Benjamin Saunders (Long Island University) will be in conversation with Kate Angell (Adjunct Reference Librarian) and Elvis Bakaitis (Interim Head of Reference) about his work on the topic of right-wing authoritarianism and public perceptions of the “Stop, Question, & Frisk” policy of the New York City Police Department. Saunders’ work in the field of Psychology addresses topics such as “religiosity and the stress of everyday racism” as motivators for volunteerism/political activism among African-American men, as well as the psychological impacts of street harassment.

The Mina Rees Conversation Series is a lively showcase of ideas, research and active scholarship, from across the CUNY system and beyond. The series is titled in recognition of Mina Spiegel Rees – a renowned mathematician who served both as CUNY’s first Dean of Graduate Studies (1961–67) and was named as the Graduate Center’s first President in 1971.