A program of the Wolf Humanities Center's 2024–2025 Forum on Keywords March 28, 2025
Wolf Humanities Center School of Arts & Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center 3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
UNDERGRADUATE HUMANITIES FORUM RESEARCH FELLOWS, 2024–2025
Nishanth Bhargava
Seyoon Chun
Taryn Flaherty
Ning Ning (Jenny) Fu
Daphne Glatter
Greer Goergen
Eleanor Grauke
Katrina Itona
Connor Nakamura
Amanda Rodriguez
Tova Tachau
Eug Xu
UNDERGRADUATE HUMANITIES FORUM DIRECTOR
Julia Verkholantsev
Associate Professor of Russian and East European Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Welcome to “Ideas in Motion, Words in Flux,” the 24th annual Undergraduate Humanities Forum Research Conference. We are excited to host you at the Kislak Center for Special Collections today, and look forward to exploring this year’s theme at the Wolf Humanities Center: Keywords. Such an interdisciplinary theme invites reflection on a wide variety of topics spanning different locations—temporal and geographic—revealing the fluidity and mobility of ideas and concepts throughout time and space. Indeed, in brainstorming the title of this symposium, we compiled a list of several keywords elucidated in each of our projects. Understandably, this list is wildly heterogenous; spanning terms from radicalism to virtue, referring to temporalities from medieval to twentieth-century history, and originating from humanistic cultures all over the globe, this list, and our projects which inspired it, epitomizes the very dynamic nature of keywords. This year’s topic director, Dr. Lisa Mitchell, captures this sentiment precisely in her introduction for the Wolf Humanities Center’s 2024-2025 Forum on Keywords: “How do keywords point to the movement of ideas and concepts and to the shifts in their meanings and impacts as they travel across time, languages, and contexts?” Each of our fellows presents a different perspective, and we are here today to explore the evolution of ideas in motion and words in flux.
Over the past year, the interdisciplinary emphasis and collaborative nature of the Wolf Humanities Center have allowed us to explore the topic of keywords from twelve unique perspectives. As research fellows, we have spent time workshopping our research while cultivating academic discourse and forming friendships. We have visited local institutions, including the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, where we are honored to hold our symposium today, and Philadelphia neighborhoods more broadly. Our weekly meetings, supported by the participation of faculty, postdoctoral, and doctoral researchers, have contributed to our environment of intellectual curiosity and discovery. Drawing on our diverse disciplinary backgrounds, we engaged in critical discourse and commentary on the work of each fellow. We are proud of our intellectual community and acknowledge the importance of this collaborative scholarship in the development of today’s symposium.
Our conference today is organized in four panels as we trace the genealogies of keywords in studies of history, philosophy, religious studies, literature, and art. We explore different mediums for tracking mobile concepts—from those encapsulated in oral traditions and written documents to those epitomized in tangible objects and material histories. After opening remarks from Taryn and Tova, “Global Connections, Toxic Luxuries” with Jenny Fu, Daphne Glatter, and Eug Xu, will explore the influence of luxury items and cultures of trade in the pre-modern era—through the Pearl Manuscripts, Dutch East India Trade Company Documents, and Thomas De Quincy’s prose. “Remembered Through Language” with Seyoon Chun, Taryn Flaherty, and Amanda Rodriguez is rooted in the oral history methodology, discussing individual histories within small communities of Philadelphia’s religious Korean institutions, Philadelphia Chinatown, and towns along the Rio Grande’s US-Mexico border. “Representations of Space and Aesthetics” with Greer Goergen and Katrina Itona will investigate keywords embodied in objects and online communities in Communist Russia and twenty-first-century online cultures, respectively. “Radical Interventions,”
with Nishanth Bhargava, Eleanor Grauke, Connor Nakamura, and Tova Tachau, will explore the notion of keywords embodied in revolutionary figures and collective movements: from the activism of civil rights leader Bayard Rustin to the mutual aid established by Antebellum community organizations, the critical rhetoric utilized by Karl Marx, and the solidarity of French student movements following May 1968. Each of these unique projects traces a specific etymology, revealing the interwoven and ever-evolving nature of language. Like our collective list of keywords for each project, this symposium spans wide temporalities and diverse spatial realms. We hope you enjoy the journey we trace as we follow ideas in motion and words in flux.
