Nov. 20, 1950

West Indian author and literary scholar who has energized cultural Studies with unparallel insight and flair. She has bridged the multiple scholarly domains and reached the wider public with her work in cultural studies. She has caused the broader public to have an appreciation for Jamaican culture especially as it relates to our language, reggae and dancehall music.

Professor Cooper has taken a leading role in the shaping and maturing of the Cultural Studies discipline through the University’s Reggae Studies Unit which she initiated. She has provided leadership for this innovative enterprise for more than a decade.Through the distinctive flavour of her scholarship, Professor Cooper has provided unmatched advocacy for cultural consciousness and eloquently epitomizes Jamaica’s cultural expressions.