Georgia

The Underground Railroad

by Bedrosian Center

*Warning: Spoilers!*

In Colson Whitehead’s award winning novel The Underground Railroad, Cora, daughter and granddaughter of slaves, flees her plantation after a horrific punishment. She heads out with a fellow slave Caesar, who takes her to the underground railroad – in this novel, a real RR. She is passionately pursued by Ridgeway, a slave catcher while she experiences the horrors of American racism and the courage of the RR personnel. The book compares a mythological Southern narrative of slavery with Cora’s truths and Ridgeway’s version of the “American imperative.” Beautifully written, full of horrific incidents, the book reminds us of the power of racism, the government’s complicity in its implementation and persistence, and reminds us freed African Americans carried with them the legacy of violence, oppression, suppression, and more violence whether from the police, physicians, or any other institution.

To listen to the Bedrosian Book Club discussion of The Underground Railroad click the orange arrow in the Soundcloud player here – or you can download it and subscribe through iTunes, Soundcloud, or Google Play

Zerunyan helps shape public leadership from South Africa to Armenia

by Matthew Kredell

USC Price School of Public Policy Professor Frank Zerunyan furthered his efforts to impart lessons in effective governance and public-sector leadership across the globe with recent speaking engagements and workshops in the nations of South Africa, Armenia and Georgia.   Local lessons, global impact In May, Zerunyan, director of executive education at the USC Bedrosian…

A Tale of Two Governors

by Jeremy Loudenback

For the Bedrosian Center’s first Best & Worst in Governance awards, attention turned to a pair of gubernatorial leaders. As CEOs of their states, governors enjoy a privileged opportunity to direct policy, but they also have the responsibility to ensure that government institutions operate smoothly, collaboratively, and efficiently, working toward common goals.