It seems to have become a tradition to open this post with a weather report for New England. This morning we’re looking at a slushy Sunday, which while annoying is quite an improvement over the snowpocalypse of a few weeks ago. In any case, a little sleet/snow won’t stand any longer between you and your weekly supply of links. On we go!
Last weekend news broke of a letter written by Emory President James Wagner that held up the Three-Fifths Compromise as a model for modern-day academic compromises. Discussion continued into this week on several fronts:
- For first reactions from several humanities scholars, see Aaron Bady and Natalia Cecire, who each roundly criticize Wagner’s choice.
- Ben Alpers at the U.S. Intellectual History blog reflects on what the incident tells us about “Good Things” and “Bad Things” in American history and modern political discourse.
- For more, a group devoted to opposing funding cuts at Emory has a full round-up of posts on the subject.
William Pannapacker opines on the term “digital humanities” as it applies to liberal arts colleges.
Less than a month remains to submit your proposal for the McNeil Center’s graduate student conference, “Traces of Early America.” Deadline March 15.
Harvard University’s Program on the Study of Capitalism is sponsoring a conference on “The Global E.P. Thompson,” with paper proposals due May 15.
Radcliffe magazine profiles Annette Gordon-Reed, and includes a brief excerpt from “The Most Blessed of Patriarchs,” her new book on Jefferson’s intellectual world co-authored with Peter Onuf.
Alan Taylor reviews Bernard Bailyn’s The Barbarous Years for The New Republic.
It’s a little late chronologically for this site, but of interest nonetheless to many: Christopher Benfey at the New York Review of Books reviews Ellen Gruber Garvey’s Writing With Scissors: American Scrapbooks from the Civil War to the Harlem Renaissance.
Presented without comment. [UPDATE: Turns out this one requires a brief comment. On mobile devices, this link goes to the first slide rather than the relevant one (#15). This may lead to Downton Abbey spoilers, if by chance you have not seen the season finale. Proceed with caution.]
After you’ve had your first cup of coffee, you’ll be ready for this interview with Quentin Skinner on liberty.
And finally, Laurent Dubois explains the Haitian Revolution in a seven-minute video from the Gilder-Lehrman Center.
Great round-up, Joe.
Thanks in particular for the Skinner link. I have been looking for something to put me asleep on the plane.
You’ve actually got Tom C. to thank for that one. And I did warn you about drinking coffee in advance…