The American Citizen & Modern Democracy
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Spring 2009 The American Citizen & Modern Democracy Spring 2009 The American Citizen & Modern Democracy Spring 2009 The American Citizen & Modern Democracy SpringSpring 2009 2009 The American Citizen & Modern Democracy Spring 2009 Volume 7, Issue 3 The College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin publishes Life & Letters for its community of scholars, alumni and friends. Editor Christian Clarke Cásarez Life&Letters Associate Editor Jennifer McAndrew Art Director Erin Mayes at EmDash AMERICAN 2 17 Pro Bene Message from the Dean POLITICS Citizen Jane: Meritis University Art Director Constitution Helps Define Donna Coffelt Campaign for Texas 10 Women’s Civic Membership 29 Mr. President: Keeping an and Creates Social Roles Designers Thomas Staley Eye on the Oval Office Erin Mayes AMERICAN Unbound: Reading Rough Drafts to History at the Kate Iltis LANDSCAPES Watergate Papers GLOBal Ransom Center OPPORTUNITIES 11 Staff Writers 3 31 Tracy Mueller FDR: Traitor to His Class? Party Polarization: 19 Julius Glickman Historian H.W. Brands Government Scholar Translating the Arab World: Stepping Off the Beaten Marisa Rainsberger Reviews President’s Examines Changes in Language, Religion Path Leads to University, Jessica Sinn Command Performance, Constituencies and Congress and Culture are Keys to Legal Career Popular Appeal and to Reveal What’s Behind Understanding Diverse Region Contributing Writers Depression-era Policies the Political Divide that Safeguard the Economy 33 Tim Green 23 Judith Langlois Psychological State Vivé Griffith Assignment Abroad: A Scholar’s Call to Service 5 of the Union From Argentina to Vietnam, Pam Losefsky We the People: Students Explore the World Meet the Historians who Diversity of Latino Voters 35 in Quest for Global Citizenship Lynn Schusterman Photography Director Present and Preserve Marsha Miller America’s Stories Political Preparedness Family Foundation Supports 25 Jewish Communities for Global Safeguards: Practical On Scandal More than Two Decades Photographer The Wizard of Oz as a Solutions for Pressing Parable of Populism Problems; Robert S. Strauss Christina Murrey 13 Center for International A Red and Blue Nation? NEWS & Illustrator 7 Security and Law NOTES Books that Political Scientist Debunks Guy Kingsbery Changed America: Two Common Myths about Salam Fayyad American Voters Scholars Explore Seminal A Vision for Peace in 37 Production Coordinator Works that Shaped our the MIddle East Research Briefs Nation’s History 15 Delan Kai Politics in the Pews: Professor Examines Profile Alumni News Researchers Explore the of a Suicide Bomber Faculty Advisers Role of Religion in Mobilizing In Memoriam Bruce Buchanan African-American Voters Defusing Explosive Situations ShelfLife@Texas Janet Davis Visit us online at on the Front Line Gary Freeman www.utexas.edu/cola Educational Web Resources Terri Givens EDUCATION Stephen Hoelscher POSTMASTER & SERVICE Back Cover Robert Hummer Send changes of address to: James Pennebaker Life & Letters 27 Gateway to the Americas: Esther Raizen College of Liberal Arts Head of the Class: UTeach Teresa Lozano Long Institute Gretchen Ritter 1 University Station, G6000 CAMPUS CITIZENS: Liberal Arts created four covers to reflect the Bolsters Nation’s Schools of Latin American Studies college’s rich and diverse community of citizen scholars (from left): Tiffany One Teacher at a Time Alan Tully Austin, Texas 78712 Gill (history and the John L. Warfield Center for African and African- American Studies), Robert Hummer (sociology and the Population Preparing the Women of Research Center), Domino Perez (English and the Center for Mexican- Tomorrow: Ann Richards’ Printed on 10% recovered fiber/ American Studies) and Esther Raizen (Middle Eastern Studies). Educational Legacy all post-consumer fiber 1 Li f e &Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 CampaiGN FOR TEXas Message from the Dean Liberal Arts Priorities An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. — Benjamin Franklin $40 MILLION $98 MILLION LIBERAL ARTS STUDENT SUPPORT BUILDING for undergraduate NOWLEDGE—intellectual capital—remains The American Citizen with 200,000 square feet scholarships, graduate the United States’ strongest currency. to house the Population recruitment and retention, For every national and global challenge & Modern Democracy Research Center and and the Graduate Merit facing us, there is a liberal arts researcher In this issue of Life & Letters, titled The American Citizen departments of sociology, Fellowship Program. working toward a solution, from stabilizing and Modern Democracy, we introduce you to the research- geography and the the economy to strengthening national secu- ers and thought-leaders who shape national and interna- environment, linguistics, $52 MILLION rity to increasing international diplomacy. tional policy issues. American studies and RESEARCH During the fall, The University of Texas at In the American Landscapes section of the