The Undergraduate Humanities Forum and its meetings and events would not be possible without the support of the Wolf Humanities Center staff, as well as the collaboration of faculty advisors, panel moderators, and librarians across the University of Pennsylvania’s campus. We deeply appreciate the work of Wolf Humanities Center Director Dr. Jamal J. Elias and Associate Director Sara Varney, as well as Coordinators Erin Bailey and Pamela Horn. We thank them for their constant support and eagerness to expand undergraduate research in the humanities. We are especially grateful for the support and guidance of our faculty advisor, Dr. Julia Verkholantsev, who guided our inquiry and workshops throughout the year.
We thank you all for joining us today and for your continued support.
Taryn Flaherty and Tova Tachau
2024–2025 Executive Board and Research Fellows
Undergraduate Humanities Forum
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Wolf Humanities Center's 2024–2025 Undergraduate Research Fellows also thank the following people for their support this year.
Oscar Aguirre-Mandujano
Julia Alekseyeva
Maryam Athari
Eiichiro Azuma
Siarhei Biareishyk
Usmon Boron
Kathleen M. Brown
Brent Cebul
Chris A. Chambers
Angelina Eimannsberger
Lama Elsharif
Ann Farnsworth-Alvear
Ailin Jain
Jajwalya Karajgikar
David Kazanjian
D. Brian Kim
Suyoung Kim
Lisa Mitchell
Kathleen Morrison
Robert Naborn
Amy C. Offner
Kevin M.F. Platt
John Pollack
Dot Porter
Ramya Sreenivasan
Emily Steiner
Emily Steinlight
William Sturkey
Juan Suárez Ontaneda
Timmy Straw
9:15–9:50 AM
BREAKFAST AND REGISTRATION
9:50 AM
OPENING REMARKS
Taryn Flaherty and Tova Tachau, Executive Board and Research Fellows, Undergraduate Humanities Forum
10:00–11:15 AM
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS, TOXIC LUXURIES
Moderator: John Pollack, Curator of Research Services, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania
Ning Ning (Jenny) Fu | English; Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
The Flows of Informal Empire: Reading "The Malay" as a Lascar Sailor in Thomas De Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium Eater
Daphne Glatter | English, Ancient History
"Poynts" of Interest: Premodern Keywords in MS Cotton Nero A.x
Eug Xu | History
Modes of Bookkeeping: How Material Samples Illustrate the Limitations of VOC Trading Expertise
11:30 AM–12:45 PM
REMEMBERED
THROUGH LANGUAGE
Moderator: Ann Farnsworth-Alvear, Associate Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania
Seyoon Chun | History
"Gyopo" Identity: Contemporary Korean-American Community Building in Christian Churches
Taryn Flaherty | History
Oral Histories of Chinatown: Development and Self-Determination
Amanda Rodriguez | History of Art, Latin American & Latinx Studies
Border: Unraveling Narratives along the Rio Grande
2:00–2:50 PM
REPRESENTATIONS OF SPACE AND AESTHETICS
Moderator: Julia Alekseyeva, Assistant Professor of English and Cinema & Media Studies, University of Pennsylvania
Greer Goergen | History of Art, Comparative Literature
Collectivism and Ideological Revivals: Soviet Objects, Representations, and Interiors
Katrina Itona | Comparative Literature, English
#aesthetic: Online Visual Subcultures and Internet Identity in Aesthetics
3:00–4:50 PM
RADICAL INTERVENTIONS
Moderator: Chris A. Chambers, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania
Nishanth Bhargava | History, Comparative Literature
From the People, to the People: Theories of the Subject after May '68 in France
Eleanor Grauke | History
Washwomen, Widows, and Ward Leaders: Benevolent Societies as Instruments of Freedom by Black Women in Northern Cities, 1830-1840
Connor Nakamura | History
Cloaked Radicalism: Bayard Rustin and the Socialist Civil Rights Strategy (1955-1965)
Tova Tachau | Biochemistry, Comparative Literature, Russian and East European Studies
Decoding the Value Relation Through Scientific Analogy: A Biochemical Reading of Marx's Capital
4:50 PM
CLOSING REMARKS
Julia Verkholantsev, Director, Undergraduate Humanities Forum; Associate Professor of Russian and East European Studies; University of Pennsylvania
ABSTRACTS
Nishanth Bhargava
History, Comparative Literature; CAS 2027
From the People,
To the People: Theories of the Subject after May '68 in France
In May of 1968, a wave of wildcat strikes and occupations tore across France that were without precedent in postwar French political life. This paper looks at the ways in which this revolt shaped discourse around the political subject and the practical role these new discourses played in shaping the orientation of left-wing political activity. I explore this in two key ways—firstly by looking at the new consciousness of power that arose in May and birthed revolutionary subjects, and secondly through an examination of the consequences this new subjectivity held for Maoist political practice in the early 70s. Drawing a throughline between these moments reveals how new conceptions of subjecthood came to shift the scope of radical political activity from the general to the specific, as movements came to struggle primarily against particular instances in which power was more acutely felt.
