Penn Press Log

Penn Press Authors on Chechen History and Politics

As the Boston Marathon bombing investigation continues, journalists and a concerned public are turning to historians, political scientists, security researchers, and other scholars for a deeper understanding of the suspects' possible motives. It's no surprise that Penn Press authors like Philip Mudd were among the experts interviewed, but one connection was completely unexpected.

Three years ago Brian Glyn Williams, Professor of Islamic Studies at Univ of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and author of Afghanistan Declassified: A Guide to America's Longest War, received a letter from a high school student named Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. “He wanted to know more about his Chechen roots,” said Williams, as quoted in the New York Times. “He wanted to know more about Russia’s genocidal war on the Chechen people.”

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, Williams provides historic background in a Huffington Post commentary, "The Missing Chechen Context on the Boston Tragedy". Williams writes:

Most Americans know very little about this small Muslim ethnic group. While nothing can legitimize the despicable act of terrorism perpetrated by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, I believe ethnic and historical background might provide some much needed context.

First of all, the Chechens I have met, including the members of the small tight knit community here in Boston, tend to be a rather Sovietized, secularized, moderate Muslims. The ones I know tend to emulate George Washington for freeing the 13 colonies from British oppression. The Chechens dream of the same thing for themselves from their historic nemesis, imperial Russia/Soviet Union/the post-Soviet Russian Federation.

Chechnya: From Nationalism to Jihad, by James Hughes at the London School of Economics and Political Science, was cited in "Boston Marathon Bombing: What Do Chechens Have Against the U.S.?," a recent post on the Foreign Policy in Focus blog. The post argues that Hughes' work "sheds some light on possible reasons that Chechen separatists might attack the United States."

After an April 19 interview with KCBS radio in San Francisco, Lincoln Mitchell , an Associate Research Scholar at Columbia University's Harriman Institute tweeted "Wrong to assume these were radical Chechnyan terrorists, but also wrong to oppose the notion their background might be relevant." Mitchell is the author of Uncertain Democracy: U.S. Foreign Policy and Georgia's Rose Revolution and The Color Revolutions.

The Surprising Roots of Women's History in the United States

On International Women's Day in this Women's History Month, let's not forget that field of writing women's history has its own turbulent and surprising past. In an excerpt from her forthcoming book, Citizenship and the Origins of Women's History in the United States, Teresa Anne Murphy reveals that some of the earliest writers of American women's history were men, and that the first women behind advancement in the field were more celebrated as poets and keepers of domestic traditions than as serious scholars. Texts written by the editor of Godey's Lady's Book or the author of The Practical Housekeeper may not qualify as works of history by today's standards, yet these writers laid the groundwork for women with broader political and historical agendas. (All the links in the excerpt were added by the editor of this blog.)

Thomas Wentworth Higginson wrote to Caroline Dall in the spring of 1854 to let her know he was bowled over by her biographical sketches in The Una, which he collectively labeled "Essays toward the History of Woman." The questions that were being raised by the woman's rights movement, questions inspiring Dall's writing, were the most revolutionary ones of their generation, Higginson claimed. Encouraging Dall to continue her historical writing, Higginson argued that the challenges posed by woman's rights would force the wide-scale revision of all history and all scholarship. "On Slavery or Temperance, for instance, nothing new can be said. But in regard to Woman about all that is true is new. For instance, all statistics must be compiled over—& all history re-written." Given the rather modest nature of some of Dall's historical sketches, Higginson's praise might seem a bit hyperbolic. But Higginson was right. The demands for full citizenship that permeated the movement for woman's rights in the 1850s required a wide ranging reevaluation of social relations. And social relations, in order to be legitimate, needed a history. . . .

Win a Free Copy of The Disaster Experts: Mastering Risk in Modern America

The Disaster Experts: Mastering Risk in Modern America, written by Drexel University historian Scott Gabriel Knowles, is out in paperback now.

Knowles tells the fascinating story of how various professionals--insurance inspectors, engineers, scientists, journalists, public officials, civil defense planners, and emergency managers--emerged as the authorities on risk and disaster and, in the process, shaped modern America.

The Disaster Experts looks at responses to early twentieth-century conflagrations, the threat of nuclear annihilation, civil unrest, the 9/11 attacks, and hurricanes like Katrina. These crises were especially life-threatening and deadly in densely populated communities.

As cities and towns across the country continue to cope with superstorms, shootings, rising ocean levels, and other dangers to life and property, The Disaster Experts remains a timely read for urban planners, historians, and safety-minded citizens.

If you'd like the chance to receive a free copy of The Disaster Experts, send an email to pressmkt at pobox dot upenn dot edu with your first name, last name, and your preferred email address by March 15 at noon Eastern Standard Time. One winner will be selected at random.

Hear Scott Knowles discuss moral hazard, federal funds, and Hurricane Sandy relief efforts on WHYY's Radio Times.

