An encyclopedia of social media; a unconventional blueprint for international détente; a criminal justice guide to hot-button DNA controversies: These are just some of the prolific topics addressed in books by Columbian College faculty this year. Whether you’re in the mood for a psychological text on human development or a history of the lives and loves of abstractions artists, you’ll discover thought-provoking titles in this scholarly library. The following is a sampling of our recent books.
Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics
In this three-volume set, editor Kerric Harvey, an associate professor of media and public affairs, creates what many consider the most complete reference work ever on social media and politics. The 1,632-page Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics examines how technology has revamped politics in the modern era—from disruptive technologies that are changing American politics to the amazing transformations that social media are rendering in other political systems. The collection contains nearly 600 essays from world-renowned scholars, along with original research studies examining topics ranging from the intricacies of software systems to privacy concerns relating to government surveillance. Harvey has also includes a detailed appendix with previously unavailable material, such as documents tracking and illustrating social media usage by U.S. Senators and Congressmen.
Constructive Illusions: Misperceiving the Origins of International Cooperation
Are the best international agreements actually products of mutual misunderstandings? In Constructive Illusions, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Eric Grynaviski challenges the conventional wisdom that accurate perceptions of the other parties’ interests, beliefs and ideologies promote cooperation in economics, sociology and political science. Instead, he argues that, when nations wrongly believe they share a mutual understanding, international cooperation is actually more likely (and more productive) than if they had a genuine understanding of each other's position. For example, Grynaviski demonstrates how constructive misunderstandings enabled détente between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1970s, leading to more than 150 agreements, high-level summit meetings, and engaged global crisis management.
Intimate Collaborations: Kandinsky and Münter, Arp and Taeuber
In Intimate Collaborations, Assistant Professor of Art History Bibiana K. Obler presents a compelling examination of the work and lives of Expressionist artists and partners Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter, and the Dadaist artists Hans Arp and Sophie Taeuber. This look at the personal relationships of these two influential artist couples shows how everyday life—from mundane concerns to spiritual and intellectual endeavors—informed the development of abstraction. Both couples, similar to the schools of art they represented, strived to transcend the fragmented individualism promoted by capitalism. Through abstraction and by pushing the boundaries between the decorative and fine arts, they negotiated tensions between the philosophical and commercial aspects of their production.
Forensic DNA Methods and Applications
From the development of DNA typing as a criminal justice tool to its most recent technological innovations, Forensic DNA Methods and Applications covers worldwide progress in the use of DNA in forensic science, including applications in bioterrorism, mass disasters and even animal testing in criminal cases. Co-edited by Professor of Forensic Sciences and Anthropology Moses Schanfield, the book addresses a gamut of hot-button topics, such as the use of DNA in immigration and human trafficking cases; international perspectives on DNA databases; recent developments in human forensic molecular biology; and a discussion on law, ethics and policy. Assembling contributions from expert scholars and practitioners around the world, this volume serves as a solid reference guide for both forensic scientists and legal professionals.
Life-Span Human Development
In Life-Span Human Development, Professor of Psychology Carol K. Sigelman and co-author Elizabeth A. Rider (Cengage Learning) present a chronological organization of areas of development, such as physical growth, cognition and personality. They outline developmental patterns of the four-life stages—infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood—to demonstrate the transformations that occur during each. Emphasizing psychological theories and how they apply to specific topics, their book provides clear focus on complex issues, including the interaction of nature and nurture on human development, as well as the impact of cultural and socio-economic influences.
For a complete list of new books, visit our Faculty Books page.