Category: Uncategorized

The epic is dead . . . or is it?

Guest post by Christopher N. Phillips What place does storytelling have in literary history today?  I didn’t expect this to be a central question in my book, Epic in American Culture, but the more I explored the topic, the more I realized that storytelling caused many of the problems I faced in this project—and story…

Book giveaway: translate this!

The United States invaded Iraq nine years ago yesterday. And with combat troops out of that nation and plans to withdraw from Afghanistan well under way--despite some ongoing controversy--international relations scholar Mark N. Katz's newest book, Leaving without Losing: The War on Terror after Iraq and Afghanistan, is a timely argument for viewing America's disengagement…

China’s alternative world order leaves Europe a choice

Guest post by Liselotte Odgaard China is pursuing an alternative to Western political order based on absolutist state sovereignty and a non-military and non-political approach to global governance and development. As international norms become more regional and fractured, European states may end up choosing between two competing visions as individuals, not a cohesive European unit. The…

Pi and pie

By Robin Noonan, publicist On my drive into work this morning I heard that today is National Pie Day. Immediately my thoughts turned to a nice spring treat: strawberry rhubarb pie. After arriving at the office and riffling through the index of Manly Meals and Mom's Home Cooking, by Jessamyn Neuhaus, I realized that the DJ…

Pi and pie

By Robin Noonan, publicist On my drive into work this morning I heard that today is National Pie Day. Immediately my thoughts turned to a nice spring treat: strawberry rhubarb pie. After arriving at the office and riffling through the index of Manly Meals and Mom's Home Cooking, by Jessamyn Neuhaus, I realized that the DJ…

Why writing books makes us better teachers: A post for professors

Guest post by Lawrence A. Peskin What is the connection between writing and teaching? That's a question that I get asked all the time as an academic historian. Up until recently I would have had to answer with generalizations: classroom discussions sometimes prompt new research questions; research findings sometimes prompt new ways of approaching material…