Human Sciences

New Survey Articles from Blackwell Compass

2008-04-22T12:10:55Z

The following survey articles come from Blackwell Compass, which describes itself as "a suite of state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed survey articles across entire disciplines. Disciplines currently covered are Geography, History, Literature, Philosophy, and Religion." Good place to go to catch up on recent advances in the literature of a topic.

Women's Experiences of Hindu Traditions: A State of the Field Review
Static models of Hindu women as marginalized and muted subjects have in recent years been enlivened by a body of work that investigates the ways in which women both subtly and overtly resist, contest, and re-imagine these roles.

Psychological Similarities Between Men and Women Across Cultures
In this paper, I review a body of cross-cultural evidence showing that it is precisely in these Western countries that women and men differ the most in terms of personality, self-construal, values, or emotions. Much less-pronounced gender differences are observed, if at all, in Asian and African countries.

Contemporary British-Jewish Writing: From Apology to Attitude
This article surveys contemporary British-Jewish writing. It looks at a variety of texts to argue that British-Jewish writing is gaining a new visibility, momentum and confidence.

Teaching and Learning Guide for: Racial Residential Segregation in Urban America
We present an overview of research about racial residential segregation. The first part of the article reviews major debates and findings drawn primarily from the sociological literature. The second part of the article identifies new areas of research that in some cases cross into other disciplines such as geography and urban studies.

Personality in Non-Human Animals
The wave of new studies is shedding fresh light on traditional issues in personality research (How do early experiences affect adult personality?), raising novel questions (What are the evolutionary origins of personality traits?) and addressing practical problems (Which dogs are best suited to detecting explosives?).

Causal Theories of Mental Content
Causal theories of mental content (CTs) ground certain aspects of a concept's meaning in the causal relations a concept bears to what it represents.

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Subject Guides
Classics // Islamic Studies // Jewish Studies // Philosophy // Religion
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Philosophy Podcasts

2008-04-18T12:15:53Z

Found a listing of philosophy and philosophy-related podcasts in a recent issue of The Philosopher's Magazine, a popular philosophy magazine that I subscribe to. Haven't had time to review them but I thought I'd provide links so you can check them out if interested.

The Philosopher's Zone

Philosopher Bites

Philosophy: The Classics

Point of Inquiry

TED

Nazi Olympics

2008-04-10T18:59:47Z

Yesterday I heard that the Olympic "torch relay" that's so much in the news was initiated by the Nazis for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Here's a brief description from a private web site calling itself the Olympic Games Museum. Pretty disturbing, though perhaps not surprising, for the Olympic Committee and advertisers to follow on a tradition started by the Nazis. After all, it's all about propaganda. Here are some books on the Nazi Olympics and some other books about the Olympics and politics. There's also a film in the list that looks good (click on the URL to go to the film record in the library's catalog).

Also look here: Beware of Greeks Bearing Placards.

New Lit Reviews from Web of Science

2008-03-31T14:40:43Z

Selling Captain Riley, 1816-1859: How did his 'Narrative' become so well known? (James Riley)
PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY 171: 177-+ Part 1 APR 2007
James Riley's extraordinary tale of shipwreck, enslavement, and liberation captivated many American readers in the nineteenth century...Popular awareness of Riley and his account of African geography and portrayal of Islamic and Jewish life was fueled by extensive press coverage and eventual anthologizing in children's literature.

Divining "divine action" in theology-and-science: A review essay
ZYGON 43 (1): 191-200 MAR 2008
The topic of divine action has been central to the theology-and-science discussion over the last twenty years...I review three recent books that have responded in some way to the ongoing discussion.

The Filipino Catholic nun as transnational feminist
WOMENS HISTORY REVIEW 17 (1): 57-78 FEB 2008
Filipino Catholic nuns became formidable activists in the women's movement as women's studies teachers, and as leaders and members of transnational organizations. This article argues that the nuns' unique location in the interstices-as transnational feminists who moved constantly from the local to the international-was what made them effective activists.

The healing serpent and the origin of Ophite Gnosticism
REVUE DE L HISTOIRE DES RELIGIONS 224 (4): 395-434 OCT-DEC 2007
This group is, together with the Naassenes, the only one that actually adores the serpent, which is considered as the epiphany of the Logos. This equivalence Logos = serpent is taken from the exegetical interpretation of Num. 21, 8-10 (the bronze serpent).

Racializing historiography: anti-Jewish scholarship in the Third Reich
PATTERNS OF PREJUDICE 42 (1): 27-59 FEB 2008
He raises and attempts to answer crucial and far-reaching questions about Judenforschung and its role in the Third Reich. Why was historical scholarship important for the perpetrators of the Holocaust? What was the specific function of historical arguments in a racist setting? What was the specific contribution of the humanities to racist arguments and racist politics?

