Profiles Detail
Idris Kabir Syed
Lecturer
Idris Kabir Syed is Lecturer in the Department of Pan-African Studies, in which he teaches at both the Kent and Trumbull campuses.
A native of Kent, Ohio, Mr. Syed graduated from Kent State University with a B.A. in English and Pan-African Studies in 1994 and an M.Ed in Community Counseling in 2001. Today, he is also employed as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in private practice, and is presently enrolled in the Urban Education Doctoral program at Cleveland State University.
As an undergraduate at Kent State, Mr. Syed was actively involved in numerous extracurricular activities, including Editor of Black United Students' biannual publication, Uhuru, and Middle East Chair of Progressive Students Network. As a graduate student, Mr. Syed extended his involvement in local community-based activism to include a focus on international relations.
An accomplished ceramicist, Mr. Syed has shown his work nationally and internationally. His work and studies have caused him to travel widely across Asia and India and, in 1996-1997, Professor Syed taught English both at Chosun University and at a private language institute in Gwang-ju, South Korea. In 2004, he was invited to, and participated in, an international ceramics conference/workshop in Aomori, Japan.
Because of his multiple interests in Pan-African Studies, his counseling practice, and his art, Mr. Syed's research interests are, accordingly, widely varied. He has published articles on topics ranging from literature to Buddhism and Pan-African Studies. He has also presented papers (on topics ranging from politics to popular music) at conferences in the United States and internationally.
Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities
Publications/Conferences
1996 Co-translation of 18 poems in An Anthology of Korean Poets for the 16th World Congress of Poets in Maebashi, Japan.
1996 "A Foreigner's Reflections on Korean Buddhism" in Haein-Sa Temple Journal 3 (1996): 32-3.
5-20-2005 Presented paper, "The Hate that Hate Produced/Chickens Coming Home to Roost: Modern Global Implications of the Work of Malcolm X," at Third Symposium on in Harlem The Malcolm X Legacy: A Global Perspective.
2006 Book Review of Okantah, Mwatabu S., Reconnecting Memories: Dreams No Longer Deferred. African American Review 39(4) 600-602
2007 Book Review of Diawara, Manthia., We Will Not Budge: An African Exile in the World. Journal of Pan African Studies [1](10) 157-159
2008 Presented paper "New Day: New millennium dancehall riddims and their cultural implications."
to the 2008 Association for Cultural Studies Crossroads Conference, at the University of the West Indies, Kingston Jamaica on 3-7 July 2008
2008 Coordinated round table on "Teaching a Diversity Course" at the 15th annual "Celebrating College Teaching" conference at Kent State University October 31.
2008 Presented paper "Carolyn Cooper's contributions to Pan-African Studies" at The Association of Black Cultural Centers, Rutgers University, November, 6-9.
Affiliations
Community Engagement
1990-1993 Progressive Student Network (Chair, Middle East Affairs)
1990-2007 May 4th Task Force (Coordinated Peace Marshall training in 1994-1995, 1998-2005)
1991-1994 Black United Students (Co-chair, African Affairs in 1992)
1992-1994 Uhuru Magazine (Assistant Editor 1992, Editor-in-Chief 1993)
2000-2001 Chi Sigma Iota (Counseling Honors Society)
1999-present American Counseling Association
2006-present Programmer on WCSB, Cleveland 89.3 fm
2007-Fall 2009 Nominations and Elections Chair KSU AAUP NTT bargaining unit
2009- present At Large Member KSU AAUP NTT bargaining unit
2007-present Trustee on Board of the Empowerment Center of Greater Cleveland
2008-present Kent Academic Support and Advising Association (KASADA) member and faculty advisor for (regional campus pending)
2008-present Association of Cultural Studies, member
2008-present Association for Black Culture Centers, member
2009- present Trustee on Board of All Faiths Pantry, Cleveland, Ohio
2009-present Faculty Co-Advisor May 4th Task Force, Kent State University
OFFICE
Department of Pan-African StudiesCONTACT INFO
Phone: 330-672-0158isyed@kent.edu