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 the nation and the world.” — Randy Diehl highly ranked departments and some of the most respected faculty across the country. With Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, Guggenheim and 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

pa ge: M a rsh Mi ll er port faculty members and students. Middle East. Sciences among our community of scholars, we are quickly

T his 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 out the United States and abroad, he has identified liberal arts internationally recognized work of the Teresa Lozano Long research university. 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 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 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 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 Campaign for Texas because a great College of Liberal Arts Becoming the Best a competitive resource, and recruiting ground, for the next gen- p hotogr ap hs: M a rsh Mi ll er; 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 landscape. 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. Brands explains in “Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano landscapes Roosevelt” (Doubleday, 2008). The book was one of three finalists for this year’s Pulitzer Prize and earned a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. After carrying 42 of the country’s then 48 states, Roosevelt declared the Great Depression a national emergency and distinguished himself from his predecessor Herbert Hoover and the Republicans who, since the 1920s, had left economic recovery to the private sector, believing the business cycle would eventually bring the depression to a close. “[T]he rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed, through their own stubbornness and their own incom- petence, have admitted their failure, and abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men,” Roosevelt said in his inaugural address on March 4, 1933. “True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition,” he continued. “They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish.” FDR challenged Americans to come together to solve the common problem of getting people back to work. He also called for stricter supervision of banking and support for public projects in the areas of transportation, communications and other utilities to stimulate and reorganize the economy. “The challenges FDR faced were enormous, but no one has entered the White House better prepared to become FDR: Traitor to His Class? president than Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who already had accomplished so much at the local, state and national level,” Historian H.W. Brands reviews president’s command performance, argues Brands, the university’s Raymond Dickson, Alton C. Allen and Dillon Anderson Centennial Professor. popular appeal and Depression-era policies that safeguard the economy In addition to serving more than seven years in Woodrow Wilson’s administration, where he was responsible for the Navy by Christian Clarke Cásarez and national security, FDR served as a state legislator and as governor of New York, where he dealt with the economic and personal realities of the Depression in the largest state in the union. n 1932, as Franklin Delano Roosevelt campaigned for ten in the political philosophy of the Government, look to “Although Roosevelt did not have an agenda—a laundry the United States presidency, the country was in the us here for guidance and for more equitable opportunity to list of things to do as president—he had something better: darkest days of its deepest depression. share in the distribution of national wealth,” Roosevelt said a new approach, an experimental approach of government Twenty-five percent of the U.S. workforce was unem- when he accepted the Democratic party’s nomination. “I action,” Brands says. “Roosevelt believed he couldn’t waste ployed. Across the country, millions were homeless, pledge myself to a new deal for the American people. This is time and that the government had to do something—try farms were failing, industrial production was declin- more than a political campaign. It is a call to arms.” anything—to alleviate people’s suffering.” ing, and banks had shut their doors. Roosevelt, who was reared on Hudson Valley privilege, As the 32nd President of the United States began to unite and

“Throughout the nation men and women, forgot- was quickly becoming the people’s candidate, willing to comfort the nation during his inaugural address—sharing his Kir k Weddle

I3 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 belief that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”—he also understood there was more was at stake than the economy. “Roosevelt knew that unless American democracy could demonstrate “We aim at the assurance of a rounded and permanent national life,” he said at the conclusion of the address. “We that it was taking action on behalf of ordinary American people, then do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed.” But, as he spoke the words, Roosevelt recognized that democracy itself would be at risk.” — H.W. Brands democracy had failed—and was failing—in Europe. Benito Mussolini had been in power for more than a decade in Italy There was no confidence that capitalism, which had only been Washington entered the marketplace to organize industry and, two months before FDR’s inauguration, Adolf Hitler was around for about 60 years, would survive,” Brands says. “Today, and make decisions on hiring, production and distribution.” named chancellor of Germany. no one believes an economic crisis will cause the entire system Roosevelt’s administration targeted industries identified “Roosevelt knew that unless American democracy could dem- to crash. Experts may predict unemployment will increase, but as essential to economic recovery, including textiles, coal, onstrate that it was taking action on behalf of ordinary American nobody projects it will match the 25 percent that FDR inherited.” oil, steel and autos. By 1936, although the Depression had people, then democracy itself would be at risk,” Brands says. Brands explains the country’s confidence is primarily based on not ended, production and employment increased and stock At the time, an economy based on modern capitalism was many of the reforms the New Deal put into place, including coun- market prices were higher. fairly new—and untested—he explains. By the time of the ter-cyclical policies and regulations to safeguard the economy. FDR’s transformation of the American economic and Great Depression in 1929, Americans had witnessed the eco- “In some ways, the New Deal was structurally conserva- democratic systems to help the needy and protect the weak nomic panics of 1873, 1893, 1907 and 1919 and they realized tive, shoring up the capitalist system,” Brands says. “In other was met with opposition from members of the Upper Class, each crisis was becoming longer and deeper. respects, such as industrial policy, it was structurally radical. whom media wrote, “hate Franklin Roosevelt.” “By 1933, the Depression was far worse than anyone had seen. Never in peacetime—and only once temporarily in war—had “His enemies excoriated him as a communist and damned him for disregarding property rights and violating the can- ons of the capitalist marketplace,” Brands explains. “The Historical Lessons for a New President wealthy denounced him for having betrayed the class of his birth. Time magazine devoted a lead article to the ‘burning H.W. Brands, author of more than 20 books on such lead- 4. They Don’t Vote in Montevideo bitterness’ the better-off felt for Roosevelt.” ers as Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Jackson, Theodore Presidents are rarely judged on their foreign affairs As critics branded the New Deal as a step toward Roosevelt, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, reaches into the agenda. Despite helping to bring the Cold War to a Communism, Roosevelt and his administration blasted the American archives to offer Six Lessons for a New President: peaceful conclusion, George H. W. Bush will never be naysayers as narrow-minded agents of greed. ranked among the great presidents because he was “Communism is merely a convenient bugaboo,” Interior 1. Timing is Everything viewed as being out of touch with domestic issues Secretary Harold Ickes said. “It is the Fascist-minded men of It doesn’t pay to be too ahead of your time—or the elector- and was not re-elected. America who are the real enemies of our institutions through ate. During the 1930s, liberals were frustrated FDR would their solidarity and their ability and willingness to turn the not take a stronger stance on civil rights, but the president 5. Leave Under a Cloud wealth of America against the welfare of America.” believed the country was not ready for sweeping reforms (and the Sun is Sure to Shine) Roosevelt would not retreat, Brands says, and he contin- and he did not want to alienate the South by getting out- Over time, perspectives change and historians begin to ued to battle critics throughout his presidency to radically of-step with the country. explore other angles. Harry Truman was unpopular after alter the landscape of American expectations. the Korean War, which was considered a failure when “The small-government world of the 19th and early 2. Nice People Make Lousy Presidents compared to World War II. Truman’s stock rose during 20th centuries was banished forever,” he says. “Americans The code of ethics for individuals is not the same for presi- the Vietnam War, as people discovered a draw wasn’t demanded more of their government: more services, more dents. Andrew Jackson was a loyal friend, but he refused the worst option in a Southeast Asia land war. safeguards, more security. They got them—along with more to sever ties with supporters who threatened his political taxes, red tape, more intrusiveness.” effectiveness. The president is responsible for the welfare 6. Dance with Those Who Brung You But, most Americans agreed the four-term Roosevelt presidency of the country, so sometimes it is best to rise above per- The Chief Executive represents the American people— provided the country with what it needed during the emergency of sonal principles for political expediency. not a political party, not special interests. Successful the Depression, Brands says, adding citizens liked and retained the presidents from Thomas Jefferson to Ronald Reagan New Deal’s programs and protections when prosperity returned. 3. Politics is Performance Art have appealed over the heads of parties and interests “In the generations that followed,” Brands says, “as the When Orson Wells visited the White House, FDR said the to the people, bringing the people emotionally into their American economy continued to thrive and as the benefits of pair were “the two finest actors in America.” As president, administrations. President Barack Obama’s challenge America’s material fortune rained down on the wealthy even Roosevelt understood his role and mastered the media of is to do the same. more than on persons of moderate means, the objective and hon- his time, radio, to lead Americans through the banking est of those who had once denounced Roosevelt for class betrayal crisis. He offered reassurance and hope, knowing markets View a webcast of “Six Lessons for the Next President” at recognized that in a decade rife with fascists, militarists, and survive based on popular confidence. www.lbjfutureforum.org/Media/HWBrands/index.cfm. communists abroad and irresponsible demagogues at home, he was the best thing that could have happened to them.”

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 4 American landscapes

Social and Cultural Cultural History and Colonial Spanish Early American African-American History History and Early African- Mexican-American History the U.S. Constitution The American South and British America History and Black Business History American history Emilio Zamora George Forgie Jacqueline Jones Jorge Canizares Esguerra Alan Tully Juliet Walker James Sidbury Kir k Weddle

5 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Decode “The Wizard of Oz” with an historians’ primer Dorothy: An every- Munchkins). But they are person character, she susceptible to the vagaries represents the literary of fate and the boom- We the People convention of a seeker and-bust cycle of the who goes on a journey economy. Meet the Historians who Present and Preserve America’s Stories and learns something of value to us all. Wicked Witch of the by Christian Clarke Cásarez West: Malevolent nature. Uncle Henry and Like the droughts that Auntie Em: Ordinary plague farmers, she can be Benjamin Franklin | Abraham Lincoln | The Industrialists “In the great universities throughout civilization, the farmers struggling to sur- overcome with water. José de la Luz Saenz | Oprah Winfrey teaching of history has always been fundamental,” Powers vive on the Great Plains. says. “Historians and history teachers not only preserve the Yellow Brick Road: rom the American colonial heritage to past, they enrich the long narrative of events and human Scarecrow: Populist Gold, the monetary World Wars I and II to modern business, the farmers, animated but standard that Populists Department of History brings together some without the brains to believed kept them per- of the nation’s most recognized scholars to “Every UT student, no matter his understand that panaceas petually in debt and pay- examine the grand narrative—and individual such as free silver can’t ing high rates of interest. stories—of the United States. solve all their problems. The scholars have built a top-ranked history or her major, should study history Dorothy’s silver department and, last year, the university launched Tin Man: Industrial slippers: The magic the Institute for Historical Studies, which builds on the histo- in order to enjoy the full range of laborers, who like the Tin shoes, made of the “dem- Frians’ impressive publication record and competitive research Man himself, have been ocratic” metal Populists funding from national agencies and research institutions. the intellectual experience.” transformed from humans believed would rescue In addition to the faculty members’ national book awards into machines, cogs in a the economy, have the and fellowships, the department includes Jacqueline Jones, —William Powers Jr. vast and growing indus- power to rescue Dorothy a McArthur Fellow and Bancroft Prize winner; David trial empire. They have no and send her home. (In Oshinsky, a Pulitzer Prize-winner; and seven current and interaction, so that we better understand who we are now hearts left. Baum’s original novel, former Guggenheim Fellows. and what the future holds. Dorothy wore silver slip- During his 2006 installation address, President William “Every UT student, no matter his or her major, should Cowardly Lion: pers. The filmmakers Powers Jr. identified the Department of History as a strategic study history in order to enjoy the full range of the intel- William Jennings Bryan, changed them to ruby to priority for the university, committing $1.3 million in new, lectual experience.” Democratic and Populist take advantage of the new recurring funds that will support research, teaching and the candidate for the presi- Technicolor film process.) new Institute for Historical Studies whose inaugural pro- Visit the Institute for Historical Studies at www.utexas.edu/ dency in 1896 and a grams will focus on “Global Borders.” cola/insts/historicalstudies/. staunch anti-imperialist. Emerald City: Like the His magnificent voice greenback paper currency helped him win the in circulation earlier, the city nomination, but many is a symbol of inflation and regarded him as a cow- false hope. The Wizard of Oz as a Parable of Populism By Jennifer McAndrew ard for his opposition to When Michael Stoff began teaching the survey course, Baum’s children’s book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” to American empire. Wizard: Any of the “U.S. History Since 1865,” the Distinguished Teaching illustrate the movement. conventional politicians Associate Professor of History faced the challenge of making “Few people know that ‘The Wizard of Oz’ can be interpreted as Wicked Witch of (maybe even the presi- the late 19th-century Populist Party relevant to students. The a political allegory: each character and place represents an issue the East: Eastern dents) who manipulate often-overlooked political movement grew out the collapse in the Populist view of the American political landscape,” says bankers, who Populists the levers of power but of agriculture prices in 1873 and farmers’ opposition to the Stoff, who is director of the Plan II Honors program. “Students believed were oppress- really have no power at gold standard, which kept them perpetually in debt. love discovering hidden meanings and symbols in the beloved film ing them (similar to all to make good on To bring the story of the Populist Party to life, Stoff uses from their childhood. It helps them connect to history in an innova- her oppression of the their promises. the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz,” which is based on L. Frank tive way that conventional textbooks can’t duplicate.”

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 6 American landscapes 1776 Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Before “Common Sense,” most Americans Books That assumed it was their duty to obey the laws of the British Crown, but after its publication this deference suddenly seemed absurd, says Lorraine Changed America Pangle, associate professor of government, who studies early American political philosophy. Scholars explore seminal works that shaped our nation’s history “Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil,” Paine famously stated. “I offer nothing more than simple By Jennifer McAndrew facts, plain arguments, and common sense.” Originally published in Philadelphia, the 79-page pamphlet that captured the emerging spirit of the revolution and cost only ave you ever stayed up all night reading learn to read to become one shilling was soon republished or extracted in newspapers a book you just couldn’t put down? Felt unrea- an active citizen and throughout the colonies, as well as England and Scotland. sonably annoyed when a well-meaning friend participate in the work- “Paine’s polemic was the most effective piece of propaganda interrupts your reading time? Found that a book force. There was a sense in American history,” says H. W. Brands, professor of history. that you’ve read changed your mind and chal- that you had a civic duty “It provided the words for thoughts that had been rattling lenged you to change the world you live in? to read.” around the American colonies for months and years, and it If this sounds familiar, Michael Winship, However, in today’s propelled the American people toward independence.” the Iris Howard Regents Professor of English, electronic era, critics says you’re not alone. Books always have captured the imagi- worry that modern cit- Hnation of readers, inspired reforms and revolutions, changed izens are more likely 1788 hearts and minds and altered people’s lives. Nearly 600 years to tune in to YouTube. after the invention of printing from moveable type, books com or check out their The Federalist continue to stir passions and incite controversy. favorite blog before by Alexander Hamilton, A bibliographer and book historian, Winship can’t remember picking up a book. James Madison and John Jay a time when he wasn’t surrounded by books. As an undergradu- But, books still play ate at Harvard College, he repaired rare books in the special Power of the Press: Michael Winship, an important role in Seventy-seven of the 85 articles advocating collections library. After graduation in the early 1970s, he con- English professor, with an R. Hoe & our culture, Winship the ratification of the U.S. Constitution that made up the “The tinued to work as a bookbinder before discovering he was more Co. Washington handpress manufactured argues, and they have Federalist” originally appeared in New York City newspapers interested in the contents of books than their construction. in the 1870s. an intrinsic value that’s under the pseudonym “Publius.” A two-volume compilation Today, Winship researches publishing and the book impossible to quantify. was published in 1788, and subsequent scholarship revealed trade in America and teaches courses on “The American Like no other mass medium, books have the ability to the authors to be Alexander Hamilton (51 articles), James Bestseller.” He recently edited the third volume of “A History crystallize a point in history or serve as a catalyst for pub- Madison (29 articles) and John Jay (five articles). of the Book in America” (University of North Carolina Press, lic opinion. Great books can foster nationwide discussion “Prior to the ‘Federalist Papers’ most citizens believed that 2007) series, titled “The Industrial Book, 1840-1880,” which or provide a framework for the way people understand an any expansion of centralized governmental power would focuses on a period that dramatically changed the publish- issue. And, every once in a while, a book comes along that curtail liberty,” says Mark Longaker, assistant professor of Im ages ing industry and how Americans read books. changes everything. rhetoric and writing and author of “Rhetoric and the Republic: “Before the 1830s, book-making was a craft, but during the Winship invites you to take a journey through U.S. history Politics, Civic Discourse, and Education in Early America. mid 19th century book production moved into factories. The with seven bestselling books that changed American hearts “Jay, Hamilton and Madison argued that expanding the speed at which books could be produced greatly increased, and minds and continue to address issues of relevance today. federal government in careful ways could actually increase P opperfoto/ G etty making them more accessible to the public,” Winship says. To limit the scope of the selection, Winship has chosen books liberty. Since their effort, nearly every major expansion Literacy increased during the industrial era, and the reasons by American authors published between 1776 and 1976. of the federal government’s size or authority—from FDR’s why people read also shifted. “These books were consciously written to expose a prob- (Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s) New Deal to George W. Bush’s “During the colonial period, people read as a matter of lem, challenge the status quo, and issue a rallying cry for Department of Homeland Security—has repeated this argu- religious importance. It was a spiritual requirement to be change,” Winship explains. “In each of these cases, the ment: more government can mean more freedom.” able to read the Bible,” Winship says. “That didn’t go away in American people heard the call and took action that changed Today the papers serve as an important source of interpre-

the industrial era, but people began to realize they needed to the course of our nation’s history.” tation of the Constitution by scholars, lawyers and judges. As E ric Beggs; facing page:

