USC Dornsife News

One of the greatest novelists ever has also become a staple of the silver screen. What explains his continuing appeal?

From the communal baths of ancient Rome to the Great Stink of London and the fortuitously named Victorian sanitary engineer Thomas Crapper, we explore the strangely fascinating history of plumbing through the ages.

That the son of a brutal dictator has won shows how wedded the country is to dynastic politics — and image manipulation.

Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies and Ethnicity Manuel Pastor enters the academy’s class of 2022 with such luminaries as authors Sandra Cisneros and Salman Rushdie, retired military leader and diplomat John R. Allen, singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie and actor Glenn Close.

A beloved Los Angeles landmark, the Nayarit, founded by the grandmother of USC Dornsife historian Natalia Molina, fed the senses — not only with its acclaimed regional Mexican cuisine but also by providing a haven where the marginalized could feel seen and find belonging.

USC Dornsife experts discuss the legacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s decision as the nation marks a day that will live on in infamy for many of the Japanese American families and their descendants. [5 min read]

The hunger strike is a simple yet potent form of protest, and even those living under extremely restricted conditions can choose to forego eating. [6 min read]

Juan De Lara, director of the new USC Dornsife Latinx and Latin American Studies Center, discusses how his institute will examine the racial, economic and social issues important to Latinx populations in Southern California and beyond. [2 min read]

Meet the incoming humanities professors joining USC Dornsife for the fall 2021 semester. [6 min read]