Perspectives

Zhao Ma, PhD, assistant professor in Arts & Sciences, has published a book about lower-class Chinese women’s survival strategies during economic and political upheaval in Beijing from 1937 to 1949.

Eileen G’Sell, a lecturer in Arts & Sciences’ Writing Program, writes in Salon about the “hot mess” phenomenon among successful white women who still portray their lives as in disarray.

Brent Williams, PhD, of the School of Engineering & Applied Science, writes a blog about President Obama’s plan to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. Williams calls the plan a small step in the right direction.

Andrew Flachs, a doctoral student in Arts & Sciences, writes in a blog for National Geographic about the trials of Indian farmers and their rush toward modern farming practices.

Abram Van Engen, PhD, of Arts & Sciences, writes about civil discourse — and what modern politicians could learn from the Puritans. His book, “Sympathetic Puritans,” recently was published by Oxford University Press.

Stuart A. Kornfeld, MD, of the School of Medicine, chats in a video Q&A with The Journal of Clinical Investigation as part of its “Giants in Medicine” series. He discusses his research and the importance of mentors in encouraging future physician-scientists.

Sean Joe, PhD, of the Brown School, speaks about suicide among black youths and the importance of creating safe spaces for children in a Children’s Defense Fund video.

Mary Politi, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Public Health Sciences, writes for The Conversation about the complicated nature of health insurance and how hard it is for the newly insured to figure out the right plan for them.

Arts & Sciences alumni who majored in classics, and Timothy Moore, PhD, department chair, explain in videos the value and practical benefits of studying ancient civilizations.

A number of Washington University faculty offer perspectives on the issues underlying the unrest in Ferguson, where things stand and what work still must be done one year later.