Dr. Miriam McCormick, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Law discusses her new book, Believing Against the Evidence: Agency and the Ethics of Belief published recently by Routledge. In this book, Dr. McCormick argues that the standards used to evaluate beliefs are not isolated from other evaluative domains. The ultimate criteria for assessing beliefs are the same as those for assessing action because beliefs and actions are both products of agency.

Kristin Bezio, Assistant Professor Of Leadership Studies discusses “Friends & Rivals: Loyalty, Ethics, and Leadership in Dragon Age II,” a chapter in the 2014 book, Identity and Leadership in Virtual Communities: Establishing Credibility and Influence. Dr. Bezio’s teaching and research focuses on the ways in which literature, drama, film, and video games have influenced society and the way people think about issues of leadership and followership. Her chapter explores how video game players can influence their understanding of ethics in terms of human emotion and interaction.

Dr. Thomas Bonfiglio, Professor of Literature and Linguistics in the Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures discusses his new book, Why is English Literature? Language and Letters for the Twenty-First Century, published recently by Palgrave.  Dr. Bonfiglio examines why English colonized literature after World War II and non-English literatures became configured as “foreign language .”

Amy Howard, executive director of the Bonner Center for
Civic Engagement and associated faculty in American studies, discusses her new book, More Than Shelter: Activism and Community in San Francisco Public Housing, published recently by the University of Minnesota Press. Her research and book looks closely at three public housing projects in San Francisco and brings to light the dramatic measures tenants have taken to create communities that mattered to them.

David Kitchen, Associate Dean of Strategic Planning
and Summer Programs in the School of Professional & Continuing Studies discusses his new book, Global Climate Change : Turning Knowledge into Action, published recently by Prentice-Hall. Taking a cross-disciplinary approach, Dr. Kitchen examines not only the physical science, but the social, economic, political, energy, and environmental issues surrounding climate change. His goal is to turn knowledge into action, equipping students with the knowledge and critical skills to make informed decisions, and participate in the public debate.