Religious place and its interaction with urbanization in the Roman era
JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ARCHAEOLOGY 8 (1): 37-62 FEB 2008
This article examines the issue of urbanization in Roman Britain and its interaction with places of the late pre-Roman Iron Age...The modern western conception of place differs vastly from the past when places were important ways of conceptualizing experiencing and understanding the world and they were constructed through human action, memory and experience and interaction.

Aegean prehistory as world archaeology: Recent trends in the archaeology of Bronze age Greece
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH 16 (2): 83-161 JUN 2008
This article surveys archaeological work of the last decade on the Greek Bronze Age, part of the broader discipline known as Aegean prehistory. Naturally, the literature is vast, so I focus on a set of topics that may be of general interest to non-Aegeanists: chronology, regional studies, the emergence and organization of archaic states, ritual and religion, and archaeological science.

Is there a moral justification for redressing historical injustices?
VANDERBILT LAW REVIEW 61 (1): 127-+ JAN 2008
This Article examines whether there is a moral justification for repairing historical injustices. My theme is the difficulty of devising a compelling moral argument for redressing such injustices, notwithstanding the moral arguments often invoked by the proponents of redress.

Writing as thinking
REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 12 (1): 9-27 MAR 2008
We explore four methods to see how expert writers externalize thoughts and interact with them: laboratory comparisons of novices and experts, interviews with accomplished writers (mostly of prose fiction), biographical analysis of Jane Austen's development as a writer, and consideration of Gustave Flaubert's notes and drafts.

Animal consciousness
JOURNAL OF CONSCIOUSNESS STUDIES 15 (3): 5-33 MAR 2008
There are several types of behavioural evidence in favour of the notion that many animal species experience at least some simple levels of consciousness. Other than behavioural evidence, there are a number of anatomical and physiological criteria that help resolve the problem of animal consciousness, particularly when addressing the problem in lower vertebrates and invertebrates.

Constructing the guru: Ritual authority and architectural space in medieval India
ART BULLETIN 90 (1): 7 MAR 2008
At the central Indian site of Chandrehe stands a rare example of a monumental stone monastery, built in 973 by a sect of Shiva-worshiping ascetics known as the Mattamayuras. Its complex architectural program Suggests that it was carefully designed to evoke the soteriological and ritual world of medieval Hindu monasteries, about which very little other evidence exists.

The work of the present: Constructing messianic temporality in the wake of failed prophecy among Chabad Hasidim
AMERICAN ETHNOLOGIST 35 (1): 64-80 FEB 2008
Temporal issues have remained relatively unelaborated in the rich body of research that applies cognitive dissonance theory to millenarian movements following a failed prophecy. We engage these issues by exploring how the meshichistim (messianists) among the Jewish ultraorthodox Chabad (Lubavitch) Hasidim employ temporal categories to deal with the crisis entailed in the death of their leader, the expected Messiah.

Philosophy Talk

2008-03-31T12:43:25Z

Two philosophy professors at Stanford, Ken Taylor and John Perry, have been hosting a radio show on philosophy since 2004 called Philosophy Talk. They claim to "[question] everything...except your intelligence". They address traditional philosophical topics like truth, beauty, Hegel, and skepticism, as well as broader topics like dreaming, separation of powers, and war crimes. Their aim is to offer philosophy that the educated layperson can understand and enjoy.

The Philosophy Talk Web site includes a listing of the radio stations that air the program, links to previous shows that you can listen to online for free, as well as a blog and information on upcoming shows. To download the shows in MP3 format you've got to pay (no one ever said philosophy came cheap) however.

So give it a shot, philosophize!

Philosophy and Classics on SSRN

2008-03-10T15:35:34Z

Here are the Top Downloads of philosophy papers on the Philosophy Research Network.

Here are the Top Downloads for Classics (though the definition of Classics is very broad) on the Classics Research Network.

The Social Sciences Research Network is increasingly moving into supporting the humanities and will be opening up many new areas in the near future.

From Medieval Prayer Book to Ancient Greek Manuscript

2008-03-10T15:14:22Z

Nice article here about how a medieval prayer book was found to have been a "scrubbed" copy of a Byzantine codex by Archimedes. (back in the day when sheepskin was expensive it was often reused). Learn how Archimedes' important work was rediscovered. The story involves the use of Stanford's famous particle accelerator to read the most damaged pages. Be sure to check out the "sidebars" for all the details.

Archimedes Codex is the book that tells the whole story. Check it out from Paley Library.

ARTstor Interdisciplinary Guides

2008-03-07T19:06:03Z

ARTstor has made some nice, brief interdisciplinary guides available on its web site. ARTstor is a huge database of high resolution images of major art collections from around the world.

