BU Humanists at Work: Meet John Ott
When John Ott identifies “an itch I feel compelled to scratch,” he knows that he has found his next research project. His past work shows his willingness to follow his intellectual curiosity, with publications on topics ranging from art patrons in Victorian California to photography of Black athletes during the Gilded Age. Ott explains that […]
BU Humanists at Work: Meet Amanda Lee
When Amanda Lee, Visiting Assistant Professor in French in the Department of Romance Studies, came across the job post for her current position, she was delighted that it called for a “scholar” and “practitioner.” For Lee, who is both an academic and a dancer/choreographer, the unusual inclusion of the word “practitioner” conjured an image of […]
BU Humanists at Work: Meet Matthew Creighton
As the newest installment in our New to BU Series, Dr. Matthew Creighton provided the reflections below on his journey from growing up in Allston to teaching across multiple CAS programs. For Matthew Creighton, who joined the CAS faculty over the summer as a lecturer in the College of Arts & Sciences, teaching at Boston […]
BU Religion Announces New Minor: “Religion in Science & Medicine”
This semester, the BU Department of Religion introduced its Religion in Science & Medicine minor as its eighth undergraduate study track. Two professors in the department, April Hughes and Anthony Petro, set this initiative in motion. Hughes and Petro see this new minor as a way to address two of the department’s goals: to meet […]
BU Humanists at Work: Meet Jim Carter
“I liked telling stories as a kid. I always had a video camera in my hand and was employing my sisters or cousins as actors and actresses. I wanted to continue to tell stories in a professional way,” said Dr. Jim Carter. Carter joined the BU faculty this semester as Lecturer in Italian. While Carter […]
Boston University Ethics Seminar to Host One-Hundredth Speaker
On November 4, the Boston University Ethics Seminar (sponsored by the BU Center for the Humanities) will host Daniel Wodak (University of Pennsylvania, Philosophy) as its one-hundredth speaker over thirteen years. The BU Ethics Seminar grew out of the philosophy department’s ethics reading group. In 2008, during his first year as an assistant professor, Daniel […]
Reflections by Alyssa Kreikemeier, Summer 2021 Pre-doctoral Humanities Without Walls Fellow
Working across disciplines can be hard, but it also offers tremendous potential for innovation. Those of us working in the public humanities know this well, yet most graduate programs continue to prioritize specialization. As an interdisciplinary scholar with one foot outside of the academy, I’ve felt this tension often. My own career has taken different […]
Conversation with Mariah Gruner, PhD Candidate, American & New England Studies
Interview with Mariah Gruner Dissertation Project: “‘…Has Ever Been the Appropriate Occupation of Woman’: Crafting Femininity in American Women’s Decorative Needlework, 1820 to 1920” At what stage was your dissertation in March 2020? What were your plans at that time? When the pandemic struck, I had already completed a substantial amount of my background research and […]
Addressing Important Conversations Through Classics: Res Difficiles 2.0
The annual Res Difficiles: A Conference on Challenges and Pathways for Addressing Inequity In Classics tackles current pressing social issues as they intersect with the field of Classics. Coming from the phrase “Difficult Things” in Latin, this year’s remote Res Difficiles 2.0 tackled the difficult topic of social justice on March 20, 2021. This conference aims to […]
Conversation with Joanne Lafortune, MA Candidate, African American Studies Program
Interview with Joanne Lafortune What was life like for you prior to March 2020? I teach upper and middle school English literature at the Wheeler school in Providence, Rhode Island. As well as teaching English, I am also involved in attempting to diversify and decolonize all aspects of our school curriculum. One of the ways […]