Cowley instructor presents paper at England's Oxford University

Kay Kautz, an instructor in Cowley College’s north campuses social science department, was invited to present a paper she wrote at Oxford University in Oxford, England.

The presentation took place March 20 at Oxford’s Examination Hall at a conference titled “Unity of Nations”. Kautz’s paper was titled, “Is Ethnic Group Self-Identification a Human Rights Issue?”

The paper reviewed past and recent identity theories, recent UN rulings on rights to self-determination of identity, examination of identity components, marginalization of minorities, indigenous, and immigrant groups from disallowing identity and subsequent components, and the call to examine the issue in the light of human rights by the academe.

Kautz enjoyed the opportunity to present her paper at the prestigious university.

“I was thrilled to be among academic theorists and those who wished to solve issues of conflict,” Kautz said. “The professional academic atmosphere was exemplary.”

The presentation was very well received and a debate ensued about identification through DNA.

“I feel it is a critical issue, as self-identification is an issue of power,” Kautz said.

Kautz, who has been employed at Cowley for 10 years, plans to submit the paper for publication next year. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Oklahoma State University in Higher Education Leadership.

Along with her teaching duties at Cowley, she volunteers as an advisor and is working to help establish the context of an American university credit system in Africa. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Global Learning Center in Wichita and is a member of the Anthropology and Education Association.

Spring 2007