7 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 8 American landscapes he is purported to have said, “So you’re the little lady who treatise, “Silent Spring.” She challenged the widespread use wrote the book that started this great war.” Though scholars of chemical fertilizers and environmentally harmful strategies dispute whether this conversation ever took place, the role of industrial agriculture following World War II. of 2000, “The Federalist” was quoted 291 times in Supreme of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in turning public sentiment against Originally serialized in The New Yorker in June 1962, Court decisions, according to historian Ron Chernow. slavery is undeniable, Winship says. “Silent Spring” was published three months later in book Today, the novel continues to spark discussion about race form by Houghton Mifflin. The book sparked widespread due to its stereotypical depictions of African-Americans that concern about pollution, which led Congress to pass the 1788 inspired a melodramatic theatrical tradition. Pesticide Control Act of 1972. “After becoming an American classic, it came to be viewed as “‘Silent Spring’ is a testament to how conventional envi- Narrative of the an embarrassment,” Winship says. “Only recently have scholars ronmental practices and policy can change dramatically Life of Frederick Douglass, begun the task of reassessing its place in American literary when just one person has the courage to challenge the status culture. It remains to be seen just how it will be evaluated as quo,” says Brian King, assistant professor of geography and An American Slave we continue to struggle with our vexed history of race relations the environment who teaches courses on conservation. by Frederick Douglass in the United States.” In an introduction to the 1994 edition of the book, former Vice President Al Gore called the book a “cry in the wilder- One of the most influential leaders in African-American his- ness.” Without it, the environmental movement might have tory, escaped slave Frederick Douglass challenged the con- 1906 been long delayed or never developed at all, he asserts. science of the American people with his autobiography that “The human race is challenged more than ever before vividly described his life as a slave. The Jungle to demonstrate our mastery—not over nature, but of our- “Douglass’s narrative invigorated the abolitionist move- by Upton Sinclair selves,” Carson wrote, inspiring a generation of activists. ment with an intimate and eloquent account of the physi- cal and psychological evils of slavery and endures as one Muckraking journalist Upton Sinclair wrote of America’s most powerful meditations on the meaning the ferocious exposé, “The Jungle,” to raise 1963 and value of freedom,” says Shirley Thompson, assistant awareness of the plight of immigrant fac- professor of American studies, who researches narratives tory workers in Chicago’s meatpacking industry. Instead, the The Feminine of slavery and freedom. “It extended an African-American American public was horrified at the thought of finding a Mystique tradition of improvisation and self-making and remains a finger in their sausage, says Brian Stross, professor of anthro- by Betty Friedan touchstone for African-American literature and political pology who researches American food cultures. philosophy today.” Within six months of the book’s publication, President Within three years of its publication, Douglass’ “Narrative” Theodore Roosevelt began an inquiry and Congress passed “A woman has got to be able to say, and not had sold thousands of copies and was translated into several the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act, feel guilty, ‘Who am I, and what do I want out of life?’ She languages. The author continued his career as a powerful laying the foundation for the establishment of the Food and mustn’t feel selfish and neurotic if she wants goals of her anti-slavery lecturer throughout the free states and embarked Drug Administration. own, outside of husband and children,” wrote Betty Friedan on a 21-month lecture tour in England, Ireland and Scotland. “Long before Eric Schlosser’s ‘Fast Food Nation’ sent diners in “The Feminine Mystique,” a book credited with starting “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where scurrying from their local McDonald’s, Sinclair was turning the contemporary women’s movement. ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel American stomachs and feeding a furor for reform in meat- “The Feminine Mystique” contributed to big advances in that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and packing plants that soon spread to other food industries,” women’s legal rights, such as equal economic opportunity degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe,” says Michael Stoff, director of Plan II Honors and associate for women, espoused in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act Douglass wrote. professor of history. of 1964, and equal educational opportunity for women, Sinclair’s book was meant to expose the horrid conditions in included in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which immigrants worked. Instead it struck a different target. says Gretchen Ritter, professor of government. 1852 “I aimed for the public’s heart,” Sinclair later complained, “Friedan eloquently articulated the sense of uneaseand dis- “and by accident hit it in the stomach.” affection that many women felt with the limitations imposed Uncle Tom’s Cabin on them in post-war America,” Ritter explains. “Today, her by Harriet Beacher Stowe work continues to inspire the next generation of women to 1962 reconsider the meaning of womanhood in American society National Era, an abolitionist weekly, paid and explore the impact that balancing work and family has Harriet Beecher Stowe $300 for the serial rights Silent Spring on gender equality.” to her novel that profoundly affected American’s by Rachel Carson attitudes toward slavery. Because of the story’s popularity, J. P. Read the full feature story of “Books that Changed America,” Jewett and Co. convinced Stowe to publish her serial as a book, After working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife which includes Winship’s optimistic prediction about the power which immediately became a must-read for concerned citizens. Service for 17 years and learning about the of the book despite declining book readership nationally, at In 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln met Stowe, abuse of pesticides, Rachel Carson wrote the environmental www.utexas.edu/features/2007/books_america/.

9 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Mr.President American Keeping an Eye on the Politics Oval Office by Christian Clarke Cásarez

veryday, Bruce Buchanan brings people closer to the President of the United States. Reporters, policy analysts and students regularly call upon the government scholar for his insights into the American presidency—and for his unique ability to make sense of the ever- changing political landscape. The nationally recognized expert in presidential and American politics focuses on presidential Eaccountability, a system of punishments and rewards that keeps the chief executive on the straight and narrow. “Punishments such as impeachment are intended to discourage abuses of power such as the Watergate or Iran- Contra scandals,” Buchanan explains. “Rewards such as re- election are designed to encourage good performance. “But the system isn’t perfect. Sometimes, threats of pun- ishment do not deter abuses of power and re-election does not reflect the country’s satisfaction with a president’s performance. Instead, voters may select a president based on party loyalty or the fear of the unknown.” To improve the commander in chief’s accountability to the people, Buchanan calls for more civic participation—not more institutional checks and balances. “The surest way to ensure accountability is through a better, closer relationship between the president and the American people,” Buchanan says. “This requires people to choose their presidents carefully and then watch them like hawks every day that they’re in office.”

The People’s President: Bruce Buchanan, government professor, is an internationally renowned expert on American politics and presidential accountability.

Watergate Papers: Interested in learning more about presidential accountability and Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s relationship with Mark Felt, the source known as Deep Throat? Visit the Harry Ransom Center online to listen to Bruce Buchanan’s interview with Woodward and Bernstein at www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/web/woodstein/.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 10 American politics sor transforms their frustration into a teaching moment. He reminds students about Congressional unity after Sept. 11, 2001, and the bipartisan Help America Vote Act (HAVA) that authorized $2.65 billion to update voting equipment and recruit more poll workers in 2002. “The public viewed HAVA as a bipartisan solution to one of Party Polarization the most highly partisan episodes in U.S. history—the contested presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Government scholar examines changes in constituencies Gore—but the political warfare was taking place behind the scenes using legislative procedures,” Theriault explains as he and Congress to reveal what’s behind the political divide begins to examine one of the most pressing—and complex— issues in contemporary American politics: party polarization. by Christian Clarke Cásarez

Article I All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

There is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress. —Mark Twain

he framers placed the design of Congress first in the Constitution. But, many Americans rank the legislative houses of the people last among our democracy’s institutions. Last year, as citizens turned their attention to the presidential race, their approval of Congress dipped to 14 percent, the lowest in Gallup’s poll history. This season, 39 percent of Americans say they approve of the job Congress is doing, Twhich is more than at any time since Feb. 2005. Although the public’s appreciation of Congress ebbs and (relatively) flows, Sean Theriault’s affection never wanes. The political scientist decidedly disregards Otto von Bismarck’s timeless advice—“Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made”—to look beyond the headlines and the polls to examine Congress as an institution. “I have a deep reverence for Congress and the good, albeit slow, legislative process that makes it difficult to make sweeping changes quickly,” Theriault says. “The criticism that ‘Congress doesn’t get anything done’ is in fact one of its m ill e r virtues. Real legislative changes require a sustained impulse from the people, which makes the U.S. Congress among the most stable national legislatures in the world.” On the downside, the deliberative process sometimes breaks People, Politics and Partisan Warfare: p a ge : Marsha down into gridlock. Theriault says, “The process becomes bad Sean Theriault, associate professor of govern- when it gets in the way of solving America’s problems and ment and expert on the U.S. Congress, reaches when it becomes an excuse for inaction—or to be mean.” across party lines to examine why Democrats And, when mean-spirited congressional debates make the and Republicans have become increasingly p a ge and this news, students often ask Theriault, “Why can’t the Democrats polarized during the past three decades.

and Republicans get along?” This is when the popular profes- p r e vious

11 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 resent moderate constituencies vote almost 25 percent more Self-sorting: A Balkanized America liberally, while Republicans in these districts vote 50 percent Psychological State of the Union When it At the turn of the 20th century, Democrats and Republicans more conservatively. comes to personality, is there a geographic divide? After were more polarized than they are today, Theriault says, but “As voters sort themselves geographically, the Democratic years of collecting personality data, Sam Gosling and the ideological gap between the parties narrowed until the and Republican caucuses have become more homogeneous, Jason Rentfrow embarked on a psychological tour of 1970s when the current period of polarization began. which means the interests of constituents and their parties the United States to find out. In “Party Polarization in Congress” (Cambridge University have increasingly aligned,” Theriault says. “This alignment Based on more than 600,000 surveys, the researchers Press, 2008), Theriault provides a comprehensive review of strengthens the majority party whose leadership begins to found statewide differences in personality do exist and can the changes among constituencies and Congress that have set enact their legislative agenda in an efficient and electorally be used to better understand regions, from predicting vot- the stage for the 35-year political divide. pleasing way—by using procedures to work their will.” ing patterns to identifying creative communities. When Jimmy Carter beat Gerald Ford in the 1976 president The disagreements between Democrats and Republicans Rentfrow (Ph.D. Psychology, ‘04), an assistant professor election, almost 75 percent of Americans lived in counties about legislative procedures can begin to sound a little like at the University of Cambridge, also is mapping regional where votes were distributed fairly evenly between the can- inside baseball as the political power games rely on teamwork personalities to examine their relationships to such issues didates. By the time George Bush beat John Kerry in 2004, and the execution of tactical plays such as restricting the rules as health and work practices throughout the United States. that percentage declined to about 50. of debate or the proposal of amendments. Rep. John Dingell In “The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded famously noted, “If you let me write the procedures and I let Diversity of Latino Voters Jason Casellas, America is Tearing Us Apart” (Houghton Mifflin, 2008), Bill you write the substance, I’ll [beat] you every time.” assistant professor of government, examines Latino Bishop and Robert G. Cushing, a retired professor of sociol- politics, but he cautions against tossing around the ogy at the university, argue that as millions of Americans Lone Star Lessons: term “Latino voter” because there is hardly one type of have relocated during the past three decades, they have Latino who votes. begun to cluster around people who have similar beliefs and Bringing the Legislature to Life Casellas, who with David Leal co-directs the Public political views. Sometimes political maneuvering can backfire once a major- Policy Institute, explains that Mexican Americans com- This local geographic clustering has changed the national ity party loses power. prise 2/3 of U.S. Latinos. Puerto Ricans and Cuban political landscape, as well. For example, the Texas delegation of Democrats and Americans are the next largest groups. But there also “As the electorate has sorted itself ideologically, voters Republicans worked well together through the mid-1990s. are Colombians, Dominicans, Nicaraguans, and the have increasingly elected consistently ideological candidates,” After Republicans gained more congressional power, former Washington D.C. community has many Salvadorans. Theriault says. “As ideological candidates gain ground, liberal House Majority Leader Tom Delay worked to readjust the politi- “To look at Latinos as a monolithic group does a disser- Republicans and conservative Democrats are increasingly iso- cal districts in Texas to create more Republican districts. vice to the different nuances of the community,” he says. lated by both their ideology and their party.” “This worked well when the Republicans were in power,” In addition, as political parties jockey for power through Theriault explains. “The problem with the strategy is that once Political Preparedness Veronica Stidvent (B.A. redistricting, they create more ‘safe’ Democratic and Republican the Democrats took over, there were no senior members from Plan II and American Studies, ‘96) directs the Center for districts, resulting in more polarized constituencies. Texas, so the state’s delegation has lost significant power.” Politics and Governance at the LBJ School, where emerg- Finally, political party activists have become increasingly ide- Theriault uses the Texas example to bring the lessons of ing leaders learn to be more effective by merging theoreti- ological and extreme, supporting more polarizing candidates politics home, which is important to the scholar who believes cal knowledge and practical applications. during the nomination process. that the biggest effect of his nationally recognized research The center focuses on the effect of campaign politics “Once in office, the ideological purer candidates are more is on the students in his classroom. on policy, the changing demographics of the American accountable to the ideologically extreme constituents who In addition to leading students on a Spring Break explora- electorate, ethical leadership, and the role of the media helped to elect them,” Theriault says. tion of Washington, D.C., Theriault is known for bringing and emerging technologies. politics to life in his popular courses in American govern- Prior to joining the university, Stidvent served as the assis- ment by encouraging student discussion and hosting watch- tant secretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Labor and Inside Baseball: The Politics of Procedures parties on debate and election nights. in the White House as special assistant to the president for Once elected, representatives and senators discover changes Theriault has earned the Eyes of Texas Teaching Excellence policy under the George W. Bush administration. in the electorate have given rise to and exacerbated changes Award, the President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Award in Congress itself, says Theriault, who has worked for the and this year’s Friar Centennial Teaching Fellowship, the most On Scandal From Bill Clinton’s nationally publicized non-partisan Office of the Legislative Counsel in the House prestigious undergraduate teaching prize at the University. indiscretions with Monica Lewinsky, to Richard Nixon’s infa- of Representatives. Nicole Trinh, co-chair of the 2009 Friar Centennial mous Watergate scandal, Ari Adut examines the sociology To understand polarization fully, Theriault examines the Teaching Fellowship, says Theriault is an extraordinary fac- of scandal in “On Scandal: Moral Disturbances in Society, inner-workings of the institution where even elected officials ulty member who is considered a great friend and mentor to Politics and Art” (Cambridge University Press, 2008). from marginal districts—in which constituents roughly divide students across campus. The assistant professor analyzes the vulnerabilities of their votes between Democratic and Republican presidential “He always goes above and beyond the call of duty, ensuring presidents, the rise in sexual politics and reactions to contro- candidates—cast increasingly ideological votes. that his students not only learn concepts inside the classroom but versial content in modern art. He reveals the conditions that When comparing members’ roll-call records from the that they experience them as well,” she says. “He provides the cause scandals, while others slip under the radar. 1970s to the mid-2000s, Theriault finds Democrats who rep- opportunity for students to see his teachings come to life.”

