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protesters holding up phones as flashlights

Continued Resistance: A Q&A with Professor Madeline Hsu about Hong Kong

January 14, 2020 by Tori Miller

When the Chinese government took back Hong Kong after more than 150 years of British rule in 1997, it was a significant point of pride. For China, it marked the ending of an era of imperialism and foreign aggression; but for the people of Hong Kong, it was just the beginning of their fight to […]

blue sky filled with stars and one bright northern star with nativity scene silhouette beneath

Only When it is Dark Enough, Can You See the Stars

December 23, 2019 by Thomas G. Palaima

In Christian thought and practice, Christmas is about an innocent baby born into poverty in a livestock manger. He is also identified as the prince of peace and is revered as the son of God by wise men from fabled eastern cultures that had created and practiced their forms of high civilization for several thousands […]

Christine Williams with bookshelves in background.

Solving Problems with Sociology: Q&A with ASA President Christine Williams

November 27, 2019 by Tori Miller

Sociology is an academic discipline devoted to documenting and analyzing social oppression.  This primary focus, Christine Williams says, is what drew her to the field.  Williams, a professor of sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, is an extremely prolific sociologist, especially in regard to her work on gender discrimination and sexual harassment in […]

Mark Atwood Lawrence teaching in class, photo by Jay Godwin

New LBJ Library Director to Show LBJ History Through Modern Lens

November 21, 2019 by Tori Miller

History professor Mark Lawrence’s favorite story about former President Lynden B. Johnson took place right here on The University of Texas at Austin campus and changed the university’s social climate just as his presidency shifted the entire nation’s. One evening, LBJ decided on a whim that he wanted to attend a party held at the […]

A lidar-derived model of the Birds of Paradise ancient Maya wetland field system and parts of the nearby Maya sites of Gran Cacao (bottom-left) and Akab Muclil (top-left) in Northwestern Belize.

Ancient Alteration

November 19, 2019 by Rachel White

Evidence showed that the Maya faced environmental pressures and responded to by converting forests to wetland field complexes and digging canals to manage water quality and quantity.

Illustration of two women, one with a lock symbol near her brain, and the other with an unlock symbol

Attitude Adjustment

November 19, 2019 by Rachel White

Boosting academic success does not have to derive from new teachers or curriculum; it can also come from changing students’ attitudes about their abilities, according to the latest findings from the National Study of Learning Mindsets published in Nature. The experimental study involved more than 12,000 ninth graders from 65 public high schools across the […]

A man sitting with his hands folded.

A Matter of Life and Death

November 19, 2019 by Rachel White

In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in August, sociologists Mark Hayward of UT Austin and Isaac Sasson of Tel Aviv University examined the intersection of education, cause of death and life expectancy across gender and race. Overall, life expectancy declined by an average of two months from 2010 to […]

Portrait of Brian P. Levack.

History Not on Repeat

November 18, 2019 by Alex Reshanov

Brian P. Levack Photography by Brian Birzer  Education: B.A. History ’65, Fordham University; and Ph.D. History ’70, Yale University  Hometown: New York, New York  Brian P. Levack is the John E. Green Regents Professor Emeritus in History at UT Austin, where he has taught for nearly 50 years while earning distinguished teaching awards. During his […]

Itzik Gottesman sitting at desk.

Yiddish on the Rise

November 18, 2019 by Tori Miller

The Yiddish language is deeply rooted in Jewish culture, typically passed down from generation to generation. Though not currently one of the most studied languages, scholars say that Yiddish is breathing new life and may even be on the rise. “The number of Yiddish speakers is already increasing. Everyone thinks of it as a dying […]

Illustration of a primate in a tree with different animals and objects in its roots

The Protection of Being Known

November 15, 2019 by Rachel White

Anthropology Ph.D. candidate Allison McNamara studies lesser known primate species that face risks of extinction.

Colorado Town

Dreams of El Dorado

October 21, 2019 by Tori Miller

The rapid growth of America came as a shock to some, as it was the only country whose expansion occurred with such little government supervision.  In Dreams of El Dorado, author H.W. Brands recounts the rich history of the American West. Beginning with the purchase of the Louisiana territory, which propelled future Western expansion of […]

Book cover of Mansfield Park.

Affording Jane Austen

October 7, 2019 by Tori Miller

In The Lost Books of Jane Austen, Janine Barchas explores the burgeoning popularity of Jane Austen’s novels beginning in the nineteenth-century. Through photographs and unique historical perspectives, Barchas shares some of the earliest and cheapest reprints of Austen’s work that brought the author recognition in the working-class, leading to the reputation she has today. Learn […]

Man casting his vote in blue box located on folding chair with sheer lavender curtains as background.