Demacopoulos, Author of The Invention of Peter, Discusses the Papacy on ABC News

George E. Demacopoulos, associate professor of theology at Fordham University and author of The Invention of Peter: Apostolic Discourse and Papal Authority in Late Antiquity, spoke with ABC News on the future of the papacy and the Roman Catholic church after the resignation of Pope Benedict.

Watch More News Videos at ABC

Benedict and St. Peter: A Post by George E. Demacopoulos

In this post George E. Demacopoulos, author of  The Invention of Peter: Apostolic Discourse and Papal Authority in Late Antiquity, looks at a neglected aspect of Pope Benedict XVI's retirement.

Benedict and St. Peter

Pope Benedict XVI surprised the Christian world  when he announced that he would resign as bishop of Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church.  The move is virtually unprecedented—while several popes in history left office prior to their death, those men were forced from office, almost always against their will.  In some cases, ex-pontiffs became bishops of other cities as a consolation prize.  But Pope Benedict’s decision to retire and yet remain in residence at the Vatican likely opens a Pandora’s box of canonical and theoretical questions concerning the singular grace of authority that is understood to accompany the office of the See of Rome by virtue of its connection St. Peter, “prince of the Apostles.”

Despite the media frenzy that has ensued in the wake of the resignation—not to mention the one that will erupt if the next pontiff is selected from the Global South—there is one significant aspect of the pontiff’s statement that has received nary a media blip, but conveys the core conundrum that advocates of papal singularity now face.  Four times in the very brief statement outlining his decision to resign, Pope Benedict referred to the special relationship between his office and St. Peter the Apostle, whose privileged position in the apostolic community is believed by Roman Catholics to transfer mystically to the bishops of Rome, upon their assumption of the office.

Since the fifth century, the basic argument for papal preeminence has run something like a syllogism:  (1) Jesus Christ appointed the Apostle Peter as the head of the Church; (2) Peter was the first bishop of Rome; therefore (3) subsequent bishops of Rome “inherit” Peter’s ministry and, therefore, his authority.  While most of us are familiar with the claim that the Roman bishop is “Peter’s heir,” many are less familiar with the long history by which the connection between Peter, Rome, and the Roman See came to be.  It is a complicated story full of political intrigue, theological debate, and a great deal of rhetorical invention.  Indeed, if there is any consistent theme in the development of the papal/Peter connection it is that each escalation of the claims of papal preeminence that emerged in the formative period between 350 and600 CE was precipitated by a domestic or international embarrassment for the bishop of Rome.  For most of late antiquity, the iterations of papal authority via Peter always reflected aspirations for ecclesiastical prestige rather than actual authority or respect.

Why Groundhog?

Tomorrow tens of thousands of people are expected attend Punxsutawney, PA's annual Groundhog Day ceremony while millions more watch the event on television and online. With that celebrity status, furry forecaster Punxsutawney Phil doesn't need to worry about human predators as he checks his shadow. But that wasn't the case for his forebears.

In "Consider the Groundhog," a chapter in the forthcoming book, As American as Shoofly Pie: The Foodlore and Fakelore of Pennsylvania Dutch Cuisine, historian and author William Woys Weaver reminds us that the famous marmot was usually seen on a platter before he began to appear on television. Groundhog meat--along with squirrel, rabbit, and other small game--was an economical source of protein for rural families. Weaver says, "Properly dressed, groundhog is indeed an underrated American delicacy, and smoked groundhog is an unsung luxury—I do not exaggerate."

Fortunately for the groundhog, it is more appealing as a mascot than as a main dish. Pennsylvanians have named many institutions after the animal, from the Groundhog Day holiday to the Groundhog or Grundsau Lodges, which preserve the Pennsylvania Dutch language. What gives the unassuming rodent such regional charm? Weaver writes:

The groundhog fits neatly into Pennsylvania Dutch culture because it was a common denizen of the countryside, a ready symbol of farm life, and long associated with weather prognostication, an important point in the days when farmers spent the late winter poring over almanacs.

Now, even though we're more likely to consult the Weather Channel than the Farmer's Almanac, admiration for the groundhog endures.

This Week's New Books: Agriculture, Love, and Archaeology

Food and Agriculture in Ethiopia: Progress and Policy Challenges Edited by Paul Dorosh and Shahidur Rashid 376 pages | 6 x 9 | 104 illus. Cloth 2013 | ISBN 978-0-8122-4529-5 | $59.95 | £39.00 A volume in the International Food Policy Research Institute series In this volume, policy experts provide empirical evidence to shed light on the complexities of agricultural and food policy in today's Ethiopia, highlight major policies and interventions of the past decade, and provide insights into building resilience to natural disasters and food crises.

Empires of Love: Europe, Asia, and the Making of Early Modern Identity Carmen Nocentelli 272 pages | 6 x 9 | 10 illus. Cloth 2013 | ISBN 978-0-8122-4483-0 | $55.00 | £36.00 Drawing on a wide range of Dutch, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish sources, Empires of Love shows how the encounter with Asia shaped the way early modern Europeans came to define their racial and sexual identities. al ventures have formed political associations to promote and defend their interests.

