News

New Research Institute Focuses on Supporting the Social Sciences

On October 13th, the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor announced the creation of the Institute for Social Sciences (ISS), led by director Joseph Dumit, professor of anthropology and science and technology studies at UC Davis. The new interdisciplinary research center will bring focus to the critical role of the social sciences in addressing the challenges of our rapidly changing society, according to Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter.

The Ways We Persuade: From Ancient to Digital Rhetoric @ Davis

Every writer communicates their work to an imagined audience, and their words are never neutral. Regardless of whether we are candid or covert about our intentions, all communication is persuasive. To better understand this truth, the Rhetoric @ Davis Research Cluster fosters interdisciplinary dialogue about the ways we persuade, take a stance, and urge others to consider our views in all our communications, written or spoken.

The Stories that Define Us

During the War of 1812, British warships sailing into Chesapeake Bay were intercepted by a ferry boat manned by escaped American slaves. Having heard rumors that the King of England was in favor of emancipation, these “freedom fighters” boldly paddled down the Potomac to meet the invaders and offer their services. Eventually, around 400 runaways would be enlisted to aid in King George’s war against the United States. Their actions, motivated by stories, are part of history as told by UC Davis history professor Alan Taylor.

Working on the Finer Points of Classical Spanish Theater

Around the time William Shakespeare was shaking the English stage (and the English language) with his works written in iambic pentameter at the turn of the 16th century, Lope de Vega and Calderón de la Barca were doing the same in Spain. These dramatic works by England’s political rivals, however, were primarily written in strict verse structures imported from Italy that required Spanish playwrights to respect specific meters and rhyme schemes. In other words, these works are hard to perform.

Putting Our Heads Together (About Disciplinary Differences)

“Of Two Minds: Bringing Together the Sciences and the Humanities”

How can we straddle the divide between two disciplines when “most of life happens on one side of the bridge or the other”? That was the question that animated the discussion on Thursday, May 15th, among panelists invited to “Of Two Minds: Bringing Together the Sciences and the Humanities,” co-sponsored by the UC Davis Humanities Institute, American Studies program, and Mellon Research Initiative in Digital Cultures.

Istanbul 2013: Class Contradictions in an Unreflexive Middle Class Revolt?

During the summer of 2013, Gezi Park, in the Taksim district of Istanbul, was the epicenter of a series of urban protests that quickly spread across Turkey. Clashes against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s restrictive policies were marked by both violent police reactions and broad-based support inclusive of many of Turkey’s social groups. Yet, for Cihan Tugal, associate professor of Sociology at UC Berkeley, the upper-middle class interests that sparked the protests represent a contradiction to the spirit of the protests in general.

Literary Symposium Explores the Representation of Amazonia

“In order to know the people of other nations,” the Marquis de Sade once said, “you must have suffered as their victim.” As an advocate for realist representation in works of fiction, de Sade warned writers that they had to know the regions they wrote about or be ridiculed as “armchair travelers.” Recently, a group of literary scholars gathered at UC Davis to discuss the question of literary realism in 19th century novels on the Amazon region. How well did Jules Verne’s Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon (La Jangada) represent Brazilian reality?

PhD Unlimited: Expanding the Horizon of Non-Academic Careers

PhD Unlimited Panel

Contrary to what many believe, a PhD in the humanities doesn’t limit one to a position in academia. The skills polished as a graduate student are valuable assets in a variety of organizations and industries, a fact that broadens the horizon of post-doctorate career options. For soon-to-be PhDs, however, information on those careers may seem elusive.