Why the most popular candidate in a close election will probably lose

September 19, 2019 by Rachel White

The Presidential elections of 2000 and 2016 were controversial, in part, because it seemed like the wrong person won. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore by 5 electoral votes after losing the popular vote by about 540,000. And in 2016, Republican Donald Trump garnered 27 more electoral votes than Democrat Hillary […]

The Student Union Building at the UT Austin Campus with the Tower in background.

New Faculty 2019-2020

August 27, 2019 by Tori Miller

This academic year, the College of Liberal Arts welcomes 17 new faculty members to the 40 acres. Read more information on each of them below: Alagraa BedourAssistant Professor, African & African Diaspora StudiesAlagraa Bedour completed her Ph.D. in Africana Studies and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto and a master’s in […]

Camp Alba students

Camp Alba

August 5, 2019 by Tori Miller

After spending three days on the University of Texas at Austin campus, sixth graders from Martin Middle School left with a greater sense of connection to their communities and their first single track, produced by hip-hop artist and activist Olmeca.  Latino Studies at UT Austin invited a group of the school’s incoming sixth-graders to participate […]

Megan Abrameit in white jacket.

Fighting for Change: A Q&A with the 2019 Randy Diehl Prize Recipient

July 11, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

Megan Abrameit, a psychology and humanities double major from Tyler, Texas, has received the 2019 Randy Diehl Prize in Liberal Arts. Now in its fourth year, the $17,000 award was established by donors to support a graduating liberal arts senior who is committing the year after graduation to service for the greater good, be that […]

illustration of brain in pink, red and blue.

Grading Brain Health: How Educational Experiences Impact Cognitive Functioning Later in Life

May 13, 2019 by Rachel White

High school experiences follow you long after you’ve graduated, shaping your professional success and even your health. Now, researchers are investigating how it could contribute to your future brain health and maybe even impact your likelihood of getting Alzheimer’s Disease. University of Texas at Austin sociologist Chandra Muller researches how educational experiences shape life course […]

Rep. Lance Gooden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Professor Sean Theriault during Gooden's swearing-in ceremony with three American flags and wooden panel walls as background.

From UT to DC

May 2, 2019 by Tori Miller

Lance Gooden exemplified what it means to be a University of Texas at Austin graduate as he stepped into the role of United States Representative earlier this year. Before being elected to serve in Congress, Gooden held a position in the Texas House of Representatives for District 4. After winning the general election in November […]

Dean Randy Diehl gestures at the poster of Tomaia Pamplin during the event.

Student Projects Shine During Dean’s Research Reception

April 19, 2019 by Emily Nielsen

On April 18, a group of hand-picked liberal arts students who have conducted exceptional research projects presented their posters at the Dean’s Research Reception. College faculty and staff, administrators and Dean Randy Diehl all gathered to learn about the outstanding work liberal arts students have conducted. The annual event is a part of UT Austin’s […]

Air Force ROTC Detachment 825 team of the year.

Team of the Year

April 8, 2019 by Tori Miller

Out of 145 Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) detachments across the country, Detachment 825 of the University of Texas at Austin was named the Team of the Year. In making their selection, the national headquarters for Air Force ROTC considers each detachment’s accomplishments. “They make their determination on overall mission impact, the uniqueness […]

in 'Mars' spacesuit

A Week on Mars

February 1, 2019 by Tori Miller

For most, going to Mars is merely a childhood dream, but for Sukjin Han, that dream became a reality — all while never leaving Earth. The Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) is a project that is operated by the University of Hawaii and funded by NASA. The project hosts a select group of […]

Dean Ann Huff Stevens sitting at a table.

Meet Ann Huff Stevens: Our Next College of Liberal Arts Dean

January 30, 2019 by David Ochsner

Ann Huff Stevens will begin as dean of the College of Liberal Arts on July 15, 2019. Stevens comes from the University of California, Davis, and is a Texas native with roots in Corpus Christi. She is a professor of economics who has served in a variety of leadership roles, including chair of the Department […]

man in the dark illuminated by computer light

Trolling the U.S.: Q&A on Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election

January 9, 2019 by Rachel White

It’s been more than two years since the 2016 presidential election, and the United States is still piecing together Russia’s propaganda-filled interference in U.S. political conversations on social media. According to a February 2018 poll by The University of Texas at Austin and The Texas Tribune, 40 percent of Texans believe Russian interference played a […]

red fireworks in a dark sky

New Year, Same You: Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail

December 12, 2018 by Rachel White

After we’ve spent all our money on gifts and stuffed ourselves to the brim with endless holiday treats, it’s no wonder many of us see the new year as an opportunity to become a little less broke and little more fit. But come next December, most of us will find ourselves back in the same […]

Jorge Canizares-Esguerra

The Best Teachers are the Best Researchers: A Q&A with Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra

October 30, 2018 by Tori Miller

For the recognition of his work in mentoring graduate students, University of Texas at Austin history professor Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra has been presented with The Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award. This award commemorates educators that train, teach, and inspire students in a deeply meaningful and impactful way. Cañizares-Esguerra is the first to receive this award at […]

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