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 12 American politics A Red and Blue Nation? Political scientist debunks two common myths about American voters By Jennifer McAndrew

Igh voter turnout helps the Democrats. Late-deciders vote for the challenger. Political polarization has left the American electorate deeply divided between “red” and “blue” states. Right? Wrong. Turn on any cable news channel during an election year and you will find these and many other popular misconceptions about American voters often repeated by political pundits, says Daron Shaw, Hassociate professor of government who has worked as a strat- egist for the 2000 and 2004 Bush election campaigns and serves on Fox News Channel’s national decision team. “Unfortunately, many of the conventional wisdoms par- roted by the media are either contentious or flat out wrong,” Shaw says. “They’re based on faulty assumptions, limited data, or lack of historical context. And the way the media sometimes characterize shifts in political behavior—such as polarization or swing voting—doesn’t do justice to the true dynamics at work.” Frustrated by the media’s perpetuation of inaccurate analysis, Shaw and two colleagues, Karen Kaufmann from the University of Maryland, and John Petrocik from the University of Missouri, decided to set the record straight with their book “Unconventional Wisdom: Facts and Myths About American Voters” (Oxford University Press, 2008). The researchers drew upon more than 50 years of historical data from the American National Election Studies (ANES) and the University of Michigan’s Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research, to identify long-term trends in voting behavior and debunk many of the myths that contribute to popular misunderstanding about who votes and why. Another way Shaw injects an academic perspective into the media’s election coverage is through his role on Fox News Channel’s national decision team. On election night,

13 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 he analyzes polling data provided to the media by the National Election Pool, pointing out trends and advising the network when to make calls. Since joining the decision team in 2002, Shaw has gained a new appreciation for the tough decisions journalists have to make under tight deadlines. “Reporters need to tell stories about the election, and they often don’t have the luxury of time for thoughtful analysis,” Shaw says. “Many of them have decades of experience in the trenches. But, in focusing on election stories that have high news value, the media tend to underemphasize the stability of our system in lieu of more sensational stories, which can have negative consequences for public discussion.” So the next time you turn on the television and are con- fused by conflicting messages from political analysts, here is the antidote. Read on as Shaw breaks down two of the biggest myths about contemporary American voters.

Myth 1: Americans are deeply polarized Since the 2000 and 2004 elections, the red state versus blue state metaphor has become entrenched among political com- mentators. Journalists are fascinated by the idea of a polarized American electorate because it suggests a great story of an epic battle between conflicting worldviews, Shaw says. In reality, the story is much more complex than Americas are led to believe. “The concept of polarization implies that Americans increasingly hold extreme views: that there are a bunch of people on the liberal side and a bunch of people on the America’s middle-ground: A county-by-county rather than state-by-state analysis, such as this “Purple America” map of the 2008 presidential election conservative side and very few people in the middle, which created by Robert Vanderbei of Princeton University, provides a more nuanced interpretation of how the country voted, Shaw says. is not the case,” Shaw explains. According to data from ANES on self-professed voter firmly grounded in the center of the policy spectrum. encourage candidates to focus disproportionate amounts of time ideology, moderates make up nearly 50 percent of the “We need to be careful about constructing these red and on the concerns of a relatively small portion of voters.” population, conservatives constitute about 30 percent and blue archetypes because that’s not a costless portrayal of Historically, the majority of Americans have maintained strong self-identified liberals about 15 percent. politics,” Shaw says. “The way the media characterize the political party affiliations, Shaw says. And, data from ANES since “When we’ve examined American’s opinions on a range of system can negatively influence people’s attitudes and 1952 show the number of people who think of themselves as issues, we find they are actually very centrist,” Shaw says. reduce participation.” either Republican or Democrat is as high as it has ever been. “For example, if we ask people, ‘Is the war in Iraq good or “An election campaign for the most part is about activation, bad?’ there is polarization along predictable lines. But, if we not persuasion,” Shaw explains. “Activation is about reminding ask a question like, ‘Should we pull the troops out tomorrow, Myth 2: Swing voters swing elections people why they’re a Democrat or a Republican. The problem is or bomb Baghdad?’ very few people will choose either of Two myths about swing voters that have earned recent attention the concept of activation is not the sexiest story of the election, these extreme options. Instead, they’ll most often choose a in the media are that they have easily identifiable demographic so journalists tend to write about people who defect from their middle ground solution, such as a slow withdrawal.” characteristics and a strong influence on an election outcome. But party and over-report the experiences of a small group, which In other words, people’s response to political parties and the notion that “soccer moms” or “NASCAR dads” will play a deci- distorts our understanding of the political landscape. political candidates may be polarized, but they are not sive role in a given election is flawed, according to Shaw. “Many Americans may feel uncomfortable with the par- polarized in terms of their preferences for public policy, While swing voters and swing groups make for entertain- tisan postures of their parties and their candidates,” Shaw Shaw explains. ing stories, it is unclear there is a coherent sociology to swing adds. “But voters are still loyal members of their respective Demonizing one’s political opponent is nothing new to voting, he argues. parties. Party affiliation continues to be a primary shaper, if American politics, but at the core, American voters remain “Most political scientists view swing voting behavior more as a not the primary shaper, of election behavior.” function of a person’s individual psychology than a demographic

p a ge : Marsha Mill e r Election-night Analysis: Daron Shaw, associate professor of govern- classification,” he says. “Plus, there is no empirical evidence that Learn about a third myth, “Voter turnout favors Democrats,” ment, injects an academic perspective into the media’s election coverage these groups are disproportionately likely to swing. And, in high- based on Shaw’s research at www.utexas.edu/fea-

facin g through his role on Fox News Channel’s national decision team. lighting the reputed interests of specific swing groups, the media tures/2008/08/29/voters/.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 14 American politics The Rev. Red: “Everybody...” Congregation: “Vote!” The Rev. Red: “And vote right.” Congregation: “Vote right!”

At the end of the service, members pick up the church’s Sunday bulletin in which one page contains a single word: “VOTE!” Politics in the Pews The scene at Red Memorial is an example of the discus- Researchers explore the role of religion in mobilizing African-American voters sions about the presidential election that were happen- ing in African-American churches throughout the United By Jennifer McAndrew States, McDaniel says. He researched churches in Detroit and Austin for his book, “Politics in the Pews: The Political Mobilization of Black Churches” (University of Michigan he Sunday morning worship at Red assistant professor of government who studies the politics of Press, 2008). Memorial* progresses like many services in faith and race. Historians, sociologists and political scientists have document- African-American churches. Parishioners sing Along with a spiritually uplifting sermon, the Rev. Red ed and examined the impact of church-based political activism classic hymns, clapping and swaying along to delivers a less-than-otherworldly message to the congre- for years, but McDaniel says they’ve neglected to examine why the music. The pastor, the Rev. Red, greets gation. Tuesday is Election Day and she emphasizes the churches become politically active in the first place. the congregation the same way she does each importance of voting with an African-American church That’s the question he poses in “Politics in the Pews,” week. However, there’s something different ritual, the call-and-response, to mobilize the congregation which explores how and why black religious institutions T about the service, explains Eric McDaniel, for democratic participation: answer the call of politics. b y Guy Kin g s be ry illustration

15 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Scholar in the pewS: Eric McDaniel, assistant professor of government, sits in the pews of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in East Austin. The church is a Christian denomination founded in Pennsylvania by Bishop Richard Allen in 1816.

“The black church has a historical legacy of political activity, especially during high points of racial conflict in the United States,” McDaniel says. “During the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr. was famous for his ability to eloquently communicate blacks’ religious duty to vote. There was a sense of your duty as a Christian to vote and to protect the interests of other African Americans. “However, not all churches, including black churches, are politically active,” McDaniel says. “I’ve found that black churches’ political activism can be best described as a process, rather than a condition. It is mitigated by both the congregation’s preferences and the level of activism of the church leadership.” McDaniel argues a church will become politically active when four conditions are met: The pastor is interested in involving a church in politics. Members of the congregation are receptive to the idea of having a politically active church. The church is not restricted from having a presence in political matters. And the political climate necessitates and allows political action. “Because none of these factors remains stable over time, “We found religious affiliation is a much more important predictor of voting the level of political activism of churches remains in flux,” McDaniel explains. “Ultimately, the level of political activity patterns than economic status. However, it is not more important than undertaken by a church is a function of its pastor, members, organization and environment.” McDaniel also is interested in how external mobilization race. Race is the big moderating factor in terms of how an individual’s faith efforts affect black church activism. As he observed the rise of the “religious right” in the 1990s, he wondered where the affects his or her voting patterns and party identification.” — Eric McDaniel black church fit in the equation. “Recent scholarship has focused on the movement of white Adams Centennial Professor of Sociology, tackled this Ellison says. “We wanted to examine this phenomenon and evangelicals into the Republican Party during the 1980s. question in their study, “God’s Party? Race, Religion, how religious conservatism has shaped Anglo, Latino and Black But why hasn’t the GOP been successful in recruiting black and Partisanship Over Time,” which appeared in Political partisanship during the past two decades. evangelicals?” McDaniel asks. Research Quarterly. “We found religious affiliation is a much more important McDaniel and Christopher Ellison, the Elsie and Stanley Ellison is a leading researcher on the role of religious insti- predictor of voting patterns than economic status. However tutions among minority populations and how religious affili- it is not more important than race. Race is the big moderat- ation affects public policy preferences. Thomas Scientific/ISI ing factor in terms of how an individual’s faith affects his recently named him in the top 250 highly cited researchers or her voting patterns and party identification.” Latinos, Religion & politics in the nation for the social sciences category. McDaniel further explains how this finding plays out in David Leal, associate professor of government and affiliate Ellison and McDaniel drew upon data from the Houston the African-American community. of the Center for Mexican-American Studies, is the author of Area Survey (HAS), a phone survey conducted by Rice “For African Americans, race has a much stronger influ- “Latinos, Religion, and the 2004 Presidential Election,” which University in Harris County from 1983 to 2003. The HAS ence on political attitudes than religious beliefs,” McDaniel appeared in “A Matter of Faith? Religion in the 2004 Elections” offers a unique dataset due to its examination of Anglos, says. “In other words, African Americans were born black (Brookings Institution Press, 2007). Blacks, Latinos and partisanship over a significant period of before they were born-again.” Learn how the political mobilization of Latino religious com- time, Ellison explains. munities differs from Black churches at www.utexas.edu/fea- “The Republican Party has aggressively attempted to recruit *The names have been changed to protect the identities of the

C hristina Murr e y tures/2008/05/05/politics_religion/. Black and Latino evangelicals, but they’ve had limited success,” church and its members.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 16 American politics Citizen Jane Constitution helps define women’s civic membership and creates social roles by Tracy Mueller

hile, Germany, t h e P h i l i p p i n e s a n d L i b e r i a . What do these countries have in common? A woman holds the top political office in each country. Now, name five female politicians in the United States government—other than Hillary Rodham Clinton or Condoleezza Rice. Having trouble? Americans take pride in living in a coun- Ctry that treats all citizens equally. Schoolchildren discover phrases like “We, the People” and “All men are created equal” as they learn about the founding fathers, democracy and the Constitution. But who exactly are “We, the People”? In her book, “The Constitution as Social Design” (Stanford University Press, 2006), Gretchen Ritter, director of the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies and associate professor of government, argues women’s struggles to gain equality are both inspired and constrained by our understanding of the Constitution and the social roles it creates. “The process of writing and adapting the Constitution is really a process of distinguishing who belongs to our political community, and on what terms,” Ritter says. Women’s Equality Day in August commemorates the adop- tion of the 19th Amendment in 1920. With the passage of this groundbreaking piece of legislation, women earned the right to vote and were welcomed as rights-bearing members of the political community. Yet, the exact terms of their membership have yet to be settled.

Public Selves and Private Lives Women’s fight to participate in politics dates back to the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, where Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other feminist luminaries wrote the Declaration of Sentiments. The document, modeled after the Declaration of Independence, called for equal treatment of women and men under the law, and voting rights for women.

17 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 When the 19th Amendment was adopted more than 70 years port and recognition for how those private interests matter later, it did not produce the radical change women sought. A New Ideal to our public politics.” At that time, the dominant perception of women’s citizen- However, Ritter cautions against the notion of leaving one’s The struggle to engage in the public realm without leav- ship was what Ritter calls the domestic-dependent ideal. personal experiences and identity at home. ing one’s home life behind is as prevalent in the office Women were represented in the public realm by their hus- “Neither of these versions of citizenship on their own is cubicle as it is on Capitol Hill. Work-life issues are a major bands or fathers. A woman’s civic membership was defined altogether positive,” she says. “It’s easier to criticize the concern for many employees, especially working mothers by her private life, and her roles as a wife and a mother. domestic-dependent ideal, because it puts more limits on and fathers who have a difficult time being both a dedi- “Women really hoped that by getting the vote, they would women’s opportunities. But, for most women, private lives cated employee and a good parent. get equal citizenship, and that just didn’t happen,” Ritter says. and connections to their husbands and children matter a “Most women with young kids work, but our work struc- “The old way of thinking that women’s citizenship was defined great deal to what they care about in politics.” tures aren’t very accommodating of home and family life,” by their marital status still had a lot of power. Women were Instead, Ritter favors an approach that falls somewhere Ritter explains. “Many women feel deeply torn by this regarded as citizens and individuals when it came to voting, in the middle, which she calls the public-embodied ideal conflict, whether they work and have families, or choose but when it came to things like property and work rights, they of citizenship. to leave work to raise a family. I think we need to make it were still considered to be dependent on their husbands.” “We need to provide people with equal rights unequivocally, much easier for women and men to contribute to both their While the domestic-dependent ideal is highly restrictive, Ritter but we also need to create more space for people to bring their careers and their families during their adult lives.” says it is not entirely negative. It provides a way of recognizing social experiences with them into politics,” says Ritter. Ritter points out the United States is one of the few coun- that women’s home lives and family relationships matter to their Ritter explains this dilemma by examining the differing tries that does not offer paid parental leave. She predicts that work and family issues will play an increasingly sig- DLC ]. “Schoolchildren discover phrases like ‘We, the People’ nificant role in the political arena. and ‘All men are created equal’ as they learn about the What Is Equality? While the culture of modern-day America may have moved LC - US Z62-10845 beyond the days when suffragist Susan B. Anthony was founding fathers, democracy and the Constitution. But arrested for voting in a presidential election, Ritter main- tains these struggles are not so far removed. How the who exactly are ‘We, the People’?” — Gretchen Ritter Constitution is interpreted has enormous power over what roles citizens inhabit in political and social communities. politics. Some remnants of this ideal remain in modern society. public perceptions of the three of the most visible women “How do we understand women as part of our political For example, the government provides assistance to women based in American politics: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Condoleezza community?” Ritter asks. “What does equality mean? Does on the contributions their husbands made as soldiers or workers. Rice and Laura Bush. it mean treating you as an autonomous individual, or in the

D ivision [r ep roduction nu mbe r, “It’s saying, because of his contribution, we’re going to rec- Opponents criticize Clinton because she has distanced case of an issue such as family medical leave, does equal- ognize and protect you as his dependent,” Ritter observes. herself from traditional gender roles. Yet, the nature of ity mean recognizing that you have responsibilities to care However, since the civil rights movement of the 1960s, American politics often makes that necessary in order for for dependents who impact your ability to pursue different both popular attitudes and the nation’s understanding of the women to succeed in public office. On the other hand, Rice kinds of economic opportunities?” Constitution have shifted toward what Ritter calls the liberal- is not usually questioned about her gender role because she Ritter hopes equality can mean both. individual ideal of citizenship. Women are seen as autono- is not married and does not have any children. Finally, Laura “The issue is not, how can we treat everyone exactly mous, self-contained people in the public realm who are not Bush’s popularity does not appear to stem from her politics, the same, no matter who they are, but rather, how can we dependent on anyone economically or politically. but from the perception of her as a good wife and mother. increase opportunities for everyone to participate fully in “Much of American history has been about trying to move “For those who can leave their gendered lives behind— public life, wherever they’re starting from?” groups who were previously regarded as secondary to that such as Rice—our country offers great opportunities,” says C on g r e ss, Prints and Photo g ra p hs independent status,” says Ritter. “This ideal promotes the Ritter. “But for those who struggle to mesh their private To view a timeline detailing some of the key dates in the history separation of public selves from private lives.” concerns with their public politics, as women political lead- of women’s rights and civic membership visit: www.utexas.edu/ In fact, Ritter says many who follow the liberal-individual ers with families often struggle to do, we provide less sup- features/2006/citizen/index.html. L i b rary of ideal want to completely erase gender or race from the country’s laws and politics. They would argue doing so is the only way to achieve true equality. Congressional Hearing: Women in Science

