Faculty News

Professor of Philosophy Russell Marcus recently published an essay, "Free Speech and the Philosophy Classroom: The Wrong Question," on the APA blog. In the essay, he argues that free speech rights are inadequate to the task of improving conversations across disagreement in our classrooms and helping students to learn and grow.

Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies Jessica Burke and several Hispanic Studies students recently presented on “Language Study as a Gateway to the Humanities.”

National and regional news organizations regularly interview Hamilton faculty, staff, alumni, and students for their expertise and perspectives on current events, and to feature programs and activities on campus. May’s news topics included coverage of global politics, international student issues, and faculty evaluations, among others.

Assistant Professor of Art History Nadya Bair is one of 15 scholars awarded a 2025-2026 fellowship by the Frankel Institute of Jewish Studies at the University of Michigan.

Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor of Government Kenneth Leonardo was recently accepted into the visiting “Scholars from Overseas” program at Kansai University in Osaka, Japan.

The Loyalty Trap by Associate Professor of Sociology Jaime Kucinskas “explores how civil servants navigated competing pressures and duties amid the chaos of the Trump administration, drawing on in-depth interviews with senior officials in the most contested agencies over the course of a tumultuous first term,” according to the Columbia University Press.

Associate Professor of Asian Studies Abhishek Amar presented a paper titled 'Rethinking Secularity and Governance of Buddhist Monasteries: Insights from the Dasanami Maha of Bodhgaya' at an international research workshop on May 3.

The Society of American Historians has elected Publius Virgilius Rogers Professor of American History Maurice Isserman a member of the society in recognition of the “narrative power and scholarly distinction of [his] historical work.”

Jolene, a well-known song by Dolly Parton, is the subject of Professor of Music Lydia R. Hamessley’s second book focused on the singer, songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman’s music and song-writing. Published in May by Oxford University Press, Jolene was preceded by Unlikely Angel: The Songs of Dolly Parton (2020) that provided a comprehensive look at the process, influences, and themes that shaped Parton’s songwriting.

Alan Cafruny, the Henry Platt Bristol Chair of International Affairs and Professor of Government, recently participated in a panel discussion focused on “polycrisis, global crisis, sanction regimes, and power shifts under Team Trump Two (TTT).”