"A Hungery Savage Look which was Truly Fearful": Samuel Chamberlain's Recollections of the Mexican W
In the mid-nineteenth century, many Americans were eager to acquire the Mexican land of California and New Mexico, enough to provoke a war with Mexico. In 1845 U.S. President James K. Polk sent envoys who offered to buy Mexican territory and stationed federal troops in the border areas. Naval forces patrolled the Gulf coast and American consuls in California stirred up annexation fever. When the presence of those troops brought an anti-American government to power in Mexico in 1846, Polk ordered
A. F. of L. Delegates.
Faced with stiff business opposition, a conservative political climate, hostile courts, and declining membership, leaders of the American Federeration of Labor (AFL) grew increasingly cautious during the 1920s. Labor radicals viewed AFL leaders as overpaid, self-interested functionaries uninterested in organizing unorganized workers into unions. A cartoon by William Gropper published in the Communist Yiddish newspaper Freiheit (and reprinted in English in the New Masses ) caricatures delegates t
Apartheid protest at the South African Consulate, tape 2
Apartheid protesters gather in front of the South African Consulate at 100 Charles River Plaza in Boston. Mel King (political activist), Charles Yancey (Boston City Council) and Willard Johnson (Head, TransAfrica) demand to see Richard Blankstein (honorary consul to South Africa). Police officers bar entry to the building. Johnson announces that the protestors will ask for Blankstein's resignation from his post. He adds that they will ask Blankstein's law firm to sever ties with South Africa. Jo
Bill Owens vs. Royal Bolling, Sr.
Carmen Fields reports that the Ballot Commission must determine whether several dozen signatures included in the nominating papers of Bill Owens (candidate for State Senate) are valid. Fields notes that if the signatures are invalidated, Owens' name will not appear on the primary ballot for the second Suffolk County seat, the only district ever to be held by an African American. Fields interviews Owens about his nomination papers and about the race. Fields' report includes footage of Owens at a
Design and Construction of an Eco-House
This interdisciplinary course is a real-world collaborative multi-year project that connects various departments, courses, and independent study projects on a college campus. Using the client/consultant model, students from several departments and a wide range of environmental backgrounds come together to explore the design of an efficient future student house on campus. Over a couple of years, students research and test building designs, energy for heating and power, natural flows of available
Calibrated Peer Review Help for Instructors
At this website, the Chemistry Learning and Support Studios offers directions for how to use Calibrated Peer Review (CPR). The site links to the CPR homepage (http://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu) for helpful handouts and white paper and FAQ information. They also provide information regarding how to use CPR in the classroom, upcoming CPR workshops, and tips for instructors. Users can also access a Power Point and streaming video overview of CPR.
Digital Durham
For many years scholars have recognized that late nineteenth-century Durham, North Carolina makes an ideal case study for examining emancipation, industrialization, immigration, and urbanization in the context of the New South. "With its tobacco factories, textile mills, black entrepreneurs, and new college," the historian Syd Nathans observes, "Durham was a hub of enterprise and hope." By the early twentieth century, Durham became renowned for its vibrant entrepreneurial spirit. Both W.E.B. Du
11.123 Big Plans (MIT)
This course explores social, technological, political, economic, and cultural implications of "Big Plans" in the urban context. Local and international case studies (such as Boston's Central Artery and Curitiba, Brazil's bus transit system) are used to understand the process of making major changes to the city fabric. The efficacy of top-down and bottom-up planning and the applicability of planning strategies across cultural boundaries are considered.
International Political Economy Debate - Part Two
A Politics and International Studies department debate on IPE with Mark Blyth, Shirin M Rai, Dr Matthew Watson and Dr Jeffrey Chwieroth.
Boston University's Prof Cathie Jo Martin talks to Warwick's Prof Wyn Grant about her research in th
IAS Visiting Fellow Prof Cathie Jo Martin, Professor of Political Science at Boston University and chair of the Council for European Studies talks to the University of Warwick's Professor Wyn Grant about her research and new book which focuses on the origins of coordinated capitalism and the circumstances under which employers are persuaded to endorse social policies, promoting economic productivity and social solidarity.
The Sioux Treaty of 1868
This lesson examines Native American sovereignty and the Constitutional power granted to the president and the Senate to make treaties with foreign nations. The site presents the Treaty and related documents, including a photograph of the Indian leader, Spotted Tail. Explanatory text, materials for teachers, and links to further resources accompany the documents.
Beyond the Genome: the challenge of synthetic biology
The 1970s introduced genetic modification, the 1990s cloning and GM food, and the human genome was sequenced in 2000. Synthetic biology is heralded as the next frontier. But what is synthetic biology and how do we imagine its future directions? What are the implications of this new field for scientists, lawyers, regulators and ethicists? What social and political challenges does it pose and what role will the social sciences, the humanities and the public play in shaping the direction of this ne
Migration North to Alaska
This site offers suggestions for projects that use the Archives' photographs, letters, drawings, and it highlights economic, social, and political factors that prompted thousands to migrate to Alaska.
Anti-Railroad Propaganda Poster: The Growth of Regionalism, 1800-1860
This lesson uses a poster decrying the disruptive influence of railroads on local culture to launch a discussion on local differences and their effect on American politics. Explanatory text, materials for teachers, and links to further resources accompany the documents. This lesson correlates to the National History Standards and the National Standards for Civics and Social Sciences. It also has cross-curricular connections with history, government, and art.
The Credit Crunch and the U.S. Economy
Beginning with the subprime meltdown last summer, U.S. markets and the economy have been thrown into turmoil. Liquidity and default fears have created the worst conditions in financial markets in many years. These adverse developments have spilled over in the "real" economy, raised the specter of recession and worse. Steven Rattner is Managing Principal of Quadrangle Group LLC, a private investment firm with more than $6 billion of assets under management. Quadrangle invests in media and communi
What is Wrong with Secularism of all Sorts? Priority for Democracy
The lecture presents a contextualised criticism of first and second order myths of secularisms and of the conflation of liberal-democratic institutions with secular ones, and argues for the priority of liberal democracy. Veit Bader holds chairs in sociology, and social and political philosophy, both at the Universiteit van Amsterdam.
Secularism and Shared Values
The global revival of religion has raised fundamental questions about its role in politics and its claim that it serves as a principle of identity, indispensable to the continuing survival of communities. This series brings together leading thinkers and scholars to encourage discussion and debate on this crucial contemporary theme. Richard Norman, emeritus professor of moral philosophy, University of Kent.
Economic Agendas in a Global Context: reflections on the role of Korea
The global economy is going through a turbulent time and it is time for a fundamental re-design of the global economic system. In doing this, Korea has a unique set of assets to provide. It is one of the few countries that have transformed itself from one of the poorest to the one of the industrialized in living memory, so it can understand the concerns that span across a huge spectrum of countries. In this lecture, Ha-Joon Chang will discuss how Korea can, and should, contribute to the reform o
Towards a new response to climate change - perspectives from Australia
With its ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in December 2007 and commitment to introduce an emissions trading scheme - the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme - in 2010, the Australian Government has taken the opportunity to approach climate change policy from a fresh perspective. Senator Wong will outline the Government's global and domestic policy approach, with particular emphasis on the key role of market-based mechanisms. Penny Wong was appointed Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Wa
The Politics of Mobility
Sprawl versus dense? Public transport versus private car? This debate will outline how London's transport strategy shapes - and is shaped by - environmental policy, quality of life and political imperatives. Peter Hendy is commissioner of Transport for London.