Votes for Women (Suffrage parade in New York City, May 6, 1912): After Washington, D.C.— of a U.S. congressional hearing in 2007. success, including disparities in pro- gaining the right to vote in 1920, women became rights-bearing members of Gretchen Ritter joined former As part of her testimony before the fessional assessments and rewards, the political community. But, Gretchen Ritter, associate professor of govern- health secretary Donna Shalala House Subcommittee on Research and the absence of senior women mentors ment and director of the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, explains, to examine the challenges women faculty Science Education, Ritter identified insti- and the difficulty in achieving a balance

C hristina Murr e y; facin g P A GE: “The exact terms of their membership have yet to be settled.” in science and engineering face as part tutional and cultural barriers to women’s between work and family.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 18 Global Opportunities

19 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Translating the Arab World Language, religion and culture are keys to understanding diverse region by Tracy Mueller

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 20 global opportunities understanding Islam, the predominant religion in most Arab-speaking countries. The war in Iraq increased interest, as soldiers, government officials, journalists and private contractors, many with limited knowledge of the language or culture, adjust- ed to life in a foreign land. The first step toward true understanding of Arab culture is gaining knowledge of Arabic language, Brustad says. Both ancient texts and modern-day marketplace negotiations hold valuable clues about the Arab world. Although the U.S. government has identified Arabic as a language critical to national security, few Americans are proficient. Interest in the language has soared in recent years, but college enrollment is far below more popular languages. In 2002, 10,000 students enrolled in college-level

Arabic courses. The Modern Language Association’s 2006 M urrey figures show Arabic college enrollment at about 24,000, compared to more than 700,000 in Spanish. Sheila Weaver, a senior in the university’s Arabic Flagship Program (see sidebar), encountered the language while PAGE : Christina working at an Arab restaurant. She began Arabic classes, and stayed at work after her shift to watch Arabic television and THIS practice speaking with her coworkers. She is devoted to the language, planning to live in the Middle East after gradua- I mages; tion and, eventually, teach Arabic. During the summer, Weaver experienced her first taste of life abroad, studying Arabic in Damascus, Syria. S hah/ G etty

Unaccustomed to foreign visitors from Western countries, I nsy residents were surprised to learn Weaver was American. But, her knowledge of the language helped smooth the transition to a culture vastly different from her own. “Understanding the language, even a little bit, opened so many doors for me,” Weaver says. “Arabs have many different customs. They value politeness and manners. I would have been lost and could have offended people if I didn’t have the arab speakers wanted: Government agencies, universities and private companies are eager for fluent Arabic speakers,” says Mahmoud Al-Batal, pictured language to help recognize conversational nuances.” with Kristen Brustad. “Not only will students learn about a rich culture and language, but they will open the door to numerous opportunities after graduation.” I mages; previ o us page (right):

For instance, in the United States a person playfully trying Congressional Hearing: to fool someone might jokingly be called a liar. But in Syria, A Focus on Faith National Security Languages to be called a liar under any context is extremely insulting. The word Allah (“God”) is used in many Arabic expressions,

“You should say ‘You’re a joker’ or ‘You’re a kidder’ instead,” reflecting God’s place in everyday Arab life. When discuss- P etterss o n/ G etty Weaver explains. ing future plans, Arabic speakers follow a statement with In Washington, sity’s collaboration with the Often, it is the simple, sometimes mundane, moments shaa’ allah (literally “If God wills,” or “hopefully”). D.C.—Terri National Security Education such as telling a joke, ordering dinner or hailing a taxi that “Westerners taught not to speak God’s name in vain are P er- A nders Givens, vice pro- Program to increase the provide the most meaningful insight into a culture. sometimes shocked to hear the word ‘Allah’ spoken so often vost and professor of gov- nation’s foreign language Mealtime rituals reveal Arabs’ pride in hospitality. If a guest eats in regular speech,” Brustad says. “But for Arabic speakers, it ernment, met with the U.S. capacity and meet the all the food on his or her plate, the host will continue to serve addi- is reverential.” House of Representatives critical need for advanced tional portions, no matter how much the guest may protest. The Misconceptions about religion in the Arab world are com- during the fall to provide Hindi, Urdu and Arabic host only will stop serving after the guest proclaims, “Al-hamdu mon, says Martha Newman, chair of the Department of

testimony about the univer- speakers. lillah,” (“Thank God”) signifying satisfaction with the meal. Religious Studies. Stereotypical notions of religious homoge- previ o us page ( l eft):

21 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 neity, veiled women and violent jihads distort reality. despite the evolution of spoken dialects through the years, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States Most Arabs are Muslim (followers of Islam), but the major- says Mahmoud Al-Batal, associate professor of Arabic studies and the Arab population increased by 40 percent during ity of the world’s Muslims live in South Asia, not the Middle and director of the university’s Arabic Flagship Program. the 1990s, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. East. Middle Eastern countries such as Lebanon and Syria Many Arabs feel they do not know classical Arabic, the lan- Arabs arrived in the United States during the late 19th are religiously diverse and are home to Sunni and Shi’ite guage of the Qur’an, as well as they should, because of the gap century, with a second wave following World War II that Muslims, Christians and Roman Catholics, as well as Druze and Alawite communities, which are offshoots of Islam. Lebanon has a large Christian population that includes “Arabs have many different customs. They value Maronite and Melkite Catholics, and Greek and Armenian Orthodox communities. The country recognizes 18 differ- politeness and manners. I would have been lost and ent religions. Perhaps as much as one tenth of Egyptians are Coptic Christians, a denomination founded in the early orthodox could have offended people if I didn’t have the language Christian church. “If you think about the Arab world monolithically, you to help recognize conversational nuances.” —Sheila Weaver lose the complexities of the religious, cultural and ethnic landscape of the region,” Newman says. “What people call between that language and contemporary everyday speech. continues today, according to the American-Arab Anti- ‘religious conflicts’ are complex. They’re about politics, natu- While there are more than 300 million people living Discrimination Committee. The largest Arab American ral resources and power, as well.” in Arabic-speaking countries, there are nearly 1.5 billion populations have roots in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Despite the Arab world’s enormous religious diversity, the Muslims who use Arabic for prayers and religious rituals. Arab culture and civilization have long affected American region’s linguistic history connects it most intimately to Islam. Throughout the world, scholars, linguists and religious life. Arabs were instrumental in early mathematics, science Muslims believe God revealed the Qur’an, Islam’s holy leaders debate whether or not to modernize classical Arabic and linguistics, inventing or developing systems commonly book, directly to the prophet Mohammed in Arabic. Because and how that would affect people’s grasp of the Qur’an. used today. Modern influential Arab Americans include Muslims believe the Qur’an is the manifestation of God, they political activist Ralph Nader, author Kahlil Gibran, Indy 500 consider Arabic the language of God. Many devout Muslims champion Bobby Rahal, menswear designer Joseph Abboud learn Arabic for this reason and believe that translations of Arabs in America and longtime White House correspondent Helen Thomas. the Qur’an are inadequate, Newman explains. The need for deeper understanding of Arab culture in terms Understanding the Arab world requires an updated explora- Arabic did not have a formal writing system until the of foreign relations and global communication is quite clear. tion of American culture, as the two regions continue to develop Qur’an, at which point one quickly developed. Because of As record numbers of Arabs settle in the United States, it a closer relationship. Despite vast geographical, linguistic and this connection, the written language has changed little, also is increasingly important on the domestic front. sometimes cultural separation, many who have traversed the divide insist there are as many commonalities as differences. Brustad has spent many years traveling between the Arabic Flagship Program United States and the Arab region, and each journey reveals new truths about both cultures, she says. Responding to the criti- out before reaching proficien- The university has one of the most prominent After graduating from college, Brustad lived in Egypt. cal need for advanced cy, either from frustration at She felt a deep sense of pride and affection for her home Arabic speakers, the univer- the effort necessary to prog- Arabic programs in the nation, including the largest away from home. Working for the Center for Arabic Studies sity’s Department of Middle ress, or inadequate teaching Abroad and later the American University in Cairo, her Eastern Studies established and study abroad programs. group of tenured faculty devoted full-time to time in Egypt cultivated a lifelong fascination and love for a National Flagship Language The university has one of teaching Arabic language, literature and culture. the region and the language. Program in Arabic. The the most prominent Arabic “Diving in and learning a different language or culture National Security Education programs in the nation, from disciplines such as busi- al dialects such as Egyptian is an incredibly rewarding and exciting adventure,” says Program has awarded the including the largest group of ness, economics, psychol- and Levantine Arabic. Modern Brustad, who is now among the leading Arabic scholars university more than $1.5 mil- tenured faculty devoted full- ogy and film, will learn the lan- Standard Arabic is used for in the country. “When one discovers and embraces differ- lion to establish the program. time to teaching Arabic language, participate in cultural reading and writing. Colloquial ences while enjoying shared experiences, the two worlds Attaining fluency in Arabic guage, literature and culture. activities and study abroad in forms are used in everyday life somehow seem a bit less far apart.” typically requires at least five It also is home to the Center an intensive yearlong program and are crucial to navigating years of study, including one for Arabic Study Abroad, the in an Arab-speaking country. day-to-day business in Arab- Interested in learning more about the Arab world? Review year living abroad, interacting nation’s premier study abroad The flagship is one of the speaking countries. a list of recommended books and films, tune in to an Arabic

urrey daily with native speakers. It program for Arabic students. few U.S. programs designed to television show ad about international figures such as Nelson M can be a challenging language, As part of the flagship pro- train students in both Modern Learn more at www.utexas. Mandela and Mother Teresa, and learn about Aswaat Arabiyya and students sometimes drop gram, undergraduate students Standard Arabic and colloqui- edu/cola/depts/mes/arabic/. (Arabic Voices), the university’s listening comprehension pro-

Christina gram, at www.utexas.edu/features/2007/arabic/.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 22 global opportunities Assignment Abroad From Argentina to Vietnam, students explore the world in quest for global citizenship by Jennifer McAndrew

ife-changing. Transformative. Inspiring. These are the dramatic descriptions that often excitedly tumble forth when students return from study abroad, says Terri Givens, vice provost and associate professor of government, who oversees the university’s International Office. And for most students, the hyperbole matches reality. “Study abroad is not just a stamp in a passport, but an unforgettable learning experience that pays divi- Ldends long after college ends,” Givens says. “It has an impact that is unique to each student, depending on their goals and interests, and I never grow tired of hearing about each student’s personal journey.” In an era of globalization, study abroad is no longer a luxury. International experience and language skills are increasingly valuable to employers in the global economy. In response, American students are studying abroad in growing numbers. During the past decade, the number of U.S. students studying abroad each year has increased by more than 150 percent, according to the Institute for International Education’s “Open Doors” report. The University of Texas at Austin is among the leaders of this national trend. It is ranked among the Top 3 universities sending students abroad, dispatching 2,172 students to educational programs throughout the world during the 2006-07

Academic Ambassador: Terri Givens, vice provost and associate professor of government, is expanding the global reach of the university, which is ranked among the Top 3 universities in the nation sending stu-

dents abroad. Each year, the College of Liberal Arts dispatches the most M i ll er students to international destinations where they earn academic credit

and gain valuable experiences in policy, culture and business. M arsha

23 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 “Study abroad is not just a stamp in a passport, but an unforgettable learning Reclaiming Lives in Vietnam experience that pays dividends long after college ends.” —Terri Givens Christine Nguyen’s (B.A. Plan II Honors/ Business/Government, ’08) school year. Only New York University and Michigan State students, with the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and experience volunteering University sent more students abroad. France ranked among the most popular destinations. at an orphanage for sex- At the university, the College of Liberal Arts awards the However, students are increasingly looking beyond these trafficking victims in Vietnam most academic credit for students who complete educational perennial favorites, in part motivated by the weak inspired her to found the programs throughout the world. American currency. Southeast Asian Children’s “Students graduating today realize there’s a high probability This year, China entered the Top 5 and there is an expan- Coalition, an international that during their career they’re going to be working with people sion in non-traditional destinations in Asia, Africa and the non-profit organization from other cultures. It’s critical they develop cultural sensitivity Middle East. Closer to home, Latin America remains a popu- that combats poverty and if they want to be competitive in the global job market.” lar destination with more than 200 students selecting south- exploitation. Europe continues to be the primary draw for American of-the-border programs in Argentina and Mexico. “My parents told me my whole life that I’m lucky, but I didn’t know what that ENDING EXPLOITATION: Christine truly meant until I met Tau, Nguyen, a Plan II and government Loans that a 12-year-old Vietnamese alumna, works to combat sex traf- Change Lives girl who escaped from the ficking in Southeast Asia. Glamour brothel where she was magazine recognized her as one in Argentina imprisoned as a sex slave,” of its “Top Ten College Women Imagine trying to live Nguyen says. of 2006.” your life without credit cards Human trafficking, the or loans. Credit enables peo- recruitment of people— Ho Chi Minh City. ple to buy a car, or pay col- often children—for the pur- “When I see the differ- lege tuition, and many people pose of exploitation, includ- ence we’ve made in the rely on credit cards to cover ing prostitution, is a grow- lives of girls like Tau, who is bills when times are tough. ing problem internationally, now a mentor to other survi- But what if you didn’t have Nguyen explains. vors, I know the work we’re access to credit? That’s the She has raised more than doing really can make a reality for the world’s poor- Blooming $60,000 for the coalition huge impact,” Nguyen says. est citizens, explains Anjali Economy: through grants and corpo- Nguyen’s activism in Mohan, a senior Plan II, Flower-sellers rate contributions. Asia caught the attention government and economics in Argentina. “Our work is not just of editors at Glamour, who major who interned at Banco about rescuing these girls selected Nguyen for the de la Mujer (“Women’s from the brothels,” she magazine’s profile of the Bank”) in Córdoba, Argentina to $250 and are payable credit officers to meet one- do to make a profit.” says. “The biggest chal- “Top Ten College Women during the summer of 2007. in three to six months. The on-one with some of the Mohan’s experience in lenge is reintegrating them of 2006.” “Banco de la Mujer offered majority of borrowers are entrepreneurs. Latin America transformed back into society through Upon graduation, M i ll er me the opportunity to help women who use the funds “I was impressed by their the way she views poverty education and job training.” Nguyen earned Harvard women expand their mar- for small businesses and to business savvy,” Mohan in the United States. Under Nguyen’s lead- University’s Rubenstein M arsha ket power in Argentina, a improve their family’s stan- says. “I met one woman “Microcredit is an eco- ership, the coalition has Fellowship. She began the country that is still recovering dard of living. who was living with her nomic solution that tran- awarded 65 scholarships, university’s joint graduate from a devastating economic Mohan learned about family in a very humble scends borders,” Mohan raised funds for construc- program in business and crisis,” Mohan says. the entire microfinance situation. But once a month says. “After witnessing tion of a library at Nha government last fall.