Seyoon Chun
History; CAS 2026
"Gyopo" Identity: Contemporary Korean-American Community Building in Christian Churches
Since the 20th century, American missionaries have long been recognized as key political organizers in the anti-Japanese movement in Korea and integration of Koreans into American society. Previous scholarship examines the political and cultural implications of this devout relationship, primarily for first generations of “Gyopo” (Korean-Americans). My project will focus on the transformation of Christianity as a keyword to the “Gyopo” identity, and how different generations of Koreans utilize churches as spaces for finding community in racially isolating environments. I will highlight the ways these generations struggle to define their identities, as churches may marginalize those who do not subscribe to hyper conservative values, despite having greater English fluency and awareness of American culture than their parents.
Taryn Flaherty
History; CAS 2025
Executive Board, Undergraduate Humanities Forum
Oral Histories of Chinatown: Development and Self-Determination
My thesis focuses on the demolition and development of Philadelphia Chinatown from the Vine St Expressway in 1966 to the senior housing complexes built in the 1990s. I juxtapose the clearing of land for large developments like expressways and convention centers and the corresponding displacement of residents with the Chinatown community's lived experiences through the negotiations of these developments. My research is based on oral histories conducted by the Asian Arts Initiative in 2004, Asian Americans United in 2023, and myself in 2024.
Ning Ning (Jenny) Fu
English; Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; CAS 2025
The Flows of Informal Empire: Reading “The Malay” as a Lascar Sailor in Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater
This project examines "the Malay" figure in Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821) as a fictional rendition of Lascars, Asian sailors who traversed through Britain between 1794 and 1814. In doing so, I take particular interest in the text’s engagement with global connections enabled by Britain’s maritime commerce–the availability of “Oriental” commodities such as tea and opium, news of merchant ships trading these goods across the Indian and Atlantic oceans, as well as regular encounters with “Oriental” laborers who arrived in England working on these vessels were the quotidian experiences that constituted British life and informed De Quincey’s writing of Confessions. I examine how De Quincey recreates the Malay figure as a Lascar sailor, reimagines the experience of maritime labor itself, and responds to Britain’s status as an ascendant commercial and maritime power.
Daphne Glatter
English, Ancient History; CAS 2025
"Poynts" of Interest: Premodern Keywords in MS Cotton Nero A.x
The Pearl poems froth with luxury items, from golden shields to pearl-encrusted crowns. These poems, however, also brim with mistakes and miscalculations: games are rigged, God is invisible, and common sense is trumped by the improbable and divine. In this paper, I argue that there is a link between these two: that luxury both informs and complicates how the Pearl poems construct knowledge. In doing so, the Pearl poems scramble meanings of material luxury and epistemological inquiry in fourteenth century England — and in turn, create layers of (mis)interpretation for the Pearl protagonists and medieval and modern audiences alike.
Greer Goergen
History of Art, Comparative Literature; CAS 2025
Collectivism and Ideological Revivals: Soviet Objects, Representations, and Interiors
This paper examines the interplay between objects, space, and human relationships across various Soviet artistic mediums. Drawing on cultural artifacts and theoretical frameworks from the 1920s to the 1960s, it explores the symbolic power of objects and interiors in shaping both collective and individual identities. This project reflects on the paradoxes of Soviet collectivism, from revolutionary ideals of shared living to the re-privatization efforts during Khrushchev’s era. Through Constructivist art, advertisements, and film, the paper traces the evolution of spatial ideologies. It highlights the tension between collectivist aspirations and the realities of material scarcity, as well as the ways objects and interiors mediated relationships. By juxtaposing the radical materialist visions of the 1920s avant-garde with the consumerist and ideological anxieties of the 1960s—while also noting the return to utopian ideals—the paper reveals the ongoing negotiation of space, personhood, and identity in Soviet cultural production.
