Experts on US-Cuban relations

The following University of Victoria faculty members are available to discuss the breaking news today on the thawing of relations between the US and Cuba:

Alexandrine Boudreault-Fournier (Dept. of Anthropology) is an expert in the cultural policies of Cuba, the Caribbean and South America. She can discuss how diplomatic relations with the US would positively impact the daily lives of the people of Cuba. She has conducted research in Cuba for more than 16 years—and lived in Cuba for three years—and is also an expert in how Cubans access and circulate digital data (considering their limited access to the Internet), for instance, through the use of memory sticks and other portable devices. She has also worked extensively on youth popular culture and music, looking at the relationship between arts, culture and the Cuban Revolution. She is not on campus but is available on cell or by email today until 3 p.m. PT (1 p.m. to 6 p.m. EST, Quebec). (Mobile: 778-677-0625 or alexbf@uvic.ca)

Jason Colby (Dept. of History) is an expert in American foreign relations and in particular US-Latin American relations. He has researched and taught courses on this subject and can comment on the full sweep of US-Cuban relations from the 1959 Cuban Revolution right through to today’s news. An expat American with a PhD from Cornell University, Dr. Colby closely follows the news from south of the Canadian border. He is on campus today and is available by email or phone. (Office: 250-721-7389 or jcolby@uvic.ca)

UVic-produced video of Dr. Colby on YouTube:

To view all Faces of UVic Research videos: www.youtube.com/user/FacesOfUVicResearch.

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