A z o ury/C rbis; As a non-profit, microfi- process, from evaluating she would travel to Buenos Banco de la Mujer’s suc- Trang Orphanage, delivered nance organization, Banco loan applicants to establish- Aires to buy the latest fash- cess in Argentina, I’m look- medical supplies to an Learn more about students

R i c ard o de la Mujer provides small ing repayment schedules ions and come back to her ing at ways we can bolster AIDS orphanage and cre- who have traveled far and loans to the poor without and appraising businesses’ hometown and sell them the informal business sector ated a counseling program wide in their quest for global l eft: requiring collateral. Loans viability. She also traveled to at marked-up prices. She and help people climb out for sex trafficking survivors citizenship at www.utexas.

fr o m typically range from $50 rural areas with the bank’s knew what she needed to of poverty here at home.” at the Little Rose Shelter in edu/features/2008/abroad/.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 24 global opportunities

he Robert S. Strauss Center for Inter- national Security and Law brings together the best minds in academia, government and the Global Safeguards: private sector to develop practical solutions to the pressing problems of an increasingly globalized world. Randy Diehl, dean of the College of Practical Solutions for Liberal Arts, serves on the governing board of the Strauss Center whose fellows, including faculty Tmembers from across the university, are creating a world- Pressing Problems class think tank in the heart of Texas. The center was made possible by a $7.5 million gift from Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law alumnus Ambassador Bob Strauss and the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. By Christian Clarke Cásarez “The Strauss Center is the centerpiece of the university’s effort to expand, broaden and improve our cutting-edge research and public outreach in our increasingly interdependent global environment,” President William Powers Jr. says. Since its establishment almost two years ago, the Strauss Center has welcomed international policy leaders to campus to analyze the world’s most challenging issues, including nuclear threat, the global automotive and energy markets, and the legal landscape of the post-Guantanamo era.

Visit the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law online at www.robertstrausscenter.org and learn more about Francis Gavin, the Tom Slick Professor of International Affairs at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, who recently has been named the center’s new director.

International Security Scholars The Liberal Arts fellows who research, write, teach and engage in public discussion about pressing issues in global affairs at the Strauss Center are:

Zoltan Barany George Gavrilis Ami Pedahzur Government Government Government and Middle Catharine Terri Givens Eastern Securing the Front Line: U.S. Boone Government Studies soldiers from the Fighting 69, a New Government and Vice York National Guard unit, shut down Provost Peter Trubowitz Route Irish, the highway between James Government Baghdad International Airport and Galbraith Clement Henry central Baghdad, on a mission to LBJ School Government search for possible Improvised of Public T a l aie/C o rbis Explosive Devices (IEDs). Affairs and Mark Lawrence

Government History R amin

25 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Tackling Terrorism: Ami Pedahzur, Salam Fayyad: associate professor of government A Vision for Peace in the Middle East and Middle Eastern studies, researches terrorism, counter terrorism and Salam Fayyad (Ph.D. Economics, ‘86) was appointed political extremism. The Strauss cen- prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority as part of ter fellow recently analyzed terrorism President Mahmoud Abbas’ emergency government in 2007. “From Munich to Mumbai” in a New The former World Bank official has led the PNA through York Times op-ed. a series of sweeping economic and political reforms and is regarded in international circles as one of the best hopes for peace between Palestine and Israel. During the fall, Texas Exes honored Fayyad with its Distinguished Alumnus Award. Last year, he spoke at the university, emphasizing the importance of working out a peace plan that not only addresses the long-term political issue of creating an autonomous Palestinian state, but also provides for the immediate needs of the Palestinian people. View the Webcast, including a conversation with James Steinberg, former dean of the LBJ School who was named U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, at www.robertstrausscenter.org.

Defusing Explosive Situations on the Front Line by Tim Green Professor Examines Profile Sam Gosling, associate ment in training groups at professor of psychology, Lackland Air Force Base in studies what personality San Antonio. He is working of a Suicide Bomber traits make military working with Stewart Hilliard, chief by Marisa Rainsberger dogs—the ones that sniff for of the Military Working Dog bombs in combat, shipping Training Course and Military containers and other situa- Working Dog Evaluations at tions—best suited to finding the 341st regiment. hat makes a person willing to take cidal tendencies prior to committing the act. explosives in the field. Three traits that Gosling his or her own life, as well as the lives Pedahzur’s research indicates that suicide bombers are During his years of thinks are important to a of several, if not dozens, of strangers? motivated by a personal commitment to a leader, group or researching animal per- good temperament are: “People’s initial reaction to a suicide network, or a personal crisis brought about by the suffering sonalities, Gosling has boldness or braveness, bomber is to think the person is crazy of family, friends or community members with whom they found that a dog’s temper- resilience (bouncing back or a religious zealot, but that’s not feel a deep sense of identification. This crisis motivates them ament—how it reacts to quickly after a stressful situ- the case,” says Ami Pedahzur, author to revenge. Furthermore, they must be in an environment stressful situations—is more ation) and motivation. of “Suicide Terrorism” and associate that supports suicide terrorism. important than the most Based on the research professor of government and Middle Eastern studies. “Most In a community that either is, or perceives itself to be, Wsuicide bombers see themselves as soldiers carrying out a oppressed by the reigning powers and where an improve- sensitive nose. findings, Gosling says Temperament assess- changes can be made to mission to inflict damage on the enemy.” ment in the situation seems impossible, dying in a suicide ments have not been part the military’s training pro- When suicide attacks gained notoriety in the early 1980s, sci- attack is seen as an honorable way to help one’s community of the selection and training cess to identify good dogs entists set out to decipher the personality of a suicide terrorist. while ensuring eternal salvation. process for military work- rapidly and effectively. Unfortunately, years of research and several theories were ing dogs. But, Gosling Learn more at www. unable to identify common characteristics that transcended Learn more about Pedahzur’s research by reading “On the

M i ll er is working to identify the utexas.edu/features/ the personalities of people committing these attacks. Edge: Professor Identifies how Suicide Bombers Work on traits of a good tempera- 2008/ieds/. Many individuals who become suicide bombers, in fact, Periphery of Terrorist Networks” at www.utexas.edu/fea-

M arsha could be described as “normal people” who showed no sui- tures/2006/terrorism/.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 26 Education & service

Keeping Teachers in the Field: National studies reveal almost a quarter of new teachers leave the field within three years and replacing public school teachers costs the country $2.2 billion annually. Mary Diehl is associate director of UTeach- Liberal Arts, an innovative university program that better prepares teachers for the rigors—and the realities—of the classroom.

27 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 agement, or who worry too much about the students liking them rather than earning their respect and teaching them.” Kanewske says the extra semester UTeach added during college was well worth the advantages she enjoys on the job. Anthony Poullard, another recent graduate, faced a tough situation even for the most experienced of educators. Hired to replace a teacher on maternity leave who later decided to stay Head of the Class home with her baby, Poullard took over a class of 7th and 8th grade Spanish students after they had a series of substitutes. UTeach Bolsters Nation’s Schools One Teacher at a Time By Pam Losefsky “I was prepared to enter that classroom,” he says. “Ninety percent of it was believing in myself. I learned through my experiences in UTeach-Liberal Arts that if you enter a classroom as a icture a new high-school teacher on Graduates have a solid grounding in course content, four timid, soft-spoken person, the students will eat you alive.” her first day, fresh out of college, with an semesters of varied classroom experiences—from elemen- Poullard set high expectations and established a struc- idealized image of what’s in store for her: tary to high school—and the much-needed support of a tured learning environment the first day he walked into the deferential students, coherent lesson plans, network of mentors and colleagues. class. “My first week was a good week, and I attribute my a supportive administration. Diehl, associate director of UTeach-Liberal Arts, says the success to the program,” he says. One or two months later, too often, that program’s goal was to reduce the attrition rate of new teach- Kanewske and Poullard are just two of more than 300 UTeach- optimism has been replaced by dismay, frus- ers, but it’s clear the benefits reach far beyond that. Liberal Arts alumni making their way into Texas (usually) tration and exhaustion. The sooner students enter the classroom, she says, the schools and making a difference, classroom by classroom. Mary Diehl, master teacher in the UTeach-Liberal Arts more likely they are to discover whether teaching is for “Alumni say they are more confident, have better classroom Pprogram, knows it doesn’t have to be that way. them. “They enter the profession more confident and dedi- management, are ready to deal with diverse populations, and While the demands of the classroom have changed dra- cated to their jobs, which means their students have better have great subject-specific training, especially when compared to matically during the past 70 years, the model for secondary experiences and learn more.” teachers who haven’t had the benefit of UTeach,” Diehl says. teacher training has not: provide students with plenty of While Liberal Arts has not yet conducted an official survey Certainly, the effects of better-trained teachers will take theory, but only a single semester of student teaching experi- of its alumni since UTeach graduated its first class in 2003, years to realize, but the immediate payoff of UTeach is ence at the end of their college career. anecdotal evidence bears out Diehl’s premise. happier and self-assured new teachers—the basic building With little real-world preparation, new teachers are left to “Sometimes I forget I’m a first-year teacher,” says Sara blocks for educational reform and success. wrestle with becoming proficient in their course content and Kanewske, a world geography teacher at Connally High Poullard agrees, “The program helped solidify my decision figuring out how theory plays out in a roomful of hormonally School in the Pflugerville Independent School District. “I to become a teacher, and with all of the practice we receive, it imbalanced adolescents. meet first-year teachers who struggle with classroom man- makes the profession much more enjoyable.” This can be an overwhelming challenge that leads many young people to abandon the profession—resulting in a nationwide teacher shortage as demand for teachers continues to rise. Almost a quarter of new teachers leave the field within Preparing the Women of Tomorrow: GOV. Ann Richards worked to increase three years, according to a May 2008 National Bureau of Ann Richards’ Educational Legacy by Christian Clarke Cásarez the opportunities for Economic Research study. And, replacing public school women and minorities teachers costs the country $2.2 billion annually, the Alliance As governor, Ann Richards and civic participation, and science, tech- in Texas. In 2007, the for Excellent Education conservatively estimates. championed civil rights for women and nology, engineering and math concepts. Ann Richards School for Seeking to stanch this exodus, The University of Texas minorities, calling for a “New Texas” to University students also are gaining Young Women Leaders at Austin devised UTeach, the first program of its kind to increase opportunities for under-repre- research and educational experiences opened in Austin. revamp the country’s teacher training model. sented communities throughout the state. through internship programs at the school Launched in the College of Natural Sciences and repli- In 2007, when the Ann Richards for sixth- through 12th-graders. In 2005, Richards taught the univer- cated in both liberal arts and engineering, UTeach is gaining School for Young Women Leaders “Our work with the school deepens sity’s “Women, Life and Leadership” converts at universities across the country. Senior Associate opened, more than half of the entering our understanding of the challenges course, which posed the question, Dean Richard Flores oversees the liberal arts program, students were Hispanic and about 13 that girls and women face as they strive “What does it take to make a leader?”

P AGE: M ars h a M iller where enrollment has grown from seven to more than 300. percent were African American. to succeed,” Gretchen Ritter, director She explored the unique challenges and While the UTeach model includes a collaboration with the The university’s Center for Women’s and of the center, says. “The partnership opportunities women face and how they College of Education, the program bases students within Gender Studies has partnered with the supports the school’s mission to pro- resolve conflicts imposed by personal the disciplines they will teach. UTeach places students in school to provide curriculum and program vide young women with the skills and and societal traditions. classrooms sooner and more often than traditional programs support. In addition, researchers are exam- self-confidence they need to complete To learn more about the school and the and pairs them with mentors and master teachers for reality- ining such issues as the effects of a single- school, attend college, and become university’s partnership, visit www.utexas.

L arr y M ur phy; FACING based instruction. sex educational environment, leadership leaders in their chosen fields.” edu/news/2007/06/12/cwgs/.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 28 education & service Pro Bene Meritis His work touches so much of the American experience.” The Mailer collection includes more than 1,000 boxes and constitutes the Ransom Center’s largest single-author archive. Though the process of acquisition is more akin to a complicated seduction, the preservation of such a large-scale collection requires a different set of skills, Staley explains. Thomas Staley “Preservation is like archaeology or anthropology. We dig, we learn. And these things that cling to the grave, these manuscripts, we preserve them because they’re part of the human record. They trace the imagination. And they explore Unbound: Reading Rough Drafts the path we’ve taken as a nation.” In an era of digitization, the primacy of the original still holds sway at the Ransom Center. But how do scholars make to History at the Ransom Center sense of all the doodles and scribbles, the dead ends and literary rabbit holes? Isn’t there a point when it’s time to sit By Jennifer McAndrew back and just read the finished product? “Sure, when you get to the third or fourth draft, you can get bogged down in the creative process,” Staley admits. “In a way, it ome writers look at it as baggage. If he is mercurial, perhaps makes art seem more human. But for all that, it’s still divine.” Others, as garbage. And some feel it is so it is a quality reflected in his close to them, it is part of their soul. storytelling. Thomas Staley is talking about first drafts, When he cagily discusses a American Legends an essential component of many literary potential acquisition, his eyes archives he has acquired as director of the narrow with resolve. But a at the Ransom Center Harry Ransom Center. For Staley, it is the tale about a first encounter false starts, the notes in the margins, that with the final page proofs of Robert De Niro (1942-) Norman Mailer (1923-2007) P AGE: M ars h a M iller Soffer a trove of literary insight. “Ulysses” meanders like a jazz Widely regarded as one of The Mailer archive includes “Drafts and correspondence tell you the story of how it all riff. When Staley’s team dis- the greatest actors of his materials associated with happens,” he says. “When you realize why a writer threw bound the pages, they dis- generation, De Niro’s key every one of his literary proj- something away, you learn more about that work. You see covered James Joyce’s never- films include “Taxi Driver,” ects, and more than 40,000 the next scene that was written instead, and why it was bet- before-seen notes in the gut- “Raging Bull” and “The letters written to family, ter. You get a sense of how the puzzle comes together. And ters, he recalls with a shiver Godfather: Part II.” The friends and contemporaries Watergate Papers: First draft of that’s invaluable for students and scholars.” of delight. method actor is known for his such as Allen Ginsberg, “All the President’s Men” (1973). Founded in 1957, the Ransom Center is a repository for Ask him his favorite last lines extensive research into each Aldous Huxley, Truman Harr y R ansom C enter .; FACING Woodward and Bernstein Watergate literary and cultural materials that span six centuries, from a great American novel, role, represented in his col- Capote, John Lennon and Papers. Harry Ransom Center. including the old manuscripts Staley covets. Among its and Staley’s voice shape-shifts lection of books, film scripts, Larry McMurtry.

holdings are a Gutenberg Bible, the first photograph, and again, this time to the baritone notes of an orator. costumes, interviews, photo- collection . a first edition of “Comus” containing John Milton’s hand- “Gatsby believed in the green light,” he intones. “The graphs and videotapes. Bob Woodward (1943-) written corrections. orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It and Carl Bernstein (1944-) At the helm since 1988, Staley has added more than 100 eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run The papers of Woodward literary collections to the center during his tenure. He also faster, stretch out our arms farther…” and Bernstein offer a meticu- is a professor of English and has written or edited 13 books Listening to Staley recite F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great lous account of their report- on James Joyce, Italo Svevo, and several other modern Gatsby,” one is convinced he, too, believes in the green light, ing of the Watergate scandal. British novelists. that elemental beacon of the American dream. He certainly “This is not just a collection The New Yorker’s 2007 profile of the Ransom Center, “Final has stretched out the arms of the university farther in his about the identity of Deep Destination,” describes Staley as “mercurial and hard-driv- quest to acquire the papers of many uniquely American voices, Throat,” Thomas Staley, ing,” but entering his office feels more like being ushered into including Norman Mailer, Don DeLillo, Isaac Bashevis Singer, director of the center, says. for T a x i D ri v er (1976). R obert D e N iro the inner sanctum of a literary sensei, than a taskmaster. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. “It raises important questions Books fill every niche. Manuscript pages flow across his desk. About Mailer in particular, Staley speaks with growling inten- about freedom of speech, The scent of aged paper and binding glue fills the air. Very sity. “His writing taps into the flotsam and jetsam, the pulling the first and second amend- faintly, the footsteps of his acolytes echo in the halls. Staley’s and tearing of America. He’s very much like the Walt Whitman ments, division of powers reverence for books is palpable, though he admits they have of the 20th century. If you think of major events, whether it was and our role as citizens.”

piled up to the point where he is constantly stepping on them. World War II, the feminist movement or Vietnam, he was there. Promotional p oster

29 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 The Grand Archives: Thomas Staley is director of the Harry Ransom Center whose collections include the page proofs of James Joyce’s “Ulysses” and the plays of Tom Stoppard and Arthur Miller.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 30 education & service Pro Bene Meritis Julius Glickman Stepping Off The Beaten Path Leads to University, Legal Career By Pam Losefsky

here was a time when high-profile Houston lawyer Julius Glickman was young and naïve, and he’s not ashamed to admit it.