Eleanor Grauke
History; CAS 2025
Washwomen, Widows, and Ward Leaders: Benevolent Societies as Instruments of Freedom by Black Women in Northern Cities, 1830-1840
The antebellum era is ripe with complex narratives of communal resilience and freedom. Yet, within the broader historiography, the experiences and agency of Black women, particularly those who were laboring and single or widowed, have been given less recognition than their wealthier and male counterparts. This thesis argues that Black women living in antebellum Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston created and joined benevolent organizations in order to establish systems of care and security amidst a precarious existence. Through their participation in mutual relief societies, these women sacrificed time and funds to protect their neighbors, sisters, friends, and family. Simultaneously, these organizations often struggled with the conflicting pressures of their communities’ needs, their own values, and the expectations placed upon them by both free Black communities and white society at large. In analyzing the missions and operations of societies such as these, the enduring significance of grassroots mutual relief in marginalized communities facing governmental neglect and systemic inequality is underscored.
Katrina Itona
Comparative Literature, English; CAS 2026
#aesthetic: Online Visual Subcultures and Internet Identity in Aesthetics
The current colloquial usage of the term ‘aesthetic’ has diverged from aesthetics as the nature of interpretation within the philosophy of art. An ‘aesthetic’ subculture on the internet has emerged; distinctly different and supporting the formation of online communities and material consumption. I aim to understand the online, contemporary interpretation of aesthetics; its creation of visual subcultures through critical theory; and broadly understand its political and racial effects and marketrelated implications on Western consumers.
Connor Nakamura
History; CAS 2025
Cloaked Radicalism: Bayard Rustin and the Socialist Civil Rights Strategy (1955-1965)
My research examines the political strategy of Civil Rights organizer, Bayard Rustin, between 1955-1965. A key leader within the socialist left and the Civil Rights Movement, I discuss the constituent parts of his strategy—coalition-building and national progressive politics—and how these ideas evolved throughout the “classical” phase of the Civil Rights Movement. I analyze both Rustin’s organizational activities and political writings, centering on his attempts to marry grassroots activism to a broad-based political movement.
Amanda Rodriguez
History of Art, Latin American & Latinx Studies; CAS 2026
Border: Unraveling Narratives along the Rio Grande
The Rio Grande, demarcating the U.S.-Mexico border, is more than a geographical feature; it now embodies division and fortification, reflecting a historical process of
weaponization. This project traces the term "border," as it has evolved in the political perceptions of the Rio Grande. Through the gathering of historical testimonies, from its portrayal as a battleground in the Spanish-Ameican War to leisure activities in the 1960s, this project will highlight select narratives and uncover how border enforcement and economic development have reshaped relationships with the river, both visually and temporally. Amid headline focus on violence and political tensions, following the term "border" in this context reveals a deeper perspective that is essential for our understanding of complex histories and ultimately, how we may address it now.
Tova Tachau
Biochemistry, Comparative Literature, Russian and East European Studies; CAS 2025
Decoding the Value Relation Through Scientific Analogy: A Biochemical Reading of Marx's Capital
In his critique of political economy, Karl Marx aims to reveal the intricacies of capital as a process of social metabolism. His approach—defining key terms in the language of the classical political economists, probing the limits of these definitions, and finally redefining them as formal concepts—relies on the detailed analysis of a particular lexicon that centers around a unifying keyword: value. This paper aims to elucidate one of Marx’s rhetorical techniques—namely, the scientific analogy— in its metabolic, chemical, physical, and biological iterations as Marx attempts to explicate value throughout his seminal work, Capital, Volume I. How do these analogies inform Marx’s derivation of the value form and where does the device of analogy fall short in Marx’s critique? Reading Marx’s recourse to scientific analogy through a rhetorical lens reveals that this tool is pivotal in establishing the study of political economy as an inherently scientific pursuit.
Eug Xu
History; CAS 2025
Modes of Bookkeeping: How Material Samples Illustrate the Limitations of VOC
Trading Expertise
Eug makes a twofold argument through examining the textile samples present in the Dutch East India Company's (VOC) surviving records. First, the VOC had a shockingly poor grasp throughout its entire history on the material qualities and labor behind one of its most important commodities, likely meaning that textile producers in Asia had much more autonomy over their side of the trade equation than realized. Second, non-textual information (i.e. samples taken of or drawings of material objects) consists of a crucial form of bookkeeping that goes underexamined by economic historians.
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