholar at l’Université Ouaga 1 Professeur Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2010-2011. I am the author of the books Literary Black Power in the Caribbean: Fiction, Music and Film (Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, 2021);and of Strangers at Home: American Ethnic Modernism between the World Wars (Nebraska University Press 2005/2009); and the co-editor (with Ellie Higgins and Dayna Oscherwitz) of the book The Western in the Global South (Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, 2015). My recent publications focus on West African cinema and music and on Afro-Caribbean literature and culture. Candidate statement on vision for CSA: “Caribbean Futures: Lived and Imagined” My first CSA conference in Port of Spain, Trinidad in 2006 redefined my life trajectory and career. I made lifelong friendships and my views of the world found like-minded colleagues who reaffirmed the beliefs I grew up with in then socialist Hungary that valued community over extreme individualism. I found my people and community within this CSA family. The ongoing discussions before, during, and after conferences have sustained us intellectually and personally, gave us directions and food for thought in an increasingly narrow ideological worldscape. CSA has been an incubator for testing ideas but also imagining alternative world views that expose the “danger of the single story” that is our neoliberal reality today. The capacity and desire to imagine livable futures for us all, in theory, practice and the creative arts, make CSA different and unique as an association. We come together to visualize, articulate, and maintain hopes for compassionate futures in the Caribbean and this fragile world. “You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness. In this case, it comes from nonconformity, the courage to turn your back on the old formulas, the courage to invent the future. … We must dare to invent the future.” – Thomas Sankara I am Professor of African and African diasporas literary and cultural studies at the Department of English, the University of Oklahoma. I received my PhD. in Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1999. My research and teaching focus on Caribbean, African American and African literary and cultural studies. I was a Fulbright U.S. Scholar teaching and researching at l’Université Ouaga-1 Professeur Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2010-2011. Since 2006 I have served CSA in many capacities, such as member of the Executive Council since 2023, chair of the Literary Salon for this upcoming conference in St. Lucia, member of the Author Celebration committee, Gordon K. and Sybil Lewis Best Book Award Committee member, Film and Visual Arts Track Committee member, program committee member for the Grenada conference. I have published two monographs: Literary Black Power in the Caribbean: Fiction, Music and Film (Routledge 2021), Strangers at Home: American Ethnic Modernism between the World Wars (U of Nebraska Press, 2005); and co-edited the book The Western in the Global South (Routledge 2015). Currently, I am working on the book tentatively titled Screen Griots: African Cinema’s Alternative Archives. |
 Raymond Laureano-Ortiz RAYMOND LAUREANO-ORTIZ, PhD in Caribbean History. Author of Spanish-language textbook International Relations: Puerto Rico, the United States, and the Rest of the World. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, in Old San Juan. Founding Managing Editor of Caribbean Conjunctures: The Caribbean Studies Association Journal. Former Chair of the UK Society for Caribbean Studies and former Vice President of the Association of Caribbean Historians. Candidate Statement: Serving the Global Community of Caribbean-Studies Scholars and Caribbean Citizens Building upon previous efforts by our dedicated colleagues, the CSA leader shall pursue the continuation and expansion of CSA as premier space for knowledge production and exchange for the multidisciplinary and multilingual global community of Caribbean Studies scholars and practitioners. Closer collaborations and partnerships should be pursued with multiple parties along these lines: — Organized Caribbean Studies networks (research centers and scholarly associations) in regions like our very own Caribbean and Latin America and specific countries such as, for example, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, San Andrés, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Ivory Coast, Australia, Spain, Sweden, France, Netherlands, US, UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, Ivory Coast, and Japan. — Those individuals and networks that might guide us closer to the innovative study and dissemination of past and current links to geographies like Africa, India, Middle East, China, and Southeast Asia, that is, places where a significant number of migrants to the Caribbean originated. — Those individuals and networks that might support us in building bridges among linguistic subregions of the Caribbean to more effectively strive for panoramic, comprehensive, and yet deep understanding of the affairs of the Caribbean global community. Likewise, the CSA leader shall pursue the solidification of the entity as a premier means of dissemination of Caribbean Studies knowledge to the worldwide general public within and outside the region, with these objectives: — Raise awareness in the global Greater Caribbean community (within and outside the region) of their key place in global history, culture, and current and future affairs; and, thus, continue empowering their endeavors as strategic components of the global future. — Bring to the fore the unrecognized entrepreneurial spirit of the global Caribbean community in diverse matters that make it centerstage of global endeavors, building on and/or overcoming the legacies and current dynamics of political, economic, and cultural empires and hegemonies for which the region has been or still is a crossroads (from the dynamics among indigenous societies and the Modern Age empires of the Spanish, English, Dutch, French, and other European parties, to the contemporary hegemonies of the US, multiple other political powers, and multinational economic enterprises such as the ones involved in narcotics trade, international banking, tourism, and manufacturing). |