Glickman grew up in the West Texas P h otogra phy town of Big Spring, and had scarcely traveled beyond the county line by the time he

contemplated college. Several of his friends P AGE: E mer y were headed to Southern Methodist University. If he went Tthere, he’d be surrounded by familiar faces, a comforting thought for a small-town boy who’d be far from home.

But his English and Latin teacher, Rita Weeg, put a bug in famil y; FACING his ear. “You can go to a lot of other schools and you will go to the top,” she explained. “But if you go to The University

of Texas at Austin and you go to the top, you will have glic k man achieved something.” of Glickman had never laid eyes on the university. “But Mrs. Weeg was one of my best teachers, and I admired her great- courtes y ly,” he recalls. “I placed a lot of faith in what she said.”

Well, Glickman did go to The University of Texas at Austin, ph oto

31 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 sight-unseen, and he did go to the top—he served as student body president, was named Outstanding Student, and was “I believe that one of the hallmarks of a democracy is justice. selected for membership in all of the most prestigious campus organizations: the Spurs, the Friars and the Tejas Club. The role of lawyers is to make sure that justice protects the common Indeed, it was that simple act of applying to the university when everyone he knew was going elsewhere that has come to man, sometimes against the power of special interests. This country is define and shape the trajectory of Glickman’s life and career. “It was one of the formative experiences of my life,” Glickman says of his years on the campus, which culminated not for the benefit of a few, but for everyone.” — Julius Glickman in a bachelor’s degree in the college’s Plan II honors program and a J.D. from the law school. “I have always wanted to give tice,” he says. “The role of lawyers is to make sure that justice “Merely collecting facts and being technically capable are back for that—to make sure that all the other students enter- protects the common man, sometimes against the power of not enough,” he says. “We need a better understanding of the ing who are as naïve and curious as I was have the same special interests. This country is not for the benefit of a few, past and a better analysis of the present to help us prepare opportunities and exposure to ideas and people.” He began but for everyone.” for the future.” that task even before he graduated. Glickman understands that the university didn’t just That is why he and his wife Suzan continue to engage with During his first year of law school Glickman was drafted provide him with a knowledge of law that allowed him to the university long after they passed their final tests and into running for student body president. A loud and unruly become a competent lawyer. He sees the university’s role in gleefully tossed their mortarboards in the air. group of friends and supporters found him studying in the his own life, as well as in the lives of countless others, as “One of the things the liberal arts does for us is help us to library and insisted he fill out the candidacy paperwork. They much more nuanced and meaningful. figure out the difference between knowledge and wisdom.” identified him as a capable leader who would play an active role in making the campus a better place for all students. During his term as president from 1963 to 1964, Giving Back Glickman strove to win students more influence on campus, regularly communicating with The University Julius and suzan glick- of Texas System Board of Regents and the university man have established eight president—Harry Ransom at the time—to ensure students’ endowments across campus views were heard. benefiting students in the He launched a speaker series that brought some of the College of Liberal Arts, the most prominent minds of the time to campus and the “stump College of Education, and the speaking” program that gave students a platform to openly School of Law. exchange ideas. The Glickmans are found- Glickman also was an effective student advocate off- ing members of and sub- campus, compelling the phone company to reduce the high stantial donors to the Blanton deposits it required to set up phone service for students and Museum of Art, with five negotiating charter flights to Paris and London for the uni- galleries named in their versity’s students for less than $300. honor. The couple also Inspired by Martin Luther King’s letter from the Birmingham funds an annual scholarship jail, Glickman even took on the biggest issue of the day: racial through the Texas Exes for integration. He and other student leaders converged on the the Outstanding Elementary drag, convincing local barbershops, after much consternation, Teacher in Texas. to serve African Americans for the first time. Glickman has served as The young Glickman’s campus experiences laid the foun- chair of the Development dation for the work he has undertaken as a civil litigator. Board and the Chancel- With an education grounded in the liberal arts and real lor’s Council. engagement in fighting for students’ rights, he always has taken his profession very seriously. “I believe that one of the hallmarks of a democracy is jus- Welcome to the Galleries: The Glickmans support programs Law of Loyalty: For alumni Julius and Suzan Glickman, supporting The across campus, including the University of Texas at Austin and the Longhorns is a family affair. Julius Blanton Museum of Art, which is describes his time as a student as “one of the formative experiences of my the largest university art museum life.” After serving as student body president, the Plan II and Law School in the country. graduate embarked on a successful career as a civil litigator.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 32 education & service Pro Bene Meritis

Judith Langlois A Scholar’s Call to Service By Jessica Sinn

s Judith Langlois walks through the state-of-the-art Children’s Research Lab in the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay building, she recalls the three-room schoolhouse in Hot Springs, Ark., where she found her passion for science. During an era when many parents and teachers believed women lacked the men- tal capacity to excel in math and science, Langlois was never exposedA to the debilitating and inaccurate stereotype. “Opposite from what most people would expect, the math and science teachers were always women, and the social science teachers were usually men,” says Langlois, who today is vice provost and the Charles and Sarah Seay Regents’ Professor in Developmental Psychology. “It was an unusual situation, and fortunately, it never occurred to me that women couldn’t succeed in math and science.” While pursuing her undergraduate degree at Louisiana State University, Langlois enjoyed her introductory-level classes, except for Psychology 101. “My first psychology class was so boring because we were just taught to memorize basic information,” Langlois says. “But when I took my second psychology course, I was stunned when I realized that I could apply scientific research to understanding the human mind. That’s when I said to myself, ‘Wow, this is it. This is what I’m going to do.’” Now a leading researcher in children’s development, she has received national attention for her groundbreaking studies that reveal children and infants have a sense of what is attractive. However, she admits she initially thought the idea of studying attractiveness in the context of child development was absurd.

33 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Psychological Appeal: Judith Langlois is a vice provost at the univer- toward attractive faces when they stared significantly longer sity and the Charles and Sarah Seay Regents’ Professor in Developmental at the attractive headshots. Psychology. She is nationally renowned for her groundbreaking studies Her research suggests the phenomenon of positive bias that reveal children and infants have a sense of what is attractive. toward attractive people may be an inevitable consequence of the mechanics of human cognition. But when people are While defending her doctoral dissertation on how pre- aware of their biases, they can make a conscious effort to school children form friendships, she was taken aback when correct themselves, Langlois says. a professor asked if she factored in the children’s attractive- “Humans are very cognitive beings,” she explains. “Even ness into her study. though we might be biased, we have the cognitive ability to “I didn’t say it at the time, but I thought to myself, ‘what a change our behavior–that’s what makes us human.” ridiculous question,’” Langlois says. “Why would attractive- In addition to being a world-class researcher, Langlois is a ness be important to young children?’” highly respected academic leader. When she returned to her research lab, she tried to shrug Since joining the university’s faculty in 1973, she has off the notion that attractiveness mattered to preschool chil- served in several key leadership roles on campus, includ- dren. But the question continued to bother her. ing past associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and “It was just another loose end that needed to be tied,” interim dean of the college in 1998 and from 2006 to 2007. Langlois says. “I didn’t think the professor’s hypothesis that In 2006, she earned one of the university’s highest awards, children formed their friendships based on looks was valid. the Civitatis Award. It shouldn’t have been true, but it is true.” Although Langlois initially struggled against the idea of She wanted to prove the professor wrong, so she began leaving her lab in 2007 to become vice provost, she could to observe children’s social interactions by pairing them up not resist the call to service—and the opportunity to solve based on their attractiveness. She found, to her astonishment, problems within the university. Her responsibilities include that children consistently favored their attractive classmates. leading academic program administration and academic After conducting numerous studies with preschool chil- governance issues, as well as overseeing ambitious initia- dren, she began to wonder, “How early does this start?” tives such as the Gender Equity Task Force. She then switched gears from studying young children to From helping parents bond with their children to develop- infants and discovered that attractiveness was significant– ing strategies for eliminating the university’s faculty gender even to infants. inequity, Langlois’ underlying goal is to help people. In a series of studies, she tracked the amount of time a “I have the best job in the world,” Langlois says. “Having baby spent gazing at a pair of pictures: one of an attractive the ability to solve problems, to teach students, to further face, the other of a face that was less so. Her findings showed science, and most importantly, to help people better under- that even 3- and 6-month-old babies showed a positive bias stand their children is truly exhilarating.”

Beauty and the Babe: The Law of Averages

What is beauty? For are more attractive than lead to the formation of centuries, philosophers, most individual ones. The the “beauty-is-good” ste- scientists and poets have more faces added to the reotype, Langlois adds. pondered vexing questions composite (up to 32), the According to her research, such as: Are perceptions of more attractive it became. babies process informa- attractiveness innate or cul- Her studies revealed babies tion into “good” and “bad” turally projected? Are they consistently look longer at categories. timeless or timely? the averaged faces. “Beauty is associated with Psychology researcher So why do babies find consonant music, smiles Judith Langlois has discov- crooked smiles, close-set and kindness, whereas ered the mystery of beauty eyes or high foreheads visu- unattractive faces are cat- rig h t : L eig h S c h indler /I stoc k. com may, at last, be understood. ally unappealing? Perhaps a egorized with dissonant According to her studies, gram to digitize and average perfectly proportioned face music and frowns, Langlois miller ; attractive faces are, in fact, numerous faces of male and is more familiar and easier to explains. And that’s the first mathematically average. female college students, process, Langlois posits. big step toward forming Using a computer pro- she found averaged faces This preference may a stereotype.” LEFT: M ars h a

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 34 education & service Pro Bene Meritis ynn Schusterman is determined to make the world a better place—not by herself, but with the help of a multitude of people and organizations she supports in Israel, Europe and the United States. Lynn Schusterman Heeding the Jewish imperative tikkun olam, to “repair the world,” Schusterman and her husband Charles (now deceased) have been dedicated philanthropists for most of their lives. In 1987, they Family Foundation Supports Lformed the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation to enrich and expand Jewish communities around the world, as well as to support their hometown of Tulsa, Okla., through education, advocacy and community service. Jewish Communities for More In establishing the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at The University of Texas at Austin with a $6 million challenge grant, the foundation added a new chapter to its phil- Than Two Decades By Pam Losefsky anthropic mission—one focused on the comparative study of Jewish life in the Americas—the United States, Latin America, and Canada—an area of inquiry never explored fully. “One of the roles of a university is to educate our young people about the history and values that are at the core of Western civilization,” says Schusterman, who believes Jewish tradition has much to offer in this regard. “More than a religion, it is the story of a people that dates back millennia, and brings with it a culture, tradition and value system that are very meaningful. I hope to share the energy and excitement coming from this field with the students of the university—regardless of their background.” Schusterman identified the university as uniquely suited for such a center because of its existing faculty expertise in Jewish studies, as well as its vast trove of Jewish cultural and scholarly materials. The books, manuscripts, photographs, film and art housed in the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, Benson Latin American Collection, Harry Ransom Center, Center for American History, and Perry-Castañeda Library illuminate the experience of Jews in the Americas and have rich collections in more traditional subjects of Jewish studies. The university’s manuscript collections include materials of Isaac Bashevis Singer, Saul Bellow, Stella Adler, David Mamet, Leon Uris, Albert Einstein, Allen Ginsberg, Arthur Miller, Woody Allen, Sarah Bernhardt, George and Ira Gershwin, facing p age : B ob A b z ug and many others. The wide-ranging collections include peri- odicals about Yiddish and Jewish theater, Jewish literature and recordings of Jewish music from Latin America, and rich sc h usterman ; resources illuminating Texas Jewish history. l y nn

Service and Scholarship: Lynn Schusterman established a family of foundation with her husband Charles to enrich and expand Jewish com-

munities around the world. With a $6 million challenge grant, the founda- courtes y tion established the university’s Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies to

focus on the comparative study of Jewish life in the Americas. ph oto

35 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 “One of the roles of a university is to educate our young people about the history and values that are at the core of Western civilization,” says Lynn Schusterman, who believes Jewish tradition has much to offer in this regard. “More than a religion, it is the story of a people that dates back millennia, and brings with it a culture, tradition and value system that are very meaningful.”

“In all, the unique mix and depth of Jewish Studies resources at the university are extraordinary,” notes History Professor Robert Abzug who directs the Schusterman Center, “and one of our missions will be to encourage scholars and students on campus and from universities across the world to make use of them in creating new visions of Jewish life and culture.” The university’s prioritization of its Jewish studies curriculum was additional motivation for Schusterman to offer the grant to establish the center. A Results-Oriented Vision Schusterman Fellow: Yoav Gelber (right), a visiting professor from “Courses have covered everything from an introduction to Haifa University, met with faculty and students to explore memory and Aramaic, to issues in modern healthcare in Israel,” Schusterman for Philanthropy history through an examination of the Jewish case. He led three seminar notes. “That breadth of topics is an important element of the While Lynn Schusterman is compelled to share the accom- discussions, “Jewish History and Memory,” “The Emergence of the center; and bringing together the knowledge and research tools plishments and perseverance of the Jewish people as a Jewish Question” and “Approaches to Jewish History: Zionist, Non- of different disciplines makes for a rewarding environment.” whole, her personal story also is one of great persistence. Zionist and Anti Zionist.” Download professor Gelber’s lectures at www. Although the university draws a significant number of Jewish From the day she and her husband first conceived of their utexas.edu/cola/centers/scjs/news/archives/yoavslectures/. students from Texas and other regions, Abzug explains the center’s family foundation, she wanted to be an active part of it. goal is to integrate the study of Jewish life and culture into the And with his death, she became a singular female figure tion builds slowly, and I think that the work that I and broader curriculum, for non-Jewish students, as well as Jews. in the world of Jewish philanthropy, where many of the my foundation are doing have, thankfully, resulted in a While Schusterman lives in Oklahoma, both of her chil- leading figures are men. Continuing on without Charles good reputation.” dren attended the university: her son for his undergraduate and establishing a foothold for herself has not always By its 20th anniversary, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman education, and her daughter for an MBA. “I recognized the been easy. Family Foundation had awarded nearly $105 million to a quality of the university’s teaching and research, and the “As others have watched my philanthropy, they have wide variety of causes, from providing support for basic engagement of its student body,” she says, “And it has great seen that I have a consistent vision, and have come to needs and leadership development to widespread support for influence as a flagship university in the Southwest.” understand that I care about results,” she says. “A reputa- Israel, educational causes and Jewish communities.

