Professor Cuthbert “Bert” J. Thomas

As a Professor of Africana Studies and the Director of the Caribbean Studies Program, Professor Bert J. Thomas interests include Caribbean politics, public policy, globalization, and the transnational community. He teaches courses relating to Caribbean politics and history, in addition to Core 9. Professor Thomas is a founding member of the Caribbean Studies Association and has attended nearly every one of the CSA’s conferences. In addition to his contributions to the start of the organization, he continues to be a committed member of the Association, where he has delivered more than twenty papers at its annual conventions. An active member of both the Brooklyn College and Caribbean communities, Professor Thomas lectures frequently to community groups and regularly participates, by way of delivering papers, at gatherings of professional organizations.

Professor Thomas is currently conducting research on Immigration law and its impact on   immigrant families. His research will form the basis of his presentation at the Trinidad conference of the Caribbean Studies Association meeting in May 2006.

His publications include, but are not limited to: The Struggle for Liberation: from W.E.B. Du Bois to Julius Nyerere (NY: Boneo, 1991). “The Americanization of Caribbean Youth,” Everybody's Magazine, May 1998; “The Loyal Opposition in Caribbean Politics: The Case of Dominica,” Journal of Eastern States, 5, September, 2001; “Charismatic Leadership: Eric Williams and Fidel Castro,” Everybody's Magazine, May 1995; “The Scourge of Crime in the USVI: The Police/Community Response,” in Simon Jones-Hendrickson ed., Crime in the Virgin Islands: Who is Responsible and How to Combat it? St. Thomas, USVI, 1994; “Caribbean Black Power: From Slogan to Practical Politics,” Journal of Black Studies, December 1998; and several book reviews in the Journal of Caribbean History; Caribbean Quarterly; Social and Economic Studies; and Wadebagei.  His current research deals with the assimilation of Caribbeans into American Society.  This is a very comprehensive analysis of samples of all Caribbeans, Cubans, Dominicans, and Haitians who have resettled in North America.

Contact Prof. Thomas at bthomas@brooklyn.cuny.edu