Looking for some podcast episodes to give a listen to? I’ve got suggestions.
Podcast Recommendations
read more
Academia
Want to Improve Equity and Inclusion in Political Science? Address White Supremacy
Last week, the American Political Science Association released a milquetoast statement on the January 6 white supremacist attack at the U.S. Capitol that got buried in the onslaught of news...
Uncomfortable Conversations at a Distance: Lessons from Teaching the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Daniel J. Levine is Aaron Aronov Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Alabama, where he divides his time between the Departments of Political Science and Religious...
On Inconvenient Findings
This post was written by Marie Berry and Milli Lake, co-founders and principal investigators of the Women’s Rights After War Project. Dr. Berry is Associate Professor at the Josef Korbel School of...
More Academia Posts
A Friendly Amendment to a Useful Conversation: Lets Make the World a Better Place
This is a guest post by Christian Davenport, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Will Moore was a close friend of, and collaborator with, Professor Davenport. There have several themes emerging out of the loss of our dear colleague that have emerged: how wonderful Will H. Moore (hereafter Will) was as a colleague, teacher and friend as well as a detailed and long-overdue discussion about mental health/care in the profession as well as individual cases. I do not want to detract from that conversation but I do wish to suggest two things. First, just...
A Perspective on Engaging Scholars with Autism
The following is a guest post by Rachel Harmon, a PhD student in Political Science at Emory University. Recent events have prompted necessary discussions about mental health in academia, but a topic that remains underdiscussed are the challenges faced by individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As an adult diagnosed with ASD and current PhD student, I have personally experienced how ASD can be a strength or a struggle, conditional on the surrounding environment. ASD is a spectrum and effects each person differently, but for me, being autistic shapes every moment of every day of my...
Building Safe Space for Depression in Academia
The following is a guest post by Emily Hencken Ritter, Assistant Professor at the University of California, Merced. Like so many, my heart and mind aches for the loss Will Moore’s death represents to humanity. He was as much a mentor to me in grad school and my career as if he had been on my dissertation committee. He supported me, critiqued my work, told me to be bold, and showed me I could be myself. Perhaps the most special thing he gave me was an example for generating bigger conversations. I attended conference after conference that he hosted not to present papers in panels but to get...
For Will: Some Reflections on Sorrow
The following is a guest post by Jana von Stein, Senior Lecturer of Political Science and International Relations at Victoria University of Wellington. Will Moore’s suicide carries with it a special sorrow that I can’t yet even wrap my head (or heart) around. I met Will when I was on the job market in 2005, but it wasn’t until 2008 that we became close. My comradery with him did not revolve chiefly around academics, although he was a tremendous mentor to me. Instead, it revolved around tragedy. “Somewhere, my son’s brain is in a jar in a medical researcher’s office,” Will bellowed to a...
Researcher Trauma and Our Discipline
The following is a guest post by Cyanne Loyle, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Indiana University. With the devastating passing of Will Moore, many of us in Conflict Studies have begun to discuss the impact of our work on our mental health. Talking is important. So is seeking help when needed. But there is more that we can be and should be doing. In January, I wrote a piece on research-related trauma and conflict studies. Will helped with this article. He thought it was high time that the field and the discipline had a serious discussion of mental illness. In this article,...
Will Moore: A Student’s Perspective
This is a guest post by Joseph K. Young, Associate Professor, School of Public Affairs and School of International Service, American University. The one piece of advice that my dad, an academic, gave me when I was applying to PhD programs was simple: choose based on who you will work with. With this in mind, I screened potential advisors like I was a TSA agent. I interviewed them. I asked them about their future plans, how old their kids were (thinking anyone with teenagers wouldn’t move while I was still working on my PhD), how they trained their students, and most importantly where their...
Will Moore: A Fierce Friend
Will Moore decided to punch out, as he put it. He left behind devastated friends, co-authors and students as well as family. I have been trying to put into words how I feel today. Will was upstaged by his suit I have known Will since I was a visiting assistant professor long ago. He and I were part of several workshops aimed at producing an edited volume--the finest one of my career. His feedback on my work then and his intense desire to produce excellent work were both very helpful as I was just getting going. Since then, we would chat at most conferences, and recently we started a...
Let’s talk about mental health
.@APSAtweets @MPSAnet @isanet We are losing colleagues to depressive disorders, & many others suffer silently. The pressure in our profession is insane & often unhealthy. — Laura Seay (@texasinafrica) April 19, 2017 Take care of yourselves political scientists. Hug a loved one. Phone a friend. Get outside. Get help if needed. — Josh Busby (@busbyj2) April 19, 2017 RIP Brother Will (Moore)! It's said that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Sometimes we are lucky enough to stand next to them. Peace — christian davenport (@engagedscholar) April 19, 2017 There have been some high...