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Religious Studies Professor Heidi Ravven is the author of an article, "Further Thoughts on Hegel and Feminism," that was published in a special volume (volume 33, Number 2, Spring/Summer 2002) of the Owl of Minerva: Journal of the Hegel Society of America devoted to "Feminism and Hegel's Antigone Revisited."

Religious Studies Professor Heidi Ravven delivered a paper at the Platonism, Neoplatonism, and Literature conference at the University of Maine, in June. Her paper was titled Stoic and Neo/Platonic Resonances in Spinoza's Preliminary Formulation of Ethics. The conference was sponsored by the International Society for Neoplatonic studies and the National Poetry Foundation.

Four Hamilton College students are spending the summer in Professor of Biology Ginnie Garrett's laboratory. Joan Booth ’04, Elizabeth Ransom ’04, Heng Ming Chan ’05, and Ernest DiGiovanni ’05 are doing summer science research with Garrett. Booth is working with Garrett on a survey of ethics in undergraduate science curriculum, while Ransom, Chan and DiGiovanni are studying cloning genes and growing them in media of varying nitrogen levels.

The nine members of the class of 2006 applied to the program after receiving a newsletter from the college. Applicants submitted recommendations and a letter explaining why the experience would benefit them and how they were qualified for the opportunity. The summer science research program runs 10 weeks and will conclude in the final week of July.

Associate Professor of Government Stephen Orvis published "Moral Ethnicity and Political Tribalism in Kenya's 'Virtual Democracy'" in African Issues. In his article, Orvis focuses on the close relationship between politics and ethnicity that is so prevalent in Kenya.  As he follows the political history of the nation, Orvis discovers the ways in which the Kenyan political scene is changing.    When the one-party system was abolished in the early nineties it created a “double-edged sword,” where political tribalism was able to flourish, and where public debates and democratic principles began to take root.  Orvis demonstrates that while it is easy to see the negativity and violence associated with tribalism, we must look more closely in order to uncover the beginnings of a more accountable, democratic Kenyan government. 

Hamilton College is housing a new research consortium for undergraduate chemistry students, reports MSNBC.com. Led by Hamilton Professor of Chemistry George Shields, the Molecular Education and Research Consortium in Undergraduate Conceptual Chemistry, or MERCURY, program enables undergraduates from Hamilton and six other liberal arts institutions access to a SGI Origin 300 for chemistry research.

Professor of Government and China expert Cheng Li comments on how Jiang Zemin will be remembered. Zemin will retire from politics later this year and hopes to leave his mark on history. Li said, “Mao was a God, Deng Xiaoping was a strong man, Jiang Zemin is a person who’s good at consensus building.”

Professor of Government Cheng Li is quoted in an article about China’s leaders and the role of Tsinghua University. “It will certainly continue to play a role in the new leadership,” Li said. He adds, “It will not be a vicious power struggle as in the past.” Hinting to a Tsinghua connection among the new political leaders. Common school ties may provide links between politicians who are divided for other reasons.

Woodrow Wilson Fellow and Hamilton Government Professor Cheng Li was quoted in a Reuters article discussing the anticipated change in China's leadership. It is expected that Communist party chief Jiang Zemin and several other leaders will retire from their party jobs in September or October and from their government jobs at a party meeting next year. Li commented, "It seems highly likely that post-Jiang leaders, because of institutional restraints and their own limitations, will rely on power sharing negotiations and consultation more than their predecessors."

Men’s basketball coach Tom Murphy is holding his annual “All-Sport Day Camp,” July 8-12 and July 15-19. Coach Murphy started the camp for boys and girls entering grades 1-7 more than 10 years ago. There are 50 kids participating in the second week, while, nearly 40 youngsters attended the first session.