"One stick cannot cook a meal or build a fence…"
This is the essence of Hmong wisdom.
Established in 2004, the Center for Hmong Studies is a Concordia University-affiliated institution. The Center exists to promote the scholarly interest, the rich legacy and the complex heritage of the Hmong people.
The Hmong are in a unique position to articulate the ideas and practices of a shifting modern world. Dispersed across the globe, without the advantage of a written script for much of their history, the Hmong are a powerful byproduct of global interactions and international relations. Bonded by a foundation of the oral, a tradition embedded in legends and memory, the Hmong are an example of a global community that has survived despite the influences of dominant cultures and perspectives, the powers of market economies and the strident pulls of politics.
Home to the Hmong Archives, the most extensive collection of Hmong contemporary and historical artifacts in the country, the Center for Hmong Studies is a community-driven resource center that is unique in its service and commitments. The Center exists to track, document, research, develop and teach the long history, the current conditions, and the future trajectory of an international community in the midst of transition. Funded by both public and private dollars, the Center for Hmong Studies is excited to meet the needs of a diverse population in the pursuit of delivering the most accurate information on the Hmong.
The Center for Hmong Studies is here to advance a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the Hmong people and the important role they have played in the shaping of the modern world. We are here to instigate the field of Hmong Study by unifying the ideas, the experiences and the wisdom of the Hmong.
Who We Are
We are independent scholars, researchers, students, and community members affiliated with Concordia University and other institutions that are interested in developing a strong understanding of the Hmong people.
Our vision is to create a high academic program of interdisciplinary study on the fundamentals of the Hmong identity, the places and the people who have made us what we are today as a vibrant community of diverse perspectives
In line with the mission of Concordia University, the Center for Hmong Studies believes in preparing students for dedicated service to God and Humanity. Concordia University has played an important role in the welcoming of the Hmong community to higher education. The Center for Hmong Studies will work to make Concordia University the University of Choice for Hmong and non-Hmong students and scholars interested in the field of Hmong Study.
· Through our teaching, we will make accessible Hmong history, culture,
language, and people.
· We will find the foremost scholars to lecture and teach the courses.
· The Center will work with other universities to find the best resources to enable
effective and stimulating dialogue and thought on the crucial components of
Hmong in the world.
Our objective is to take Hmong to the world and invite the world to Concordia University Saint Paul.
Beyond a minor degree in Hmong Studies, the Center will offer an international conference every other year on topics that are beneficial and important to the Hmong, the ideas and philosophies, the current conditions and imminent challenges that question and answer who we are as a people, where we will be as integrated identities. We will initiate scholarly research on topics that have not been studied, that need to be studied more in depth, and whose conclusions will shed light on necessary information that will strengthen the core of an academic and societal understanding of Hmong. Through research and publication, teaching and curriculum, conference and convening, the Center for Hmong Studies will become a home for Hmong-related scholarship. What have we done to date?
Since the establishment of the Center in 2004, it has accomplished the following:
1. Co-located the Hmong Archives collection to the Center for Hmong Studies, bringing with it over 2,000 volumes of books, 2,000 audio and video tapes relating to the Hmong people worldwide. Including Hmong related artifacts, there are now more than 100,000 items at the Center.
2. Organized and hosted First International Conference on Hmong Studies, which drew more than 30 presenters/scholars and over 500 participants from throughout the world.
3. Provided more than nine lectures and three film discussions relating to Hmong life; attracting combined audience members exceeding 1,000.
4. Hosted Dr. Gary Yia Lee a former faculty member from the University of Sydney, Australia as the Center’s first Scholar in Residence.
5. Developed and Launched the first Minor in Hmong studies in the world.
6. Launched the first live Hmong public affairs radio program which emphasizes issues of interest to and about the Hmong people worldwide. Haiv Hmong is broadcast live from the studio of KFAI 90.3 FM in Minneapolis and 106.7 FM in St. Paul or http://www.kfai.org/node/8695 every Wednesday night from 8:30 p.m - 9:00 p.m).
7. Facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Concordia University and Guizhou University for Nationalities in Guizhou Province, China.
8. Conducted an academic tour to China for sixteen staff, student, faculty and community members in 2007.
9. The Center received approval for a Fulbright Scholar from China for fall semester 2008.
10. Received over 2,000 guests/vistors.
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