The Center for Studies in Democracy and Culture of the University of Oklahoma
The OU Center for Studies in Democracy and Culture
the university of oklahoma tulsa

"We believe that informed and engaged citizens are the foundation of a healthy and enduring democracy."
About You, About Us
You are at the center
of all we do.
We are based on the American ideal that citizens are the foundation of our democracy, and we create opportunities for people of all types and backgrounds to come together, to learn together, and to share together.

In addition to organizing events and activities for you, we publish on the web. In our “Tulsa Studies” section you will find a variety of articles and reflections about our city. In our “Ethno-Photography” section you will find illustrated articles about other peoples and cultures. These articles are part of our efforts to connect Oklahoma and the world.

OU-Tulsa was created as an urban campus with a special mission of bridging the university and the community. The activities of our Center are in furtherance of this mission.

Here is how you can participate with us:

JOIN OUR INVITATION LIST AND ATTEND OUR EVENTS.
All of our large luncheons on the OU-Tulsa campus are free if you bring your own lunch, but a nominally priced lunch will also be available for purchase.

BIRNG A FRIEND WITH YOU.
We will always have space for one more. Don't forget to add your friend to your reservation.

VOLUNTEER TO HELP AT LUNCHEONS.
There is always a lot of work to be done on the day of an event. If you can come early or stay late, we'll put you to work. Tell the Center Director of your interest by sending an email to Prof. Rodger Randle

MAKE A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION.
OU does not cover all the expenses of the Center and we are dependent on the generosity of friends. If you are willing to consider making a donation, please contact the Center Director, Prof. Rodger Randle . Contribution are made through the OU Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization.


The Center is the Home of the
BRITISH HONORARY CONSULATE
in Oklahoma.
We organize community events
for you, and much more.
Our events on the OU Tulsa campus regularly draw over 150 guests. These are held more or less monthly, and we sponsor smaller events with greater frequency.

The center has existed for a couple of decades, but in recent years our activities and audience have expanded greatly.

Over the years our events have attracted noted academics, national and international journalist including the New York Times and the Financial Times of London, ambassadors and other diplomats, writers and historians, and public officials at the local state and national levels.

We often partner with other organizations for projects and activities, including internationally. We are currently launching a new project with the Instituto Maria Quitéria in Rio de Janeiro. Past activities have included partnership activities in South America, central America, Africa, and Europe.

Prof. Rodger Randle
photo: Tulsa World
The Director of the Center is Prof. Rodger A. Randle. His public service began with the Peace Corps in Brazil and continued later as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and then to the State Senate where he was twice elected to its top leadership post. Following his legislative service he was twice elected mayor of Tulsa.

Prof. Randle has served in may civic posts, including as nation Chair and President of Sister Cities. He has received recognitions and awards for his public service from Brazil. Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Venezuela (pre-Chávez), and Pakistan.

He is the British Honorary Consul for Oklahoma.

The seal of the Center depicts the island of Rokovoco at sunset. The red and white in the sky are the colors of OU.

Tulsa Studies

Every city is different. Each is a product of the experiences of history that formed its culture and character, but cities are always dynamically changing. New forces from within, as well as broader societal influences from outside, are producing constant transformations.

Tulsa, however, is a city with a striking story to tell. In these studies we look at Tulsa from various different perspectives. Looking backwards, we review examples of how we became the Tulsa we are today. Looking at today's Tulsa, we search for new trends and directions that are shaping our city now …and that are shaping the Tulsa we will become in the future. For each of these objectives we are using multi-media formats.

Tulsa Studies
"The Human Family"
Photography Page
"The Human Family" is our primary photography project and it is designed to stimulate appreciation for the universal human values that unite people and cultures. This documentation of other cultures (“ethno-photography”) is also a contribution to promoting greater interest in the world beyond America’s borders and beyond the daily news headlines.

Photography is also extensively used to illustrate articles on our website about Tulsa and Oklahoma. Photography has the power to extend beyond words, inviting the viewer to imagine places, scenes, and different times. Photography is also used to educate the viewer to see our city as a place historically rooted, but living and changing.
Oklahoma Studies

We have launched a new project to preserve a selected record of details of Oklahoma legislative processes and politics from several periods of modern Oklahoma history. This collection will be a sampling of permanent historic value.

Understanding our roots is the key to understanding modern Oklahoma. Our project is two parts: (1) preserve records that are being lost, and (2) make these records accessible to the general public through the Center’s website.

This history is difficult to preserve because it is currently mostly oral. Our collection is designed for the general public, but it is also designed to create a record that will be of long lasting value to researchers as well.

oklahoma studies

the OU Center for Studies in Democracy and Culture

Prof. Rodger A. Randle, Director
The University of Oklahoma Tulsa
4502 East 41st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74135
E-mail: randle@ou.edu