| Member, Executive Council 2024-2026 Executive Council Members serve for a two year term. |
 Dwight Elliott Dwight Elliott is a Professor of Law, Technology and Business within the Academic industry. Prof. Elliott has served numerous universities in the academic sector over the last 20 years and has an extensive business development background in the IT, Telecommunications and Cybersecurity arena. He has also served in various roles within academia, including: Campus Dean, Course & Curriculum Developer, and Faculty Mentor. Prof. Elliott is a dedicated member of the Jamaica Diaspora Movement and has participated in JA diaspora development activities for the last 10 years. He was a presenter at the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference 2017 in Kingston, Jamaica on the topic of “ICT, Digitization and the Future of Work: Every Mus Wuk in the Digital Era” Prof. Elliott holds a Juris Doctor of Law (JD) from the University of Maryland School of Law, with areas of concentration in Internet & E-commerce Law, Telecommunications Law, Intellectual Property, Contract Law, Mediation, Negotiation & Settlement, Conflict Resolution, Employment and Labor Relations Law. He also obtained a Masters degree in Telecommunications & Network Management and a Bachelors degree in Information Management & Technology from Syracuse University (MS, 1996, BS, 1994) Prof. Elliott is a highly skilled professional with over 15 years’ experience in the corporate sector. Having successfully worked with numerous corporations throughout the United States (including GE, Lockheed Martin, Telcordia Technologies and SAIC). He has a proven background in the areas of IT leadership and change management, technology management, cybersecurity, and training and development. Prof. Elliott has served as a Mediator for individuals seeking to resolve complex business disputes that involve IT, E-commerce, and various integrated legal, business and technology related problems. Candidate Statement and Vision for CSA As a passionate advocate for the vision and mission of CSA I am interested in supporting the expansion of CSA’s sustainable development goals in the following ways:
Throughout my journey as an African in North America I have been passionate about serving my people in all areas of life. My main portal for service to my global African community has been in the field of education. In the academic arena I have hired, trained and developed Many of today’s students and professionals do not possess the technology skill sets, professionalism and knowledge to position themselves to successfully compete for technology driven jobs in the rapidly evolving digital and cybersecurity economy. This research proposes new pathways that highlight the power of technology to produce expansion of cultural knowledge and awareness, document the historical and intellectual contribution of the global African diaspora to humanity in the digital form. Emphasis will be placed upon the important investment in education based on new teaching methodologies and education accumulation, and information management and dissemination through the delivery of Online education, digitized content and the many forms of communication and knowledge sharing driven by the technology revolution from the onset of the global Covid 19 pandemic. The project ultimately will connect the many different ideas, concepts and programs that need to be implemented to minimize the digital divide and bridge the technology gap across the Caribbean and Latin America in order to prepare our students and professionals to be change agents and pioneers for the socioeconomic development and advancement of their cultures in the Digital Era. These initiatives will lead to students and professionals who develop knowledge and skills that allow them to be more competitive in the international marketplace driven by the advancement in technology. I look forward to being of service to CSA at a greater level in the near future. |
 Oneil Hall Oneil Hall, a dedicated scholar in Caribbean studies, has made significant contributions to the fields of history. A committed member of the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA) since 2011, Hall has demonstrated his dedication to the association and the broader academic community through his service on various committees. Notably, he served as a member of the Program Chair Committee in 2023 and 2024 and co-chaired the Travel Grants Committee during the same years. Hall’s academic journey began at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, where he earned both his PhD and BA in History. His pursuit of educational excellence continued with a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching from Mico University College. As a UWI Scholar and recipient of the UWI Post Graduate Scholarship, Hall exemplified a deep commitment to his studies and academic growth. Currently, Hall serves as an adjunct lecturer in the Institute of Caribbean Studies and the History and Archaeology Department at the UWI, Mona