CAHSS

News and Updates about UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

Ellen Handler Spitz, Honors College, Hosts Enchantment Theater of Philadelphia

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Honors College Professor Ellen Handler Spitz, under the auspices of Honors College Director Simon Stacey, invited Enchantment Theater Company of Philadelphia to present two, two and a half-hour long workshops in her classes last week. Enchantment co-directors Jennifer and Landis Smith screened scenes from their latest production, spoke on their use of classical music (Rimksy-Korsakov’s “Scherezade”), masks, gigantic puppets, fabrics, projections and sleight-of-hand magic to create evocative, nearly wordless imaginings of tales from “The Arabian Nights.” Dr. Spitz’s students, having read and studied several tales from the Nights, donned masks and experienced first-hand the processes of transformation from text to theater and from words to gesture… Continue Reading Ellen Handler Spitz, Honors College, Hosts Enchantment Theater of Philadelphia

Lia Purpura, English, in The New Yorker

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English Department Writer in Residence Lia Purpura is featured in the latest edition of The New Yorker. The magazine published her poem “Future Perfect” in its November 18th edition. You can read the poem in The New Yorker here (subscription required). The full text of the poem is below: Future Perfect Where you were before you were born, and where you are when you’re not anymore might be very close. Might be the same place, though neither is as slippery as being here but imagining where you will have been – that point where things land, are finished, over, and gone but not yet. –Lia… Continue Reading Lia Purpura, English, in The New Yorker

John Rennie Short, Public Policy, on KCBS News Radio

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The start of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia is just three months away, and the deadline to apply to host the 2022 Winter Olympics is Thursday. John Rennie Short, professor of public policy, was interviewed by KCBS News Radio in San Francisco about his proposal for a permanent site for the Summer Olympics. “It seemed like it was becoming more and more expensive and more and more disruptive for cities to host the games,” Short said. With stiff competition to host the Olympic Games and economic benefits for host cities that can often be smaller in scope… Continue Reading John Rennie Short, Public Policy, on KCBS News Radio

Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Baltimore Sun

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Election-year calls for tax cuts in Maryland have triggered several campaigns to ensure they are kept. Many advocates of environmental, health and social service programs have formed focus groups and commissioned studies to support their cause and demonstrate their taxes serve a public good. Some politicians have called for a stormwater fee repeal, the corporate tax rate to be cut, and relief for the business community. With the economy improving, many new taxes and fees have become targets, launching campaigns to support those taxes. Donald Norris, public policy professor and chair, was interviewed for an article in The Baltimore Sun about the… Continue Reading Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Baltimore Sun

Faculty and Alumni of Umbilicus Perform at The Parlor

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The percussion quartet Umbilicus, featuring Tom Goldstein, music, Shelly Purdy ’10, Will Redman ’98, and Rob Wolk ’11, performs Friday, November 15 at 8 p.m. at The Parlor, in a program including a set with new Department of Music faculty member, Patrick Crossland, trombone. Umbilicus’ set will include work by Anna Rubin, music. The Parlor 800 St. Paul Street Baltimore, MD Umbilicus was founded in 2012 in reaction to the generic contemporary percussion quartet, with the intention of promoting and performing a more experimental repertoire, much if it composed by its members. The suggested donation for this event is $5-$7.

Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Baltimore Sun

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In a letter sent out Thursday by his federal political action committee, Gov. Martin O’Malley called for support for a higher minimum wage in Maryland. The letter was coordinated with a social media push urging supporters to sign a petition for an increased minimum wage. Public Policy Professor and Chair Donald Norris was interviewed for an article in The Baltimore Sun about O’Malley’s call for support. By sending out the message through his federal PAC, he is reaching a national audience while considering a run for president in 2016.   “He’s using his federal PAC to say, ‘Here’s what I’m in favor… Continue Reading Donald Norris, Public Policy, in The Baltimore Sun

Amy Berbert ’17 is Winner of USM Foundation Art Contest

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Freshman Amy Berbert was awarded the grand prize last month for her submission in the second annual USM Foundation Art Contest. The winning art piece meant to illustrate this year’s theme — a Steve Jobs quote, “I want to put a ding on the universe” — will be featured in December on the cover of the USM Foundation Annual Report. The winning entry, one of 88 submissions from faculty, staff and students throughout the University System, was selected because Berbert’s artwork “was clear, concise, and offered a literal and thoughtful translation of the quote.” Read more information about the contest… Continue Reading Amy Berbert ’17 is Winner of USM Foundation Art Contest

Carole McCann, Gender and Women’s Studies, in ABC 2 News article

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The term “birth control” was first coined almost 100 years ago, and several laws and practices have changed over the last several years.  ABC 2 News recently published an article about the history of birth control in the United States and how it has evolved, and interviewed Gender and Women’s Studies Chair and Professor Carole McCann for the story. “What you see is women struggling to find a means that works for them,” McCann said. She described how throughout much of the 20th century it was a violation of federal law to share information about contraceptives. “We have a long… Continue Reading Carole McCann, Gender and Women’s Studies, in ABC 2 News article

Kate Brown, History, Presents Social Sciences Forum on “Plutopia”

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Kate Brown, Associate Professor of History, presented the Social Sciences Forum “Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters,” to a large audience Wednesday afternoon in the Albin O. Kuhn Library Gallery. Brown spoke about the plutonium disasters of the United States and Soviet Union, telling the stories of Richland, Washington and Ozersk, Russia. They are the first two cities in the world to produce plutonium. She described how American and Soviet leaders created plutopias, which are communities of nuclear families living in highly-subsidized atomic cities. For many, living in these cities was like “winning the… Continue Reading Kate Brown, History, Presents Social Sciences Forum on “Plutopia”

Carlo DiClemente, Psychology, Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award

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Carlo DiClemente, presidential research professor and professor of psychology, was selected as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Addictive Behaviors Special Interest Group (AB-SIG) of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). The award is presented every other year to a member who has made outstanding contributions over the course of his or her career to the field of addictive behaviors, consistent with the goal of advancing cognitive and behavior therapies.  The selection committee this year felt DiClemente best embodied the spirit of this award. He will be formally honored at the upcoming ABCT meeting in Nashville, TN on November… Continue Reading Carlo DiClemente, Psychology, Recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award

Joan Shin, Education, Launches Book Series with National Geographic Learning

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Joan Shin, Education Professor of Practice, has launched a book series with National Geographic Learning designed to give learners the skills and knowledge they need to learn English and understand the world around them. The series, called “Our World,” uses images and video and provides National Geographic content to young learners of English. Shin is co-editor of the series along with JoAnn Crandall, Professor Emerita and former Director of the Language, Literacy and Culture Ph.D. program. You can find out more about the series here. As part of the series, Shin also developed a professional development video program for teachers.… Continue Reading Joan Shin, Education, Launches Book Series with National Geographic Learning

George Derek Musgrove, History, in The Baltimore Sun

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Catonsville resident Gus Russo, a documentary filmmaker and author, has written a book and filmed a documentary chronicling the stories of American citizens and where they were when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The 50th anniversary of the assassination is November 22nd. History Assistant Professor George Derek Musgrove was interviewed for an article in The Baltimore Sun about Russo’s documentary and the impact of Kennedy’s assassination on the American people. He said television played a significant role. “Large numbers of Americans saw the motorcade and the fatal shot, his wife scrambling out of the car and much of his funeral… Continue Reading George Derek Musgrove, History, in The Baltimore Sun

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