A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Professor of Mathematics Janusz Konieczny
Janusz Konieczny, professor of mathematics, published a research article, Maximal abelian subgroups of the finite symmetric group, in the International Journal of Group Theory.
Eleven UMW faculty from a variety of disciplines worked together in 2020 as the Advocacy, Deliberation, and Civic Engagement Learning Community. The group was led by Leslie Martin and Anand Rao, representing the Center for Community Engagement and the Speaking Intensive Program. The goal of the group was for the participants to work together to develop course materials that incorporate advocacy and deliberation activities to support civic learning in their courses. Modeled after a similar initiative at VCU, the UMW faculty learning community met through the Spring 2020 semester to study the ways that advocacy, deliberation, and debate, could be used in class, and the faculty then developed materials, including activities, assignments, and rubrics, for use in college classes. The materials were collected and were recently published online through UMW Eagle Scholar. The publication is titled “Supporting Advocacy, Deliberation, and Civic Learning in the Classroom,” and includes contributions from the following faculty: Leslie Martin (Sociology), Anand Rao (Communication), Adrienne Brovero (Communication, UMW Debate), Gonzalo Campos-Dintrans (Spanish, FSEM), Steve Greenlaw (Economics, FSEM), Pamela Grothe (Environmental Sciences), Jason Hayob-Matzke (Philosophy), Jodie Hayob-Matzke (Environmental Sciences), Christine Henry (Historic Preservation), Joseph Romero (Classics), and Andrea Livi Smith (Historic Preservation).
Assistant Professor of Communication Sushma Subramanian
Sushma Subramanian, assistant professor of journalism, appeared on a special Valentine’s Day episode of With Good Reason to talk about her new book on the sense of touch, which was released this week https://withgoodreasonradio.org/episode/my-pandemic-valentine/
In December 2020, Middle East Report [MERIP] Issue #297, “Health and the Body Politic,” was officially published. UMW Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History Nabil Al-Tikriti joined the team of developers and editors who invited contributors and edited content for the issue, available online here: https://merip.org/magazine/297/.
The Issue Development Team (IDT) consisted of Profs. Omar Dewachi of Rutgers, Nabil Al-Tikriti, Kevan Harris of UCLA, and Assistant Dean Graham Cornwell of George Washington University. Michelle Woodward is MERIP’s Managing Editor.
Press Release: “Health and health care have become increasingly ungoverned over the past few decades, in tandem with a broader breakdown of the body politic. Health care workers are finding it increasingly difficult to work in settings of violent conflict and insecurity, rapidly declining health care systems, pervasive corruption and widespread economic mismanagement—all amidst the waning capacity of states to improve the health and wellbeing of their populace. While the Middle East region trains a lot of doctors, few end up staying. The winter issue of Middle East Report explores the interactions of the body politic with health and medicine and examines the entanglements of physical bodies in the institutional and political processes that govern them. The articles in this issue explore a range of different landscapes and ecologies of politics and health care, bringing the questions and problems of health and illness into the analysis of geopolitics and political economy.”
In addition to participating on the IDT, Al-Tikriti also joined Omar Dewachi in an interview of Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, a prominent activist and doctor who has worked for over 25 years in conflict medicine throughout the Middle East and Europe, much of it with MSF/Doctors without Borders.
Other contributions to the issue included: Mac Skelton, “The Long Shadow of Iraq’s Cancer Epidemic and COVID-19,” Nihal Kayali, “Syrian Refugees Navigate Turkey’s Shifting Health Care Terrain,” Jennifer Derr, “Hepatitis C, COVID-19 and the Egyptian Regime’s Approach to Health Care,” Osama Tanous, “The Dilemmas of Practicing Humanitarian Medicine in Gaza,” Nora Chalati, “Illness as Metaphor and Reality in Syria,” and Aula Abbara, “COVID-19 Exposes Weaknesses in Syria’s Fragmented and War-Torn Health System.”