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 36 Computed Tomography Facility. Ancient Ancestor: Lucy, a 3.2-million-year- Scientists at the facility have old specimen of Australopithecus afarensis. scanned thousands of delicate Image courtesy of the Houston Museum of fossils and biological specimens, Natural Science. including irreplaceable items such as the brain case of Archaeopteryx This ancient hominin, whom (one of the oldest and most primi- Ethiopians call “Dinkenesh” (“You News tive birds known). are beautiful”), is the feature attrac- Because CT allows scientists to tion in the exhibit, “Lucy’s Legacy: see inside fossils without doing The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia,” & NOTES any harm, it has become one of the which is touring the United States. most powerful tools for studying More than a quarter million people precious, one-of-a-kind specimens. viewed the fossil at the Houston “We have more experience scan- Museum of Natural Science dur- ning natural history objects and ing 2007 and 2008. After the brief Anthropologist Brings Lucy the dealing with the issues that can layover in Austin for the scan, Lucy Famous Fossil to University arise in scanning natural material moved to the Pacific Science Center than any other lab in the world,” in Seattle. Non-Invasive Scan Offers new Ketcham says. “The equipment is Kappelman says the university’s Insights into Ancient Human Ancestor constantly updated and we’ve cre- scanning project represents a model Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, in col- ated a large, specialized toolkit to for future collaborations between laboration with the Ethiopian government, have completed process the scan data and to extract public educational programs and sci- the first high-resolution CT scan of the world’s most famous the maximum amount of informa- entific research. fossil, Lucy, an ancient human ancestor who lived 3.2 mil- tion from it. There’s no other place “There is an understandable ten- lion years ago. the Ethiopian government could sion between museum curators, who Lucy is in the United States as part of a world premiere exhib- have sent Lucy to get better imagery like to display fossils, and scientists it organized by the Houston Museum of Natural Science. or to acquire it more safely.” who want to conduct research on the John Kappelman, anthropology professor, led the scien- For 10 days the university team specimens,” Kappelman says. “Our tific team that scanned Lucy, whose remains include about worked around the clock to scan project demonstrates these goals are 40 percent of her skeleton, making her the oldest and most all 80 pieces of Lucy’s skeleton. not mutually exclusive—but mutu- complete skeleton of any adult, erect-walking human fossil. The scientists created custom-built ally beneficial. The museum exhibit “By examining the internal architecture of Lucy’s bones, foam mounts to safely hold the that features Lucy offers a once in a we can study how her skeleton supported her movement and specimens in the scanner. And lifetime opportunity to introduce mil- posture, and compare that to modern humans and apes,” each piece was carefully examined lions of people to the actual evidence Kappelman says. “Because Lucy is so complete, she is one before and after scanning to ensure for human evolution, and seeing the of the few fossils that permit us to compare how she used that no damage occurred during real fossil is so much more meaning- her arms versus how she used her legs. These new data will the project. ful than viewing a plastic replica.” allow us to examine the theory that she climbed about in The successful completion of Lucy’s scan means that the “Having Lucy here also means that scientists can conduct the trees, as well as walked on two legs when she was on specimen is now safely archived in digital format, another of research that asks new questions about the fossil and this the ground.” the reasons behind the scanning. knowledge feeds back into the ongoing exhibit and continues Although Lucy is small (about one meter tall), her contri- “These scans will ensure that future generations are to educate,” Kappelman says. “Lucy may be old, but she still bution to science has been large. She represents a distinct familiar with Lucy,” says Jara Mariam, director general has lots of new secrets to tell.” species of human ancestor, known as Australopithecus afa- of Ethiopia’s Authority for Research and Conservation of rensis, or “southern ape of Afar,” in reference to where the Cultural Heritage, “and will know of Ethiopia’s central con- bones were found. tribution to the study of human evolution. A virtual Lucy Meet Lucy Online Prior to the 1974 discovery of Lucy, some theories of will be able to visit every classroom on the planet.” Visit www.eLucy.org to learn more about Lucy and her evolution suggested human-like intelligence evolved before “In some ways, scanning Lucy was the easy part,” Ketcham place in the history of human evolution. Users can access upright posture (bipedalism). But the existence of ancient says. For the next several months, the research team, con- an interactive viewer to compare images of Lucy’s bones bipeds like Lucy refutes this theory because their brain is not sisting of scientists from all around the country, will be with those of a human and chimpanzee. significantly larger than that of a modern chimpanzee. reviewing and processing the data and generating images The Web site features puzzles, word searches, flash- The Ethiopian government entrusted Lucy to Kappelman to analyze Lucy’s skeleton and begin to answer important cards, and life-sized printouts of Lucy and skeletons of adult and Richard Ketcham, associate professor of geological sci- questions ranging from whether she climbed among the tree and juvenile humans. Lesson plans are available, as well. ences and director of the university’s High-Resolution X-ray branches to how she chewed.

37 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Chinese-Americans and Sociologist Investigates Role of interviewing leaders of Liberal Arts faculty the Politics of Race approximately 220 reli- members examine HIV/ From the activism of Communist Chinese immigrants to the Religion in Africa’s AIDS Struggle gious congregations. AIDS issues from a vari- construction of new Chinese regional identities in New York, by Jennifer McAndrew “The attention American ety of perspectives: “Chinese Americans and the Politics of Race and Culture” churches are paying to the Chiquita Collins, assis- (2008) co-edited by Madeline Hsu, associate professor of More than 33 million people Research Center. HIV/AIDS pandemic is at tant professor of sociol- history, addresses a broad range of historical and contempo- are living with HIV/AIDS He is a co-investigator an all-time high,” Regnerus ogy and affiliate of the rary issues in Chinese-American life. worldwide, according to the of the research project says. “But it’s African Population Research Center, The History News Network named Hsu one of the nation’s United Nations. Although “Religious Organizations, churches who are on the studies African-American “Top Young Historians” in 2007. Learn more about her medication can slow the Local Norms and HIV in front lines of the AIDS cri- heath issues and AIDS research and teaching at the Center for Asian-American course of the disease, Africa,” supported by the sis. Their role and effective- awareness and prevention. Studies at www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/aas/. there is no vaccine or cure. National Institutes of Health. ness in combating AIDS is Kelly Crews, assistant Prevention is crucial to the The project is one of the the story we want to tell.” professor of geography Exploring the Legacy mission of health organiza- first comprehensive stud- Regnerus will reveal find- and the environment and of “Atlas Shrugged” tions and religious institutions ies of the role of religious ings from the research proj- affiliate of the Population “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand is the second most influential combating the pandemic. organizations, both Christian ect, interpreted through the Research Center, exam- book for Americans today, after the Bible, according to a joint “Faith-based organiza- and Muslim, in the AIDS voices of churchgoers and ines how environmental survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of tions have been involved in pandemic. The research religious leaders, in a book factors affect the spread of the Month Club. This March, the Department of Philosophy the AIDS response since examines how churches to be published in 2010 by HIV/AIDS in Africa. hosted a symposium to explore the book’s legacy. the early days of the epi- and mosques are caring for Oxford University Press. James Wilson, visit- The event was sponsored by the BB&T Chair for the Study demic, yet little research the sick, their influence on In 2008, Regnerus ing assistant professor of Objectivism held by Tara Smith, professor of philosophy exists on whether organized people’s risk behavior and passed the leadership of history and alumnus and author of “Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics: The Virtuous religion has had a positive infection status, and how reli- of the ongoing project to (B.S. political science and Egoist” (2006). or negative impact on the gious leaders are responding Jenny Trinitapoli (Ph.D. education, ‘84), studies spread of HIV/AIDS,” says to the resulting orphan crisis. Sociology, ‘07), an assistant AIDS and urban prostitu- Female Orators in Early America Mark Regnerus, associate Regnerus and a team of professor at Arizona State tion in Africa, and teaches Women engaged in public speaking in the early American professor of sociology and researchers have studied University who now serves the course “The History of Republic more often than historians have previously recognized, affiliate of the Population three rural sites in Malawi, as principal investigator. AIDS in Africa.” says Carolyn Eastman, assistant professor of history. Findings from her research appeared in a 2007 issue of Gender & History. Eastman’s book “A Nation of Speechifiers,” forthcoming from groups, national surveys and newspaper articles, Philpot noisseurs, Engelhardt and her team of researchers provide University of Chicago Press, will explore this phenomenon as reveals how voters respond to these campaign appeals. an in-depth account of the history, tradition and culture of one aspect of how men and women learned to understand them- Texas’ most popular culinary custom. selves as Americans after the Revolutionary War. Preserving Texas-German Dialect Hans Boas, associate professor of Germanic Studies, travels College Graduates Less An Irreverent Guide to Texas Movies to communities throughout Texas to record interviews with Likely to Abandon Religion From cattle drives to oil wells and lusty schoolmarms to despera- speakers of the dying Texas-German dialect. The language College graduates are more likely to maintain their religious dos, Hollywood has captured Texas mythology in all its many features unique words such as “der Cowboy” (Cowboy spo- beliefs and practices than those who never attend college, forms. Texas looms larges in moviemaker’s imaginations writes ken with a German accent) and “die Stinkkatze” (skunk, according to Mark Regnerus, associate professor of sociol- English Professor Don Graham in the handbook “State Fare: An or simply stinky cat). Media outlets around the world, ogy, who published the findings in “Losing My Religion” in Irreverent Guide to Texas Movies” (2008), but they don’t always including the Associated Press and Germany’s leading news the journal Social Forces. get it right. Graham provides a brief overview of some of the best magazine, Der Spiegel, have covered the project. Learn The researchers found four-year college students and (and worst) Texas films in the pocket-sized guide. more at www.tgdp.org. college graduates are the least likely to curb church atten- dance, to say religion is less important in their lives, or to Political Analyst Investigates Deep in the Heart of completely disassociate from religion. Young adults who do Race and Party Images Texas Barbecue Country not pursue a college degree are the most likely to abandon Tasha Philpot, associate professor of government and Elizabeth Engelhardt, professor of American studies, and their faith. African and African-American Studies, analyzes how politi- her graduate students take readers on a guided tour through “Many people assume college is public enemy number one cal parties rebrand their public images to broaden their Central Texas barbecue lore in their forthcoming book for religion,” Regnerus, author of “Forbidden Fruit: Sex and electoral coalitions in her latest book “Race, Republicans, “Republic of Barbecue: Stories Beyond the Brisket,” (UT Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers,” says. “But we and the Return of the Party of Lincoln” (The University of Press, 2009). Featuring interviews with feedlot owners, found young adults who don’t experience college are more Michigan Press, 2007). Drawing from experiments, focus wood suppliers, sausage factory owners and barbecue con- likely to turn away from religion.”

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 38 News & Notes SOCIETY AND PSYCHOLOGY whether reducing the legal Tracking PTSD drinking age would serve Risk Factors to increase or decrease Crime on the Rise? drinking and alcohol-related When the FBI and Department of Justice release their annual Before Soldiers consequences. reports on crime in the United States, Mark Warr’s phone Enter Combat Fromme, a psychology starts ringing. His voicemail fills with interview requests Most studies on post- professor, led a team of from reporters seeking the criminologist’s expertise for traumatic stress disorder researchers who followed stories on rising crime. But the angle of many news stories focus on soldiers returning more than 2,200 university based on FBI data—that violent crime is a growing national from combat, but Michael students who began col- problem—is frustrating, Warr says, because it’s inaccurate. Telch, professor of psy- lege during 2004 (ages 18 The sociologist has studied social reaction to crime for three chology, has begun track- to 22), collecting data on decades and published dozens of studies on crime, public opin- ing service members before their alcohol use and other ion and victimization. Learn why public perception of crime their tours of duty in Iraq. behavioral risks. remains out of sync with reality in the feature story “Crime on Telch, the principal inves- When comparing the two the Rise” at www.utexas.edu/features/2008/11/10/crime/. tigator for the Texas Combat weeks before and after the PTSD Project, is working students turned 21, the Making the Grade with Ft. Hood to examine researchers found students A little angst, rebellion and feelings of being left out may seem the how a soldier’s stress level drank more frequently but expected lot for an adolescent. But for some adolescents, particu- interacts with genetic, consumed less. Also, they larly those who feel left out or stigmatized at school, what may neurobiological and psy- observed a 72 percent rela- look like drama may actually have long-term ramifications. chological factors to predict tive increase among those Robert Crosnoe, associate professor of sociology and the development of combat- individuals who reported affiliate of the Population Research Center, has found that stress disorders. driving after drinking. the experience of feeling left out can have long-term edu- “This research will “If we’re talking about cational consequences. Learn more about his research in provide much-needed drinking and driving, drop- the feature story “Making the Grade” at www.utexas.edu/ insight into the cause of ping the age is a bad features/2006/adolescents/index.html. combat-stress disorders, idea,” Fromme explained Free Minds: Humanities Institute Got Game? an internationally recognized which have affected in a USA Today article last Scholars enter the expert on the Olympics. thousands of men and year. “If we’re talking about opens university to new communities Robert Josephs research- women who have served in decreasing the alcohol con- For three years, the Free Minds Project has offered a college- field of competition es the cross-talk between combat situations around sumed per occasion, we’re level course in the humanities to adults living on low to From the football stadium the stress and reproductive the world,” Telch says. less certain.” moderate incomes. to Wall Street, Americans axes of the human endocrine “By identifying factors that The only program of its kind in the state of Texas, Free are well-known for system. The social and make a soldier vulnerable In Treatment Minds taps the talents of top professors from The University their competitive drive. personality psychologist stud- to PTSD, we can help to Today, the way we look of Texas at Austin and Austin Community College for a two- Researchers at The ies how the stress hormone prevent the severe medical at the world, how we see D avid Zac k in semester course for 25 students, all of whom face financial University of Texas at cortisol and the reproductive condition and develop more ourselves, and how we and educational barriers, and pay no tuition. Austin examine the science hormone testosterone relate in effective treatments.” approach problems all have The Humanities Institute provides course books and bus fare, behind the success—or affecting dominance, aggres- origins in the psychothera- and dinner is served each night before class begins at a public failure—on the field. sion, and sexual behaviors. Reducing peutic tradition. library in East Austin. A concurrent youth development program John Hoberman (left), The U.S. National Institute the Legal It is hard to imagine it is provided for student’s children through Camp Fire USA. chair of Germanic studies, of Health awarded a five- was only about 110 years “Because of its focus on the humanities, Free Minds isn’t examines where sports, year, $1.3 million research Drinking Age? ago that Sigmund Freud a typical college transition program,” Vivé Griffith, project science and politics meet. grant to cognitive psycholo- Kim Fromme, an introduced his “talking director, says. “The program gives students the chance to The author of “Testosterone gists Art Markman and internationally renowned cure” to the public to reflect on life and see the world from a new perspective. Dreams: Rejuvenation, Todd Maddox (not pictured) researcher on addiction mixed reviews. Now the Students are motivated to go back to school, but they also Aphrodisia, Doping” and to use brain imaging to and alcohol use among various forms of psycho- gain the confidence to pursue promotions at their jobs and to “Mortal Engines: The Science examine why some people college-age individuals, therapy derived from his become more involved in their children’s education.” of Performance and the sail through life, while others has helped to inform the ideas are some of the most The participants study philosophy, literature, U.S. history, Dehumanization of Sport” is choke under pressure. national discussion about influential forms of healing Kir k Weddle; facing page (from left): mar s ha miller; creative writing and rhetorical writing. Those who complete

