Political geographer to speak about Confederate monuments

A political geographer from Virginia will present a talk titled “Boasts of the Confederacy? Race, Memory and the Politics of Monument Landscapes in Southeast Virginia” at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 in Agenstein Hall, room 224 on the campus of Missouri Western State University. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Jonathan Leib is professor and chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. His research interest have largely focused on political and cultural change in the American South, with an emphasis on the politics of Civil Rights symbols as well as issues of voting rights and elections in the region.

Dr. Leib’s talk is part of Missouri Western’s Interdisciplinary Nature of Geography Speaker Series, presented by the Department of History and Geography.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.