The Heroic Adventures of Qin Shubao
from Forgotten Tales of the Sui
Winner, Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work, Modern Language Association of America A historical novel by Yuan Yuling, “Forgotten Tales of the Sui” (1633), has indeed been long forgotten in China. This unique coming-of-age tale in classical Chinese literature portrays the chivalrous Qin Shubao, the scion of a line […]
From Vice to Nice
Midwestern Politics and the Gentrification of AIDS
Gentrification: The unexpected consequence of AIDS Shifting the focus of AIDS history away from the coasts to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, this impressive book uncovers how homonormative political strategies weaponized the AIDS crisis to fuel gentrification. During the height of the epidemic, white gay activists and politicians pursued social acceptance by […]
Lipstick
Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Forget your mother’s tube of Revlon. Lipstick today is as messy—and fascinating—as changing attitudes towards femininity. Mining the experience of women across culture, class, and generation, this book tosses out expired ideas about beauty and power like so […]
Taco
Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. Taco is a deep dive into the most iconic Mexican food from the perspective of a Mexico City native. In a narrative that moves from Mexico to the United States and back, Sánchez Prado discusses the definition of the […]
‘We have the view of gods’
In his new book “Look Out: The Delight and Danger of Taking the Long View,” WashU’s Edward McPherson explores the human desire for “big picture” perspectives — and how such perspectives cultivate both awe and arrogance.
Free Speech
A Campus Toolkit
Free speech and academic freedom have long been hot topics on college campuses. Free Speech: A Campus Toolkit equips students with the tools they need to make informed judgments about campus controversies for themselves.
The Small Stuff
How to Lead a More Gratifying Life
From popular The Atlantic columnist Ian Bogost, a lively reflection about how we’ve become disconnected from the physical, world—and how to reclaim joy and gratification in your day-to-day life. In an era dominated by convenience and efficiency, one would think that life would be simpler, easier, and most importantly, happier. After all, shouldn’t all the […]
WashU hosts Global (Un)Conference 2 Oct. 16-18
Global (Un)Conference 2, a meeting of the Urban Humanities Network, will take place around St. Louis Oct. 16-18. Featuring both academic and public-facing events, the conference is hosted by WashU’s “Engaged City” initiative, a Mellon-funded project that highlights the city’s cultural legacy.
How AI will change your career
What is artificial intelligence good at? What is it not good at? How might it reshape the employment landscape? Last spring, WashU’s Ian Bogost interviewed Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, chief technology officer at Meta, and others for Bogost’s class “How AI Will Change Your Career.”
Conserving Nature in Greater Yellowstone
Controversy and Change in an Iconic Ecosystem
The story of how Yellowstone, established in 1872 as the world’s first national park, has become synonymous with nature conservation — and an examination of today’s challenges to preserve the region’s wilderness heritage.
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