39 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 the course earn six college credits in the humanities. identify their strengths and possible career paths, and conduct practiced in the 20th and three-pound brains. But, “Whether wrestling with Plato’s ‘Republic’ or teasing out small experiments that will lead to great outcomes. 21st centuries. cognitive scientist Bradley meanings in Wallace Stevens’ poems, students explore new Robert Abzug, the Love is here to help us ways of thinking about themselves and their world,” says Bellevue: Serving the Underserved Oliver H. Radkey Regents sort through the options Evan Carton, director of the Humanities Institute and an Throughout the history Professor of History and before we even realize English professor who has taught in the program. “They rec- of the United States, New director of the Schusterman what we need. ognize their own intellectual capabilities and gain the confi- York City has been at the Center for Jewish Studies, The associate professor dence to start planning their pathway to higher education.” forefront of medicine. The has devoted his recent of psychology uses a The program also provides college and career counseling, with gateway to America, which research and teaching to computational model of workshops covering topics such as financial aid. has welcomed genera- understanding the rapid sequential learning and To learn more about the Humanities Institute, including the tions of immigrants, has growth and cultural mean- neurophysiological mea- Community Sabbatical Research Leave Program and the Living become a living laboratory ings of psychotherapy sures to predict what Newspaper Project, visit www.humanitiesinstitute.utexas.edu. for medical breakthroughs in America. information we desire. He for epidemic diseases such Art Markman, the even can predict when we Social Outcomes of Giving Back as cholera, smallpox and tuberculosis. Annabel Iron Worsham are going to make a mis- What drives people to volunteer, and why? Marc Musick, “There is a strong link between immigration and disease,” Centennial Professor of take or fail to learn. associate professor of sociology and associate dean for stu- says David Oshinsky, the Jack S. Blanton chair in history Psychology, researches a Instead of using this dent affairs, and John Wilson, professor of sociology at Duke who is leading a five-year study of the medical history of New range of topics about the work for nefarious pur- University, examine this question in their book, “Volunteers: York. “For example, cholera was first seen by New Yorkers way people think and reason. poses, Love incorporates A Social Profile” (Indiana University Press, 2007). Covering a as the Irish disease, tuberculosis as the Jewish disease, and He also is an expert con- his findings into adaptive broad range of topics, including volunteer motivation, histori- polio as the Italian disease.” sultant to the Dr. Phil show display technology that cal trends and social influences, the sociologists provide insight Many immigrants didn’t have money to pay for a doc- and writes the blog “Ulterior will improve future device into the causes and consequences of volunteering. tor, so they turned to Bellevue, one of the nation’s oldest Motives” for Psychology interfaces. He also builds and largest public hospitals. “Bellevue is truly the people’s Today magazine. his research insights into Recovery Remains Elusive for hospital,” Oshinsky says. “It is designated as a care facility Learn more about their training technologies that Hurricane Katrina Survivors for the President of the United States, but it also remains research in the feature story will decrease the learning In 2006, the National Science Foundation awarded Ron Angel, the last resort for people who are poor, underprivileged “In Treatment: From Freud curve as our performance professor of sociology and Laura Lein, professor of anthropol- and overlooked.” to Dr. Phil, scholars analyze levels transition from novice ogy, a $100,000 grant to investigate the ability of disaster victims Oshinsky earned the Pulitzer Prize for his book “Polio: the rise of psychotherapy to expert. to recover after an event like Hurricane Katrina. It’s been more An American Story” and has been appointed distinguished in America” at www.utexas. Love is on the technolog- than three years since the storm, but families remain fragile, the scholar-in-residence at New York University. edu/features/2009/02/16/ ical frontier of research into researchers found. Learn more about the study in the feature story psychotherapy/ . what our brains do during “Unnatural Disaster” at www.utexas.edu/features/2008/katrina/. Racial and Cultural complex thinking, develop- Crossroads in New Orleans Overwhelmed? ing sophisticated computer Examining Learning Disabilities Shirley Thompson, assistant professor of American Studies, Predicting What models that mimic the way The National Science Foundation awarded Chandra Muller, examines the cultural history of New Orleans, focusing on we learn. professor of sociology, a $365,000 grant to examine the Creoles of color, the French speaking population of African you Need Recently, these educational experiences of kindergarten through 12th-grade descent. In her forthcoming book “Exiles at Home: The models have been used students with learning disabilities. Struggle to Become American in Creole New Orleans” (Harvard to improve learning in The three-year research project will identify factors that University Press, 2009), she traces the experiences of Creoles primary school classes. lead to their success in science, technology, engineering and of color as they responded to massive upheavals in their racial, And, the U.S. Army is math (STEM) fields. Findings will inform the development cultural and national identities during the 19th century. interested in Love’s video of education programs and practices to better integrate stu- game innovations to dents with learning disabilities into the STEM pipeline. New Perspectives on develop devices that learn American-Indian Identity to predict what we need Wise Wanderings Each November, the nation revisits stereotypes about American to reduce information Katharine Brooks, director of Liberal Arts Career Services, has Indians via mythologized depictions of the first Thanksgiving overload such as creating spent more than 20 years researching the job market and advis- in the New World. However, the historical facts don’t always Everyday, we are inundated training programs that ing students on how to turn a liberal arts degree into a fulfilling match the picture painted in elementary school celebrations. with a seemingly infinite account for soldiers’ career. Her book “You Majored in What? Mapping Your Path Scholars whose research challenges these stereotypes include amount of information that learning fatigue and from Chaos to Career” (Viking Adult, 2009), provides a com- Steven Hoelscher, chair of the Department of American easily can overwhelm our maximize learning. prehensive career guide for liberal arts grads, including how Studies, and Erika Bsumek, assistant professor of history. to showcase their education, use visual mapping techniques to Hoelscher’s book “Picturing Indians: Photographic

Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 40 News & Notes Alumni News liberal arts degree in the Plan positive contribution to the positive children weren’t II program and specialized in lives of people in 76 coun- getting the medicine they Texas Exes: 2008 history. He graduated from tries,” Peace Corps Director needed to stay alive. Encounters and Tourist Fantasies in H.H. Bennett’s Wisconsin Distinguished Alumna the university’s law school Ron Tschetter said in a Treatment with antiretroviral Dells” (2008) traces the many-layered relationship between in 1984 and passed the letter to William Powers Jr., medication, know as ARVs, photographer H.H. Bennett and the Ho-Chunk Nation. While Linnet Frazier Deily president of the university. can delay immune dete- EA S TERN S TUDIE S. Bsumek’s “Indian-Made: Navajo Culture in the Marketplace, (B.A. Government, ‘67) has rioration and significantly 1868-1940” (2008) explores the complex links among Indian served as the U.S. ambas- Rx on the improve quality of life.” MIDDLE identity, the emergence of tourism in the Southwest, and the sador to the World Trade After working for two years AND meanings behind the brand “Indian-made.” Organization in Geneva, Frontline: at Baylor’s pediatric AIDS Switzerland, vice chair of Alumnus fights clinic in Swaziland, in 2008

Amigoland: Bridging the Divide LITERATURE Charles Schwab Corp., and pediatric AIDS in Phelps became the associate Between Brothers and Cultures as a member of the uni- director of the initiative’s cen- In his new book, Amigoland (Little, versity’s Board of Regents. John Schwartz in front of the Botswana ter in Gaborone, Botswana’s Discovery spacecraft at Kennedy Brown and Company, 2009), Oscar She has pursued a career by Jennifer McAndrew capital city. Since opening Space Center in Florida. COMPARATIVE Casares, assista nt professor of E nglish in international banking Botswana, a landlocked in 2003, the pediatric facility and Brownsville native, tells the story and investments, rising to bar, but has never practiced country in southern Africa, has tested and counseled of two brothers, Don Fidencio and become president and CEO law. He married his college has one of the highest HIV 8,000 HIV-infected children Don Celestino, who must travel into of First Interstate Bank of sweetheart, Jeanne Mixon; prevalence rates in the world. and trained more than 600 LINGUI S TIC S, Mexico to solve the mystery at the Texas. Fortune Magazine they have three children. More than 30 percent of the health professionals. OF heart of their long-standing dispute: named her one of the “50 Read Schwartz’s fun and nation’s 1.7 million citizens are Between treating babies the family legend of their grandfa- Most Powerful Women in inspiring commencement living with HIV/AIDS, which and educating care-givers

ther’s kidnapping. Business” in 2000. address to history depart- contributes to a high rate of about HIV prevention and DEPARTMENT S ment graduates at www. child mortality, according to medications, Phelps writes THE

Faith in the Jury System From the Daily utexas.edu/cola/depts/his- the United Nations. about his work, sharing OF Mary Rose, assistant professor of sociology and law, exam- Texan to the tory/news/archives/gradu- Liberal Arts alumnus Dr. patient stories in his blog ines the jury system and public opinion of the legal system. ationceremony08/ . Ryan Phelps (B.A. Plan II/ “Pediatrician in Botswana”

Recently, she explored people’s preferences for juries NY Times Latin American Studies, at pediatrician-in-botswana. COURTE S Y rather than judges to decide legal cases. Race and ethnicity John Schwartz (B.A. with UT Ranks Eighth ’99) is helping to reduce blogspot.com. proved one of the best predictors of support for juries. special honors in Plan II, in Peace Corps these numbers, providing After one particularly dif- PHOTO S Imagining themselves in different legal situations, includ- ’79) is the national legal relief to the children behind ficult exam, Phelps wrote ing as a criminal defendant or someone filing a lawsuit, non- correspondent for the New Volunteers the statistics. Phelps works candidly about his feelings PAGE : Hispanic whites overwhelmingly selected a jury to decide York Times. WASHINGTON, D.C.—The on the frontline of the AIDS of both despair and hope. the case rather than a judge. Until January, he was on University of Texas at Austin crisis in Botswana. The “I sat alone in my FACING For example, 87 percent of whites chose a jury compared the science desk, writing ranks eighth in the Peace pediatrician, who earned his exam room wondering if to 73 percent of African Americans. Hispanics reported a primarily about space travel. Corps’ Top 25 list of large M.D. from Duke University, addressing pediatric HIV similar reduction in preference, unless they chose to take the His work has taken him universities producing Peace is a member of the Baylor was somehow hopeless, s ch w art z ;

survey in Spanish. Among this group, support for the jury from the Mojave Desert to Corps volunteers in 2008. International Pediatric absurd, quixotic,” Phelps j ohn was markedly lower, rarely exceeding 50 percent. Moscow. He has written Since the Peace Corps’ AIDS Initiative. wrote. “Ashamed the “Faith in the jury as a more trustworthy decision-making on a wide range of topics, inception in 1961, 1,562 The initiative provides thought had even crossed body is weakest among communities in which people have including physician-assisted alumni have joined the HIV-positive children with my mind, I stood up to call experienced a history of discriminatory treatment in the suicide, computer security, organization. There were access to life-saving treat- the next patient. He was a legal system,” says Rose, who published the findings with online pornography, robots, 70 undergraduate alumni ment and medication happy, healthy child, thriv- Christopher Ellison, the Elsie and Stanley E. (Skinny) Adams, and why pregnant women and 14 Graduate School through clinics in Botswana, ing on ARVs, and I knew Sr. Centennial Professor in Liberal Arts, and Shari Diamond of don’t tip over. Before joining alumni serving in the Peace Burkina Faso, Kenya, that it wasn’t hopeless. Northwestern University, in Social Science Quarterly last year. the Times, he worked for Corps in 2008. Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Even on a day shadowed Support for the jury also likely depends upon familiarity and the Washington Post and “With the knowledge Uganda and Swaziland. by death, he is an eloquent comfort with the principle of letting non-professionals make Newsweek magazine. and training acquired at “Only a few years ago, reminder of why my job is decisions. “Newcomers to the United States or people who are Schwartz was born in The University of Texas at HIV medicines were largely a dream job. I get to help T ony Zavaleta Jr.; photo courte s y of less steeped in the culture—at least as indicated by language Galveston, and attended the Austin, these Peace Corps unavailable in Africa,” Phelps impoverished, nearly forgot- use—may not share the American founders’ assumption that an university where he earned a volunteers are making a says. “Thousands of HIV- ten kids get better.”

independent jury is preferable to a judge,” Rose explains. (from left):

41 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 web spotlight In Memoriam Literary Blog ShelfLife@Texas Graduate Coordinator Kathy Ross died Jan. 3, after a battle with ovarian cancer. ShelfLife@Texas is a space Ross joined the Department of Linguistics for book lovers to discuss as a senior office assistant in 1990. In 1991, If you are interested in supporting the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin, mail this form to literary news and events she was promoted to graduate coordinator, at The University of Texas a position she held until her death. For 18 Development Office, College of Liberal Arts, One University at Austin. years, she guided hundreds of students Station, G6300, Austin, TX, 78712 or visit our contribution page at www.utexas.edu/cola/support_liberal_arts/. Public affairs professionals through the graduate program. from across campus blog Enclosed is my check or credit card authorization for a gift of: about books by faculty and Emerita Professor Elizabeth Warnock staff members, students and Fernea (Comparative Literature and ___ $1,000 ___ $500 ___ $250 ___ $100 ___ $50 $___ Other alumni of the university. The Middle Eastern Studies) died Dec. 2 at Please indicate what area of the college you would like to support: blog also features interviews the age of 81. Fernea, a noted writer, film- with writers, and scholarly commentary on publishing trends. maker and scholar of women’s issues in ______Since it launched in October, ShelfLife has attracted media the Middle East, taught at the university attention from The Los Angeles Times: Jacket Copy and The for 24 years. She served as chair of the Dallas Morning News: Texas Pages. Visit ShelfLife at www. university’s Women’s Studies Program ______utexas.edu/opa/blogs/shelflife/. from 1980 to 1983. Credit Card Number ___ Visa ___ MasterCard ___ Discover ___ American Express

Educational Web Resources ______Expiration Date Political Science Anthropology Psychology Language Arts Compare national consti- Use the Department of Take Personality Tests Learn a foreign language ______tutions with government Anthropology’s eSkeletons at utpsyc.org or with the Texas Language Signature professors at compara- project to compare 3-D outofservice.com Technology Center at tltc. tiveconstitutionsproject. skeletons of humans and la.utexas.edu/tltc org and review resources primates at web.austin. Literature Please make all checks payable to: The University of Texas at Austin for constitution making at utexas.edu/eskeletons Journey through Dante’s Stay Connected constitutionmaking.org three realms of the after- ______State Politics life: Inferno, Purgatory and News and Events Name Theater Get the inside story on Paradise, in Danteworlds News and Publications for Play a role in “A Texas Politics at texaspoli- at danteworlds.laits. the College of Liberal Arts Midsummer Night’s tics.laits.utexas.edu utexas.edu www.utexas.edu/cola/ ______Dream” with “Shakespeare news_and_publications/ Address Kids” produced by Meteorology Latin American Studies Shakespeare at Winedale Chase tornadoes with Travel to Latin America University ______at laits.utexas.edu/shake- meteorologists from the via the Latin American Experts Guide City spearekids/winedale Department of Geography Network Information www.utexas.edu/opa/ and the Environment with Center at lanic.utexas.edu experts ______Archaeology Tornadoes: A Satellite and State Zip Code Solve ancient mysteries Radar Perspective at Gender and Race Take 5 – Mini Lectures with “Dr. Dirt,” the arma- laits.utexas.edu/kimmel_ Understand stereotypes www.utexas.edu/inside_ dillo archaeologist in Texas tornado/html/index-0.html with the Gender and ut/take5 If you are a graduate of the college, please provide your program(s) of Beyond History’s virtual Racial Attitudes Lab study and the year you earned your degree(s): archaeology museum, at On a rainy day, keep your in the Department of University Calendar ______www.texasbeyondhistory. head in the clouds with Psychology at homepage. www.utexas.edu/ net/hinds/detectives.html Clouds and Precipitation psy.utexas.edu/homep- oncampus at www.laits.utexas.edu/ age/group/BiglerLAB/ For information about including the college in your estate or donating kimmel GARAL/research.htm securities, please contact the development office at (512) 475-9763. ! Li f e &Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 Li f e&Le t t e r s | Spring 2009 42 Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID The University of Texas Austin Austin, Texas 1 University Station, G-6000 Permit #391 Austin, TX 78712

upon the talents of more than 30 academic departments, including government, economics, art, sociology, history, Gateway to the Americas public policy and business. Every year, LLILAS researchers conduct south–of–the bor- Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies der studies throughout the Americas—from meeting with voters during the contested Mexican elections to providing By Christian Clarke Cásarez on–the–ground observations from Cuba during Fidel Castro’s hospitalization to tracking social and economic changes in Argentina and Peru. ith its geographic, historical and International researchers turn to the Latin American cultural connections, Texas is unique- Network Information Center, the university’s electronic portal ly poised to serve as the world’s gate- to Latin America, for connections to nearly 12,000 Web sites. way to Latin America. The site, which is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, And with long–standing academic receives more than four million visits each month. and personal connections throughout the hemisphere, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin are Compadres: Friends of the Institute uniquely qualified to serve as ambassadors to the Americas. In 2000, Joe and Teresa Lozano Long created a $10 million WInternationally savvy scholars capitalize on the strengths endowment to support LLILAS’ research, scholarships and of Texas to create the best academic programs, including the educational endeavors. country’s No. 1 Latin American history program, according to Latin American Ambassadors: (from left) Jonathan Brown, Carolyn As part of the Campaign for Texas, the College of Liberal the 2009 U.S. News and World Report magazine rankings. Palaima, Bryan Roberts, Henry Dietz, Natalie Arsenault, Marco Muñoz Arts will be raising funds to match this generous gift. To Housed in the College of Liberal Arts, the Teresa Lozano and Paloma Diaz. LLILAS welcomes Charles Hale (not pictured), anthro- learn more about giving opportunities, visit campaignfor-

Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) draws pology professor, as the institute’s new director effective Sept. 2009. texas.utexas.edu. Chr isti n a Murrey