magazine, H.W. anthropology. AND ACADEMIC PROGRAM SUPPORT Austin announced an eight-year capital campaign to raise Brands sheds new light on the FDR presidency, and Michael $35 MILLION for undergraduate K$3 billion to extend the reach of its research and educa- Winship and scholars throughout the college examine books FACULTY SUPPORT research, UTeach, the tional opportunities. that changed America. for senior faculty Teresa Lozano Long “We intend to become the best public university in the In the American Politics section, go behind the headlines recruitment and retention, Institute of Latin American nation,” President William Powers Jr. said in announcing with Bruce Buchanan and Sean Theriault to learn more about and associate chair Studies, and the Dean’s the Campaign for Texas. “This campaign will focus on the the politics of the presidency and congress, and explore how positions. Fund for Excellence. people who will help us do that. Our faculty. Our research- religious communities become politically active with Eric ers. Our students.” McDaniel and Christopher Ellison. Learn more about the Campaign for Texas at The College of Liberal Arts will play an important role in the In the Global Opportunities section of the magazine, you’ll campaignfortexas.utexas.edu. university’s campaign, and we are ambitious. meet Terri Givens, vice provost and political scientist, who is Our goal is to become one of the nation’s premier liberal calling upon scholars and alumni to expand the university’s arts colleges during the next decade. To do this, we are international portfolio and relationships, and Mahmoud to bring the college’s researchers to communities throughout the nation and the world. Last year, the college introduced you to scholars whose work transcends hemispheric borders and ethnic boundaries “A great College of Liberal Arts is essential to the in Gateway to the Americas and Changing U.S. Demographics (Winter 2007-08). Earlier this year, you met the researchers mission of the university and a great asset to the state, who explore our time here on earth in The Human Condition (Winter 2008-09). As you’ve learned, the College of Liberal Arts is home to — Randy Diehl ER the nation and the world.” highly ranked departments and some of the most respected LL faculty across the country. MI A With Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, Guggenheim and RSH A working with alumni and friends of the college to raise Al-Batal and Kristen Brustad who are helping the world MacArthur Fellows, members of the distinguished National $225 million to expand academic opportunities and sup- learn more about the history, culture and language of the Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and GE: M PA port faculty members and students. Middle East. Sciences among our community of scholars, we are quickly HIS T As President Powers raises the university’s profile through- Finally, the back page of the magazine highlights the becoming one of the best liberal arts colleges at a major ER; out the United States and abroad, he has identified liberal arts internationally recognized work of the Teresa Lozano Long research university. LL as a top priority. Institute of Latin American Studies, also known as LLILAS. Nearly all of our departments rank in the Top 20 and a few in MI A In 2006, he pledged $1.3 million in recurring funds to As part of the Campaign for Texas, the College of Liberal Arts the Top 10. With your help, the college is moving closer to its goal RSH A support the history department’s research and teaching will be raising funds to match the generous $10 million gift of placing critical departments into the top tier nationally. programs. In 2007, he committed similar support for the from Joe and Teresa Lozano Long. We look forward to working with you and more liberal arts HS: M AP English department. alumni and friends as we embark on the ambitious and much- Today, your college is a focal point of the university’s needed Campaign for Texas that will ensure your college remains HOTOGR Campaign for Texas because a great College of Liberal Arts Becoming the Best a competitive resource, and recruiting ground, for the next gen- P is essential to the mission of the university and a great asset The American Citizen and Modern Democracy is the third eration of scholars, business leaders and policymakers. COVER to the state, the nation and the world. edition of a three-part series of Life & Letters issues designed — Randy Diehl Li f e &Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e &Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 2 THE LASTING LEGACY OF FDR: In “Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt,” historian H.W. Brands examines the popular president’s life of privilege, political rise and the New Deal legislation that transformed the American political and economic land- scape. The book was one of three finalists for this year’s Pulitzer Prize and earned a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. AMERICAN fight for the underprivileged and challenge the status quo, historian H.W.