Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer content

Department of Philosophy

News and Events

Gandhi's 155th Birthday - Dr. Kapoor talks to students 

[2024.10.02] Dr. Kapoor visited campus today to help celebrate Gandhi's 155th birthday. Professors Veena Howard and Raja Rosenhagen and students from his PAX 100 [Introduction to Peace and Nonviolence Studies] and PHIL 108/ASAM 108 [Jain, Hindu, and Asian-American Religions] classes helped in the celebrations. Dr. Kapoor shared withe the students the account of how the Peace Garden came into being, as well as various events associated with Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Cesar Chavez. Flowers were presented and laid down at the Gandhi monument, a pledge against hate and a number of inspirational quotes from figures displayed in the Peace Garden were recited by students and faculty together, and students seized the opportunity to ask questions and take pictures.

Dr. Kapoor, Prof. Howard, and Prof. Rosenhagen with students in the Peace Garden  Dr. Kapoor, Prof. Howard, and Prof. Rosenhagen with students in the Peace Garden  

Dr, Kapoor and students in the peace garden -1 Dr. Kapoor and students in the peace garden -2

Prof. Howard, Rosenhagen, & Kapoor and students at the Gandhi monument -1 Prof. Howard, Rosenhagen, & Kapoor and students at the Gandhi monument -2

Prof. Howard speaking about Gandhi at his 155th birthday

[2024.10.02] On the occasion of Gandhi's 155th, Professor Veena Howard gave a online lecture for the Golden Gate Breakfast Club, entitled, "Gandhi: India and Beyond the Ancient Traditions." Here are a few screenshots:

Veena Howard's talk at the Golden Breakfast Club 1Veena Howard's talk at the Golden Breakfast Club 2

Veena Howard's talk at the Golden Breakfast Club 3

Veena Howard at the Golden Breakfast Club 4

Building a Beloved Community

[2024.09.21] Prof. Raja Rosenhagen served as an invited speaker at a Peacebuilding and Nonviolence Workshop called "Building a Beloved Community" hosted at the University of Pittsburgh and collaboratively organised between the University of PIttsburgh's Center on Race and Social Problems, its David C. Frederick Honors College, and the Alliance for Humanitarian Initiatives, Nonviolence, and Spiritual Advancement (AHINSA). The speakers included:

  • Raja Rosenhagen, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Fresno State
  • Morgan Overton, Artist-in-Residence at Frederick Honors College
  • Dr. Sal Corbin, DC Peace Team Board Member
  • Rev. Paul Abernathy, Director of the Neighborhood Resilience Project
  • Dr. Kyaien Conner, Director of Center on Race and Social Problems 

. Here are some pictures:

24.09.21 workshop beloved community 124.09.21 wokshop beloved community 2

24.09.21 workshop beloved community 3belovedcommflyer

Press Release Unveiling

[2024.09.16] The unveiling of the Mandela Monument was featured in the Campus News and in an article written by Lisa Bell for the Fresno State News. Follow the links and learn more about this significant event. After all, as Bell writes, "This is the first new statue added to the garden in nearly 20 years."

Mandela Monument Unveiled

[2024.09.12] What an event! On a beautiful afternoon and in the presence of about 400 people -- students, faculty, honoraries, staff members, and interested visitors from in and around Fresno -- the new addition to the Peace Garden was finally unveiled. The beautiful ceremony featured African drumming, the Fresno State Chamber Choir with, inter alia, a beautiful rendition of "Wade in the Water", and addresses by Fresno State president Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Prof. Veena Howard, Professor of Philosophy and Endowed Chair in Jain and Hindu Dharma, who also led through the program, Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor, Fresno State professor emeritus in Social Work, the founder of the University's program in Peace and Conflict Studies and instrumental in creating the Peace Garden, and, finally, the invited keynote speaker, Dr. Siyabulela Mandela, who gave a passionate and enthralling speech on Nelson Mandela. Here are some beautiful impressions, captured and graciously shared by Peter Maiden, photo editor for the Community Alliance newspaper:

African DrummersSaúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Fresno State president, giving his addressProf. Veena Howard, giving her address and leading through the programDr. Sudarshan Kapoor, giving his addressDr. Siyabulela Mandela, giving his keynote address

Mandela Monument

Publication Alert

[2024.09.10] Just out: The Fresno Bee published an article penned by Prof. Veena Howard about the upcoming unveiling of the Mandela Monument on Thursday [see below]. 

The Maldonados playing Bach & Shawn

[2024.09.08] On Sep 08, 3 p.m., the First Congregational Church in Fresno [aka the Big Red Church] held its 16th annual Chamber Concert, featuring, inter alia, our very own Prof. Robert Maldonado and his wife Jane.

The Maldonados wowed the audience with "Oh Lamm Gottes, unschuldig", a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV Deest), arranged for four hands by György Kurtág [click here for a version of the piece on YouTube], as well as a rather entertaining performance of "Three Dance Portraits" - a rhythmically complex piece composed in 1994 by Allen Shawn [again, here is a version on YouTube].

The event was well-attended and followed by a small reception. The audience included long-time friends of the Chamber Concert series as well as Fresno State faculty members and students. As Jason Gonzales, Philosophy Major, puts it: "The fingers danced on the keys, and the music took me away."

      picture of maldonado piano recital

Peace Garden Event: Mandela Monument to be unveiled & Conversation between Dr. Siyabulela Mandela and ASI President Faith van Hoven

[2024.09.05] On Sep 12, 5 p.m., the small but illustrous group of monuments in the  Peace Garden will get a new member. In this free and open-to-all event, the new Nelson Mandela monument will be unveiled [you may have seen the box and wondered...], there will be African Drumming, singing [by, e.g., the Fresno State Chamber Singers], and a keynote address by Dr. Siyabulela Mandela. Do come and join us for the ceremony!

On the following day, Sep 13, 2 pm, Dr. Mandela will engage in a public conversation with ASI President [& Philosophy student] Faith van Hoven. Don't miss it!

Click on the images below to open the PDFs.   

Flyer Nelson Mandela Unveiling   flyer mandela asi president discussion Sep 13

Congratulations!

[2024.09.01] The Philosophy Department congratulates Dr. Amin Tais to his promotion to Associate Professor and Dr. James Rocha to his promotion to Full Professor. 

Welcome!

[2024.08.21] New faces in the Philosophy Department! We welcome Dr. Raja Rosenhagen [Dr. Raja], our newest Assistant Professor [in Peace & Non-Violence Studies and Philosophy]; Dr. Mariah Cushing, who joins us as a part-time lecturer; and we also recognize Anissa Guerrero, M.A., who is returning to serve the department as a part-time lecturer for the second semester already. 

picture of Dr. Raja Rosenhagen picture of Dr. Mariah Cushing picture of Anissa Guerrero, M.A.

Dr. Raja Rosenhagen                           Dr. Mariah Cushing                               Anissa Guerrero, M.A.

Philosophy Student of Distinction

The Philosophy Department congratulates Caleb Charles on being the 2021 Philosophy Student of Distinction!

Program of Exceptional Quality

The University's Undergraduate Academic Program Review Subcommittee has completed its review of Philosophy.  They have recommended that the B.A. degree in Philosophy be approved as a Program with Notation of Exceptional Quality.  This recommendation is offered without reservation in recognition of our specific areas of promise and excellence!

Congratulations!

The Philosophy Department congratulates Dr. Veena Howard on her appointment as the Endowed Chair in Jain and Hindu Dharma.