Written by
Nicolle McMurray
Curiosity, Generosity, and New Knowledge
From electronic art to silver mining in Bolivia, the German Enlightenment to Congressional productivity, our faculty are able to extend their research based on donor support from Great Conversations.
Speak. Disrupt. Empower.
Political science professor Courtenay Daum researches how the right to free speech enables the modern protest movements of marginalized groups.
LEAP explores free speech and cultural values
For Elham Musa, the Master’s of Arts Leadership and Cultural Management program is pushing her to challenge societal norms, especially when typical Western values conflict with her worldviews as a Muslim and immigrant.
The Dynamics of Development: How School Attendance Differs by Gender
A thoughtfully asked question from an Economics 101 student, – “How can we fix global poverty” – set Niroj Bhattarai on a journey that would be surprising and illuminating about what affects school attendance, while also serving as the dissertation research for his Ph.D.
Why We Need Ethnic Studies (Now More than Ever)
Ethnic studies is the history of us: of how we have become this great nation (with warts and all), of the obstacles we have overcome to get to this point, and of the challenges that we still face as a nation.
Imagining the Possible: the power of public rhetoric to inspire social change
For assistant professor of English Doug Cloud, rhetoric can be used for social justice. “It goes beyond describing reality as it is and articulates new and sometimes radical visions of how things could be.”
Syria’s forgotten pluralism and why it matters today
Since fighting first erupted in Syria in March 2011, many have discussed the role of the Arab Spring, the attendant Arab Winter, Syria’s government, sectarianism and the rise of the Islamic State to explain it. These factors, while important, ignore a key part of the story – Syria’s past.