The 2025–26 academic theme, Civil Rights, offers the UMA community an opportunity to engage deeply with questions of justice, equality, and human dignity in the classroom, on campus, and in the world around us.
Exploring civil rights means more than studying past movements or memorizing legislation. It invites us to ask:
By connecting past struggles to current issues, this theme helps us better understand the complexities of power, voice, and identity in our own communities and globally.
The theme of civil rights is especially timely as we mark UMA’s 60th anniversary, a milestone that parallels a historic moment in U.S. history: the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These landmark laws were the result of sustained activism, resistance, and public pressure, and their legacy continues to shape policy and culture today.
From racial justice and voting rights to disability justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and digital inclusion, the study of civil rights encourages us to think critically about how rights are protected, challenged, and expanded in every society.
Civil rights touch nearly every discipline at UMA because justice, equity, and inclusion are questions that matter in every field of study:
The theme also challenges us to reflect on our own roles and responsibilities. Whether you're learning, teaching, organizing, or creating, you are part of the ongoing conversation around civil rights.