Author: john

In like a polar bear . . . out like James Franco

No roaring lions (only polar bears) heralded the end of our mild winter here in Baltimore. Read on to see what we've been up to, who we've been meeting (can anyone say James Franco?), and what's in the works at the JHU Press. Journals News In an effort to help raise awareness about health issues…

Probing the reproductive revolution in a time of heated politics

By Brendan Coyne, exhibits and awards manager If you've been paying any attention at all to our political discourse in recent weeks you know that reproduction is a hot and controversial topic. From Susan G. Komen for the Cure to insuring contraception for women, uncomfortable questions about sex and power and religion have forced their…

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…

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…

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…