Lightning Talks Explore Language Learning, Post-War Justice, and Community Media

Lightning Talks are a forum in the College of Humanities for new faculty and postdoctoral fellows to present an image about which they can tell an interesting research story. Why “lightning”? They only have ten minutes. On January 27, four College of Humanities faculty presented their work to the campus community for feedback and discussion.

Nick Ott (World Languages and Cultures), “Bridging or Widening the Gap? Perceptions of Speech Accommodation Across Cultures”  

Ott’s research examines speech accommodation - how people modify their language when speaking to non-native speakers. His study followed exchange students in southwestern Germany over one year, using six evaluative scales to assess their perceptions of “foreigner talk.” The research revealed that while students initially reported many modified language behaviors, these decreased significantly over time. Students consistently preferred standard language forms and disliked practices like switching to English or using simplified grammar. However, their expectations for native speakers to use teaching-like accommodations often went unmet. Ott argues for explicitly discussing speech accommodation in language classrooms and incorporating regional dialect awareness to better prepare students for real-world interactions. During discussion, questions focused on how to prepare students for native speakers who may not want to take on a teaching role, and how to handle regional dialects in language instruction while maintaining proficiency in standard forms.

Tara Quinn (Peace & Conflict Studies), “The Twilight State and the Perils of Paperwork in Postwar Sri Lanka”  

Quinn examines how administrative documents mediate land rights and identity in post-war Sri Lanka. Her research shows how displaced communities use various documents—from hand-drawn maps to expired permits—to pursue land restitution claims. The 2017 Right to Information Act became a key tool for accessing truth about land ownership, particularly benefiting those with little other political influence. Quinn demonstrates how documents carry meaning beyond their official content, serving as evidence of history and belonging—even when not legally recognized. Her work reveals the importance of information access in post-conflict rights claims. The Q&A explored the limited extent of digitization of Sri Lankan land records to date, as well as the power of documents to signify social status and power relationships beyond their official content.

Dwain Coleman (History), “Black Civil War Veterans and the Meaning of Freedom”  

Coleman’s research explores how Black Civil War veterans in Iowa and Kansas leveraged their military service to secure citizenship rights. Through the story of Anderson Hayes and other soldiers from the First Iowa Colored Infantry, Coleman shows how service in the Civil War also affected family reunification and the reformation of Black civil society after the war. These veterans’ organizing helped lead Iowa to become the first northern state post-Civil War to grant universal male suffrage, in 1868. Coleman also situated these developments in relation to the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870. Discussion centered on the different challenges faced by Black veterans in Iowa versus Kansas, and how the connection between military service and citizenship rights carried forward into later periods, including the “Double V” campaign during World War II, which linked victory against adversaries abroad with victory against oppression at home.

Marcie Young Cancio (Communication), “Stories from the Other Side: Building Community Through Student-Led Journalism Partnerships”  

Young Cancio discusses a partnership between journalism students and KRCL radio that amplifies underrepresented voices. Through collaboration with The Other Side Academy, students produced stories about homelessness, incarceration, and substance abuse recovery. The project demonstrates how classroom learning translates into professional media production, with students taking on roles, such as executive producer and social media editor. This partnership has led to employment opportunities in local media, while bringing new perspectives to coverage of community issues. The Q&A addressed how students move from individual stories to broader structural issues, with Young Cancio explaining how focused narratives can illuminate a community’s self-understanding and correct misunderstanding and prejudice.