Campus. Previously, he served as a temporary full-time lecturer in the Institute of Caribbean Studies, where he acted as coordinator of the university-wide foundation course Caribbean Civilization and Project 4.0. Additionally, he teaches History and Caribbean Studies at St. Andrew High School for Girls, where he imparts his extensive knowledge and passion for the subject to younger generations. Hall’s involvement with academic associations is extensive and impactful. His long-standing membership in the CSA since 2011, coupled with his recent supportive roles, underscores his dedication to fostering academic collaboration and support within the Caribbean studies community. His work as Co-Chair of the Travel Grants Committee in 2023 and 2024 highlights his commitment to facilitating opportunities for researchers to share their work and engage with peers across the region. In 2015, Hall co-founded CO Research Consultancy, a research-based enterprise offering archival research services to scholars, lecturers, government agencies, and businesses. His expertise has been instrumental in numerous projects. Hall’s dedication to historical research is evident in his numerous scholarly publications. He has authored chapters in books such as “The Cayman Islands: History, Politics, and Society Essays in Honour of J. A. Roy Bodden” and has published articles like “Africans and Pedro St. James” in the Journal of the University College of the Cayman Islands. His insightful book reviews have appeared in journals such as the Journal of Sport History, Caribbean Quarterly, and Jamaica Journal, further contributing to academic discourse. Recognized for his contributions, Hall has received several distinctions and awards, including the Jamaica Gleaner’s Silver Pen Award for the best letter to the editor in February 2015. These accolades reflect his exceptional dedication to Caribbean studies and his role as a leading academic in the field. Hall’s scholarly impact extends beyond publications and awards. He has presented at numerous conferences and seminars on diverse topics such as national identity formation in Grenada and Jamaica, the experiences of Jamaican female domestic workers in the Cayman Islands, and the complex historical relations between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. His active participation in these events underscores his commitment to advancing knowledge and providing valuable insights into Caribbean history. Hall’s dissertation, “The Relationship between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, 1862-2005,” is a testament to his comprehensive understanding of Caribbean history. This work, along with his ongoing research on the experiences of Jamaican migrant women in the Cayman Islands, explores the intricate connections between these territories and highlights the challenges faced by Caribbean women. In addition to his academic pursuits, Hall engages in public service, contributing to the Homelessness Committee of the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation in Jamaica since March 2017. His participation in radio programs discussing critical Caribbean issues further demonstrates his commitment to community engagement and public discourse. Hall’s multifaceted contributions to Caribbean studies, his outstanding academic achievements, and his dedication to public service and education underscore his pivotal role in advancing knowledge and historical understanding in the Caribbean region and beyond. His work continues to shape the academic landscape and enrich the broader understanding of Caribbean history. Candidate Statement: Vision for the Caribbean Studies Association It is with great enthusiasm that I present my vision for the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA), an organization that has been pivotal in promoting Caribbean studies from a multidisciplinary and multicultural perspective since its founding in 1974. As a dedicated member of the CSA since 2011, I have had the privilege of serving on various committees, including as a member of the Program Chair Committee in 2023 and 2024, and as Co-Chair of the Travel Grants Committee during the same years. My academic and professional journey has equipped me with a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the field of Caribbean studies, and I am committed to advancing the CSA’s mission. The CSA stands as a vital platform for scholars and practitioners across the globe, providing an unparalleled venue for the exchange of ideas and collaborative endeavors. My vision for the CSA builds on this strong foundation and focuses on three core areas: inclusivity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global engagement. Inclusivity One of the CSA’s greatest strengths is its diversity, with members hailing from the Caribbean region, North America, South America, Central America, Europe, and beyond. To further enhance our inclusivity, I propose the creation of more accessible opportunities for scholars from underrepresented regions and backgrounds. This includes expanding our travel grants awards, ensuring that financial barriers do not impede participation in CSA activities. Additionally, I envision increased support for early-career researchers and students, providing them with mentorship and networking opportunities that will foster the next generation of Caribbean scholars. Interdisciplinary Collaboration Caribbean studies is inherently interdisciplinary, encompassing history, sociology, literature, political science, and more. My academic work as an adjunct lecturer in both the Institute of Caribbean Studies and the History and Archaeology Department at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, has