Here are some links to the PDF's of the guides:
Classical Studies // Middle Eastern Studies // Religious Studies // Women's Studies

Take a look to see how ARTstor can illuminate your research and scholarship!

New Lit Reviews from Web of Science

2008-03-05T19:40:02Z

American catholicism's science crisis and the Albertus Magnus Guild, 1953-1969
"During the middle decades of the twentieth century, American Catholic scientists experienced a sense of crisis owing to the paucity of scientific research performed either by individual Catholics or in Catholic institutions of higher learning."

Walking with Odysseus: The portico frame of the Odyssey Landscapes
"The painted portico thus puts the viewers in the proper frame of mind to appreciate the intellectual associations of the painting as they walk with Odysseus on a parallel journey of philosophical reflection."

Juno, Hercules, and the Muses at Rome (This study has to do with the divine patrons of music as a public activity at Rome)
"The Aedes Herculis Musarum (AHM), embodying musical harmony, was a symbolic focal point for political concordia at Rome. The treatment of its cult honorands in high poetry also embraces Juno Regina, whose contemporary temple was adjacent to the AHM."

Janet Jakobsen Speaks at Temple

2008-03-04T13:47:09Z

Podcast on colonizers, aborigines, anatomists, phrenologists

2008-03-01T14:37:33Z

History Compass Podcasts has an interesting interview with the Paul Turnbull, author of the survey article British Anatomists, Phrenologists, and the Construction of the Aboriginal Race, c.1790-1830. He discusses how Australian colonizers frequently sent severed heads and body parts of Aborigines killed back to Britain for study. The author began this study when he learned how vast the collection of Aboriginal body parts had been.

New Online Religion Encyclopedias from GVRL

2008-02-28T17:36:11Z

We just seven new online religion encyclopedias from the online platform Gale Virtual Reference Library, which has dozens of encyclopedias in many different categories. Below are links to the new encyclopedias.

Encyclopedia of Judaism
four volume encyclopedia from Brill Academic Publishers

Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an
multivolume from Brill Academic Publishers

Brill Dictionary of Religion
four volumes from Brill Academic Publishers

Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism
two volumes from Brill Academic Publishers

Dictionary of Jewish-Christian Relations
one volume from Cambridge University Press

Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America
three volumes from Indiana University Press

Illustrated Encyclopedia of Confucianism
two volumes from Rosen Publishing

Assault with anti-Semitic Slurs / Town Hall Meeting

2008-02-27T18:07:07Z

The letter below was sent from TU President Hart last Friday. There will be a Town Hall Meeting entitled Confronting Anti-Semitism at Temple University on Thursday, 2/28, at 8 PM in SAC 223.

Here are a bunch of articles on anti-Semitism from Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Letter from President Ann Weaver Hart:
"I am very sad to be sending you this message. According to reports, early on the morning of Friday, Feb. 15, a non-Temple student was assaulted on North Broad St. on Temple University's Main Campus. The assault included anti-Semitic language and the student was seriously injured. The alleged assailants are all Temple students.

The case was investigated by Temple University Campus Safety Services and referred to the University Disciplinary Committee (UDC). The Temple students involved in the incident have been suspended, pending the outcome of a UDC hearing. Temple University police in collaboration with the Philadelphia Police Department are actively pursuing criminal charges through the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. We are taking this situation very seriously and will be developing programs for students and the broader university community to address issues of tolerance and civility on our campuses.

Temple's core values are reflected in our Student Code of Conduct, which states that the University is “dedicated to promoting the physical and mental health and the safety and welfare of each member of the community," and to respecting the rights of others. Because we treasure the extraordinary diversity of our community of learning, we stand united against any action that threatens that community or the welfare of our students, employees or visitors.

Hate crimes will not be tolerated by Temple University. All manifestations of intolerance threaten the fabric of our institution and our society. Indeed, hatred violates the core values upon which this university was founded — values that are cherished by all of us in the extended Temple family.

Sincerely,

Ann Weaver Hart"

Changing Faiths in America

2008-02-26T12:46:45Z

Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds
An article from the NYT explains that "more than a quarter of adult Americans have left the faith of their childhood to join another religion or no religion..." This is one finding from The US Religious Landscape Survey, published by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

Mary Beard on the Roman Triumph

2008-02-25T13:10:18Z

There's a book review in the Inky on Mary Beard's, The Roman Triumph, published by Harvard University Press.
"What makes Beard's book so fascinating is not only the subject, but her way of approaching it, which allows one to see historiography in process. Her attention to every least detail, placing one fact next to another to see whether this or that confirms or challenges a given interpretation, is like watching a forensic specialist working to solve a crime."

You can borrow Roman Triumph from Paley Library. Here are other books by classics scholar Mary Beard.

You can also hear a Harvard University Press podcast of Mary Beard discussing her new book. By the way, these podcasts on new books from HUP are very interesting. Listen to them all!