Middle East Report is published by the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP), a progressive, independent organization. Since 1971 MERIP has provided critical analysis of the Middle East, focusing on political economy, popular struggles and the implications of U.S. foreign policy for the region.
Professor and Chairman of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus
Elizabeth Larus, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, commented in the Vietnam press on President Biden’s foreign policy challenges. Professor Larus indicated that Biden will need to overcome the skepticism of Congressional Republicans in formulating his foreign policy. Although foreign policy making is historically the domain of the executive branch, Congress undeniably has a role as well. Access her comments at https://www.vietnamplus.vn/my-chuyen-gia-danh-gia-ve-chinh-sach-doi-ngoai-cua-tong-thong-biden/691987.vnp
Elle Magazine – Feb 4, 2021
Sushma Subramanian, assistant professor of journalism, published a story in Elle Magazine’s February issue covering a North Carolina case involving “alienation of affection,” a legal term used to describe the breakup of a marriage by a third party. It asks questions such as: Is marriage a contract just like any other, or is it mostly an emotional affair? Read more here:
Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe
Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Science Pamela Grothe discussed GM’s plan to phase out gas-powered vehicles with Courthouse News.
Pamela R. Grothe, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Mary Washington, believes this is a positive first step that will inspire other automakers to follow suit.
“Tackling climate change needs an all-hands-on-deck approach – we need companies, like GM, to commit to a carbon neutral future rather than waiting for government policies. I think GM’s move to a carbon neutral future will encourage other auto makers to do so, especially since they have already laid out the framework on how to do it,” she wrote in an email.
She added, “GM’s commitment to electrify their fleet and invest in renewable charging infrastructure will not only reduce carbon emissions related to transportation, but will lead to better air quality and human health.” Read more.
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies
Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth, who is also the director of UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, penned an editorial piece in advance of his Great Lives lecture on late-night legend Johnny Carson. He is the author or co-author of seven books, most recently, “Late Night with Trump: Political Humor and the American Presidency.”
FOR THREE decades, from 1962 to 1992, Johnny Carson dominated late night television in a way that no entertainer ever has or ever will.
In a career containing more than 5,000 episodes of “The Tonight Show,” Carson tucked Americans in at night with his signature mix of mostly gentle barbs directed at political figures and his immense roster of usually compelling guests.
Of course, to say that Carson dominated television during his era is to understate the case. By every measure, not only was he first—he was so far ahead of the competition that it hardly mattered who placed second.
At its peak, Carson’s 90-minute show generated roughly 17 percent of all NBC’s profits, an astonishing share of income from a single program, and one that aired after the prime television viewing hours.
Carson’s era was not a placid time in the U.S., and his show offered a refuge from the troubles of one’s day. In addition, he was the ideal host to steer Middle America through those difficult decades when he held court at 11:30 p.m. Read more.
Farnsworth also offered commentary in the following local, regional and national news stories:
Despite Republican Calls for a Short Session, General Assembly to Continue This Week (WVTF)
Virginia Senate Censures Member Who Spoke at Rally Before Capitol Riot (Courthouse News Service)
I.M. Pei
Assistant Professor of Art History Suzie Kim wrote an editorial on iconic architect I.M. Pei in advance of her lecture this evening, at 7:30 p.m. All Great Lives lectures can be accessed via Zoom at umw.edu/greatlives/.
CHINESE-born American architect I.M. Pei (leoh Ming Pei, 1917–2019) was one of the most acclaimed architects of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Two years ago, on May 16, 2019, Pei passed away at the age of 102. In its obituary, the New York Times named him as the “Master Architect Whose Buildings Dazzled the World.”
Pei understood how to convey the relationship between human and nature, modern and postmodern, and the old and new in his modern designs. Read more.
Associate Professor of English Colin Rafferty
Assistant Professor of English Colin Rafferty will give a virtual nonfiction reading tonight at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom to the Grand Valley State University’s Writers Series in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Those who wish to attend can contact the GVSU Department of Writing for the Zoom link. Read more.