By Laurence Thomas (NHC Fellow, 1982–83) Laurence Thomas addresses two main questions in this philosophical exploration of morality: What constitutes a moral life? How does one acquire and maintain a good moral character? In answering these questions, he maintains that social interaction is the thread from which the fabric of moral character is woven, and … Continued
By Sandya Hewamanne (NHC Fellow, 2011–12) In Sri Lanka, the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) employs thousands of unmarried rural women, and their migration has aroused deep anxieties over female morality and ideal conduct. This book focuses on the global factory workers based in the FTZ, and analyzes intersections of gender, class and sexuality by looking … Continued
By Peter Keating (NHC Fellow, 2000–01) Since the end of World War II, biology and medicine have merged in remarkably productive ways. In this book Peter Keating and Alberto Cambrosio analyze the transformation of medicine into biomedicine and its consequences, ranging from the recasting of hospital architecture to the redefinition of the human body, disease, … Continued
By Anthony W. Marx (NHC Fellow, 1997–98) In this bold, original and persuasive book, Anthony W. Marx provocatively links the construction of nations to the construction of racial identity. Using a comparative historical approach, Marx analyzes the connection between race as a cultural and political category rooted in the history of slavery and colonialism, and … Continued
By John Shelton Reed (NHC Fellow, 1983–84) John Shelton Reed is a sociologist who “can write clearly; has a sense of humor; and is not afraid to express opinion,” according to Choice. Reed’s popular, often humorous, books on the American South have earned him a reputation as one of the region’s most perceptive observers. Surveying the South collects … Continued
How will the twenty-first century differ from the twentieth? The human population will probably be larger, more slowly growing, more urban, and older. The human population will interact in the twenty-first century with dramatic economic changes, which could take place in information technology, biotechnology, and economic inequality. These demographic and economic possibilities will in turn … Continued
From the 1890s through the 1920s, Progressivism manifested itself in a variety of ways from cleaning up slums to eliminating government corruption to Americanizing immigrants to standardizing industrial practices. Such initiatives often sought to improve life by applying insights derived from the newly emerging social sciences—disciplines like sociology, psychology, economics, and statistics. When applied to … Continued
During the Progressive Era, from the 1890s through the 1920s, the idea of progress manifested itself in a variety of ways from cleaning up slums to eliminating government corruption to Americanizing immigrants to standardizing industrial practices. Such initiatives often sought to improve life by applying insights derived from the newly emerging social sciences—disciplines like sociology, … Continued
The Glasscock Summer Scholars programs is a project that falls in the realm of the humanities. Specifically, my project deals with social psychology. So in the summer, after attending a two week seminar on marginalized groups and individuals, it was time to decide what my topic would be on. On that day, I met Gabe … Continued
In this audio recording, graduate student Margherita Berti describes how an ordinary encounter while studying abroad gave her a new outlook on cultural differences, practices, and perspectives. Transcript My Humanities Moment goes back to when I was an exchange student in high school in 2008/2009. I lived for a year in Indiana with an American … Continued