underscored the value of integrating diverse perspectives. Previously, as a temporary full-time lecturer in the Institute of Caribbean Studies, I coordinated the university-wide foundation course Caribbean Civilization and Project 4.0, experiences that have shaped my understanding of the importance of interdisciplinary approaches. I propose the development of interdisciplinary working groups within the CSA that focus on key themes, such as migration, identity, and environmental sustainability. These groups will facilitate deeper, cross-disciplinary conversations and collaborative research projects. Global Engagement The CSA must continue to strengthen its global presence and influence. While more than half of our members reside in the United States, it is crucial to engage with scholars and practitioners worldwide, particularly those in the Caribbean Basin, Central America, and the Caribbean Coast of South America. I propose a series of monthly virtual international sessions that rotate among these regions, bringing the CSA’s activities closer to local scholars and communities. These events will not only enhance our global network but also highlight region-specific issues and solutions. Furthermore, the CSA’s role in documenting and analyzing the experiences of Caribbean diasporic populations in the United States, Canada, and Europe is increasingly important. I advocate for dedicated research initiatives and publications that explore the transnational dynamics of Caribbean identity and culture, ensuring that our work remains relevant to contemporary global issues. Conclusion The Caribbean Studies Association has a proud history of fostering academic excellence and collaboration. My vision for the CSA is to build on this legacy by promoting inclusivity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global engagement. Together, we can ensure that the CSA remains at the forefront of Caribbean studies, providing critical insights and advancing knowledge in ways that resonate both within and beyond the Caribbean region. I am committed to working with all members of the CSA to realize this vision and to continue the association’s tradition of excellence and innovation. |
 Donna Hope Donna P. Hope, PhD is tenured Professor of Culture, Gender and Society in the Institute of Caribbean Studies, and former Deputy Dean for Graduate Studies and Research in the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. A specialist in the areas of popular culture, identity, masculinities, and media, Professor Hope’s work tackles Jamaican/Caribbean cultures of identity-making as they intersect with power domains. She has made numerous presentations locally, regionally, and across the world, and published extensively in the areas of popular culture, gender, music, identity, and creative industries. Professor Hope believes in the importance of documenting culture and has published six academic books, one self-published motivational book, and many articles in journals and newspapers. Her most recent publication titled Dancehall Queen: Erotic Subversion/Subversion Erotica (edited with Carla Lamoyi) was published in August 2023. A bilingual work written simultaneously in English and Spanish, this book historicizes the Dancehall Queen phenomenon in its engagement with music, dance and fashion, and assesses the movement of this female-focussed cultural force outwards both regionally and globally. Professor Hope is a former Director of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, where she organized and chaired four International Reggae Conferences. A keen cultural activist with a deep interest in black, working class culture, and a researcher with a strong ethnographic focus, A renowned keynote speaker, social commentator, former talk show host, and itinerant newspaper columnist, Professor Hope is finalizing her poetry monograph, These Thorns Have Roses, for publication. She is also completing the final draft her manuscript on the spread of |
 Maggie Shrimpton Masson I was born in the UK and have lived my adult life in Southeast Mexico (since 1989). I am a full tenured Professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México. I received a PhD from the Universidad de La Habana, Cuba, and an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, UK. I teach Latin American and Caribbean literatures (in Spanish and sometimes in English) at the Facultad de Ciencias Antropológicas (Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán). Since 2017 I coordinate a student support system for international students at the Facultad de Ciencias Antropológicas, focused on fomenting interculturality. My research centres on cultural identities and literature in the Mainland Caribbean. I have published articles and book chapters on Yucatan and Belize and my recent work is on Guyanese writers. I am a longstanding CSA member and have collaborated as Programme Chair (2013) and Local Organizing Committee Chair (2014), as well as volunteering on Literary Salon Committee, Gordon K and Sybil Lewis Book Award, the Travel grant and Translingual and Translation Committee. Candidate Statement Many years ago, when I was studying for my PhD, my very wise supervisor, Dr. Ileana Sanz Cabrera, introduced me to CSA and pointed out that if I believed my future was in Caribbean studies, then CSA was the place to be. She was not wrong. CSA became family, a place where I knew I would be challenged but always listened to, and where there was always someone with a helpful suggestion. Over the years, I have enjoyed connecting with people across the region, through volunteering on a variety of different sub-committees (Travel grant, literary salon, |