March 28, 2024

Online Magazine Reviews Barry’s Book, ‘Bishop in Flight’

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry

On February 11, 2024, the online magazine, Ancient Jew Review, published a shining review of Prof. Jennifer Barry’s first book Bishops in Flight.

The review can be found here:

Bishops in Flight: Exile and Displacement in Late Antiquity in

Barry, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, is currently on research leave as the Harvard Loeb Classics Library Fellow for the 2024-2025 academic year. She is finalizing edits of her next book project Gender Violence in Late Antiquity.

Thaxter Speaks on the Conflation of Self-ish vs. Self-care

Adjunct Professor of Psychology Peter Thaxter

“There are a number of different ways of thinking about selfishness and where those messages come from,” said Adjunct Professor of Psychology Peter Thaxter. “I think sometimes that message on self-ish vs. self-care or self-preservation often can get misconstrued or conflated based on the messaging in our society.” Read more.

 

Larus Comments on VOA Chinese on Pacific Islands Funding

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Pacific Forum

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Pacific Forum, commented to Voice of American Chinese that Congress’ failure to renew funding of the Compacts of Free Association (COFAs) with the Pacific Islands of Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau jeopardizes US influence and sea control in the Pacific. China is enticing Palau, whose economy heavily depends on tourism, to switch diplomatic relations from Taiwan by promising to fill every hotel room in Palau. Larus indicated that, located between Hawaii and Guam, COFA members states are the U.S.’s first line of control in the Central Pacific. China is using economic leverage to persuade the COFA states to realign with China and to abstain in a potential U.S. conflict with China over Taiwan. 

https://www.voachinese.com/a/how-can-cofa-help-us-deter-ccp-in-a-indopacific-conflict/7496027.html

Cooperman Speaks on ‘Election Year Shaped by Reproductive Rights’

Professor and Chair of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman

A rematch — this time with abortion at the forefront (Reckon News)

“I don’t know that there’s any real fidelity to any stance on an issue unless it’s perceived to be useful — abortion being one of a very long list,” said Rosalyn Cooperman, who studies Republican candidates and political leaders at the University of Mary Washington. “If you look at what he has said over time, it is what is politically expedient.” Read more.

Liss Explains What the Happiest States in America Are and Why People are Unhappy

Professor of Psychological Science and Department Chair Miriam Liss

“Increasing wealth does not make you happier, but the experience of poverty can definitely make you unhappy ,” says Miriam Liss , professor of psychology at the University of Mary Washington. That’s because basic needs for housing, food, clothing, security, health care and transportation are difficult to meet when people are not financially secure, she adds. Read more.

 

Farnsworth Gives Input on all Things Political

Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth

Lucas: Alexandria arena deal is dead as far as she’s concerned (Virginia Business)

Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, said Monday that he thinks “greater deference and a sweeter deal are necessary to make this package happen. At some point, if Youngkin wants this deal, he will have to bend on important Democratic priorities, including more funding for education.” Read more.

 

In Virginia, 15 candidates are vying to replace Spanberger in Congress (The Washington Post)

“Open congressional seats don’t happen very often, and when they do, everyone who imagines themselves a congressman or congresswoman is going to be looking at that seriously,” said Steve Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “That’s happening for both parties because this is a really competitive district.” Read more.

 

Why did Virginia Democrats vote to advance an abortion restriction? (WVTF)

“It puts Republicans in a tough spot,” said University of Mary Washington Professor Stephen Farnsworth. “They either have to vote for this extreme position and then face whatever backlash might exist, or not vote for it and run the risk of losing a primary to someone who says they’re not conservative enough.” Read more.

 

How to Watch The Daily Show: Stream Season 29 Premiere Live, TV Channel (Sports Illustrated)

“The world has changed a great deal politically, and late-night comedy has changed along with it,” said Stephen Farnsworth, author of Late Night With Trump: Political Humor and the American Presidency. “It is a much darker and more cynical environment than it was before Donald Trump became president. Read more.

 

General Assembly reaches midpoint, with fights ahead over arena, cannabis, guns and taxes (Cardinal News)

“The midterm grade is an incomplete,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “So far Republicans have been doing what Republicans do, and Democrats have been doing what Democrats do, each side doing what they can to lock in their base voters, but the hard questions have yet to be answered.” Read more.

 

The Cost of the Potomac Yard Arena “Has Just Gone Up” for Youngkin (Washingtonian

“The odds of success right now are bleak, well under 50/50,” University of Mary Washington political science professor and longtime Virginia General Assembly watcher Stephen Farnsworth tells Washingtonian in an e-mail. “A deal often can be had across partisan lines, but the cost for the governor of securing the support of Democratic legislative majorities has just gone up.” Read more.

 

The Alexandria Arena Deal Was A Slam Dunk…Until It Wasn’t (DCist)

That’s the more likely scenario for this deal to get done, according to Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s going to be a deal that it happens at the 11th hour in the budget bill, where Democrats get the things that they want in exchange for the governor getting what he wants,” Farnsworth says. Read more.

Rao Shares AI Teaching Tips With ‘Inside Higher Ed’

Professor of Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies Anand Rao

Professor of Communication Anand Rao contributed to an article titled “Teaching Tip: Navigating AI in the Classroom,” published by Inside Higher Education. In the article, Rao said he introduces students to low- and no-code options to build their own generative AI tools in his special topics course on digital studies. Read more.

Cooperman Talks About POTUS Election on ‘Voice of America’

Professor and Chair of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman

Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman spoke with Voice of America for a segment titled “Issues in the News: The Strategic Importance of Africa.” On the show, Cooperman discusses how the 2024 U.S. Presidential election is shaping up? Listen to the episode.

Davidson Pens Essay on NATO Strategy for Atlantic Council

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson wrote an essay titled “NATO should be ambitious with its new Southern Flank Strategy” for the Atlantic Council’s online publication, The New Atlanticist. The article begins: When the leaders of NATO member states gather for the Alliance’s seventy-fifth anniversary summit in Washington in July, they will have several high-profile items on the agenda. Read more.

Barry Presents Research as Harvard, Classical Loeb Library Fellow

Jennifer Barry

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry

This spring, Jennifer Barry, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, will present material from her research project Gender Violence in Late Antiquity. She will present a chapter of the book at the Boston Patristics Society on February 15, 2024, and will give a public lecture at the University of Denver on February 29, 2024. As a Harvard, Classical Loeb Fellow for the 2023-2024 academic year, Barry has used her leave to finish her monograph. She has also started work on a number of additional publication opportunities as well as her next book-length project on Scandalous Christian Histories.