Prof Donna Hope is new vice-president of Caribbean Studies Association

The 50-year-old Caribbean Studies Association (CSA), in a recently convened special Executive Members meeting, elected Professor Donna P. Hope, noted scholar and cultural expert, to the post of vice-president for 2024-25.

In her new role as vice-president, Professor Hope will support current CSA president, Dr Rhoda Arrindell, a St Martin national and lecturer at Howard University, and other members of the CSA team in the preparations for the upcoming CSA Conference 2025, which will be held in St Martin from June 1-7, 2025. According to a release, the CSA custom is usually that the conference moves to the country of birth of the president and, the vice-president automatically becomes the president at the end of the one-year term. This custom signals a return of this prestigious conference to Jamaica in 2026.

The 2025 edition of the CSA Conference in St Martin promises to be a major meeting ground for scholars, researchers, and practitioners from all over the world, who are engaged in Caribbean studies across all disciplines. The 2024 edition saw Professor Hope leading a four-person delegation of her University of the West Indies (UWI) graduate students to the Conference in St Lucia.

Professor Hope holds a BA in Mass Communication (Hons) and an MPhil in Political Science from UWI, Mona, and completed her PhD in Cultural Studies as a Fulbright Scholar at George Mason University. She has served as deputy dean in the Faculty of Humanities and Education and as director of the Institute of Caribbean Studies at the UWI. Her extensive research has explored the intersections of Caribbean identity, music, and culture, positioning her as an influential voice in the regional academic and cultural sectors. She is the author of numerous publications, and seven critically acclaimed books, including Inna di Dancehall: Popular Culture and the Politics of Identity in Jamaica, Man Vibes: Masculinities in Jamaican Dancehall, and her latest work, Dancehall Queen: Erotic Subversion/Subversion Erotica. Her works have been pivotal in shaping conversations around Jamaican and Caribbean culture on the global stage. Professor Hope’s scholarly contributions, coupled with her involvement as a cultural activist, social and political commentator, and public speaker at various cultural events locally, regionally and internationally, underscore her passion for Caribbean heritage and its preservation.

The Caribbean Studies Association is the leading independent professional organisation for scholars, students, and practitioners dedicated to the study and advancement of the Caribbean region, with members worldwide. The organisation is committed to fostering Caribbean research, dialogue, and collaboration across the humanities, social sciences, cultural and other sectors.