The Archaeology of Phrygian Gordion, Royal City of Midas: Gordion Special Studies 7 Edited by C. Brian Rose 360 pages | 8 1/2 x 11 | 13 color, 230 b/w illus. Cloth 2013 | ISBN 978-1-934536-48-3 | $79.95 | £52.00 A volume in the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology series This volume covers all aspects of Gordion's Phrygian settlement topography from the arrival of the Phrygians in the tenth century B.C. through the arrival of Alexander the Great in 333 B.C., focusing on the site's changing topography and the consistently fluctuating interaction between the inhabitants and the landscape.

Book reviewers: to request a press copy, contact Saunders Robinson. Educators: to request an exam copy for course use consideration, click here.

MLK Day Reading List for 2013

Many Penn Press publications, from the journal Humanity to our book series Politics and Culture in Modern America and Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights, address the issues that Martin Luther King, Jr. championed in his campaigns for social justice. From Civil Rights to Human Rights: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Struggle for Economic Justice, by Thomas F. Jackson, speaks directly to King's fight against poverty. Here are some more recent Penn Press books that also relate to King's legacy and ideals.

Civil Rights Advocacy on Behalf of the Poor
Catherine M. Paden
240 pages | 6 x 9 | 13 illus.
Cloth 2011 | ISBN 978-0-8122-4297-3 | $55.00 | £36.00
Paper Apr 2013 | ISBN 978-0-8122-2267-8 | $26.50 | £17.50
A volume in the American Governance: Politics, Policy, and Public Law series

In Civil Rights Advocacy on Behalf of the Poor, Catherine M. Paden examines five civil rights organizations, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and explores why they chose to represent the poor—specifically, low-income African Americans—during six legislative periods considering welfare reform.

Between North and South: Delaware, Desegregation, and the Myth of American Sectionalism
Brett Gadsden
352 pages | 6 x 9 | 13 illus.
Cloth 2012 | ISBN 978-0-8122-4443-4 | $45.00 | £29.50
A volume in the Politics and Culture in Modern America series

Between North and South chronicles the three-decades-long struggle over segregated schooling in Delaware, a key border state and important site of civil rights activism and white reaction, that despite concerted white opposition to reforms produced one of the most progressive desegregation remedies in the nation.

Race, Riots, and Roller Coasters: The Struggle over Segregated Recreation in America
Victoria W. Wolcott
328 pages | 6 x 9 | 18 illus.
Cloth 2012 | ISBN 978-0-8122-4434-2 | $34.95 | £23.00
A volume in the Politics and Culture in Modern America series

Race, Riots, and Roller Coasters tells the story of the battle for access to leisure space in cities across the United States. This detailed and eloquent history shows how African Americans fought to enter segregated amusement areas not only in pursuit of happiness but in connection to a wider movement for racial equality

Dignity Rights: Courts, Constitutions, and the Worth of the Human Person
Erin Daly. Foreword by Aharon Barak
272 pages | 6 x 9
Cloth 2012 | ISBN 978-0-8122-4440-3 | $69.95 | £45.50
A volume in the Democracy, Citizenship, and Constitutionalism series

With cases from around the world on a wide range of subjects including prison conditions, employment, sexuality, reputation, and death, this ground-breaking book examines how judicial interpretations of dignity redefine what it means to be human in the modern world.

Paul's Pick: a Free Article from Change Over Time

Every month, Paul Chase in the Penn Press Journals department invites our blog readers to download a complimentary article from one of our many scholarly journals.

Paul's pick for November is "Preservation by Adaption: Is it Sustainable?"  by Gregory Donofrio at the University of Minnesota. The article appears in the Fall 2012 issue of Change Over Time. Donofrio writes:

Preservation advocates have recently become fond of saying that ‘‘existing buildings
are the greenest ones of all,’’ an expression that begins to reveal the degree to which the natural environment has overshadowed other aspects of sustainability.

 

Click here to download this free article and learn more about Change Over Time, an international journal of conservation and the built environment.

Check the Penn Press Log in January for Paul's next pick.

Paul's Pick: a Free Article on the Cost of Higher Education from Dissent

Every month, Paul Chase in the Penn Press Journals department invites our blog readers to download a complimentary article from one of our many scholarly journals.

Paul's pick for November is "The Corporatization of Higher Education"  by Nicholaus Mills, professor of American Studies at Sarah Lawrence College. The article appears in the Fall 2012 issue of Dissent. Mills writes:

When our current period of slow economic growth will end is anybody’s guess, but even when it does end, colleges and universities will certainly not be rolling back their prices. These days, it is not just the economic climate in which our colleges and universities find themselves that determines what they charge and how they operate; it is their increasing corporatization.

 

Click here to download this free article and learn more about Dissent, a quarterly publication of politics and culture that ranks among the handful of political journals read most regularly by U.S. intellectuals.

Check the Penn Press Log in December for Paul's next pick.