Review: IBAAS Joint Conference
If social media is anything to go by, ‘IBAAS’ the joint conference between the Irish and British Associations for American Studies was ushered in with much excitement. Twitter was inundated with #IBAAS16 updates of those making their way to Belfast. The typically erratic Northern Irish weather may have surprised some but it did little to dampen spirits. Over three days almost one hundred panels treated attendees to papers from an international cohort of academics, demonstrating the breadth and scope of American Studies. Despite, or perhaps because of, the variety of interests, the conference generated a significant amount of cross-panel discussion and thought.
Continue Reading60 Seconds With Brian Ward
Earlier this month we invited you to spend 60 seconds with the new members of the U.S. Studies Online editorial team. Now the new members of the BAAS Executive Committee have kindly let us learn more about their lives, their interests, desert island books, and memorable moments…
Continue ReadingThe Campaign of Miracles?
The week was undoubtedly marked by events of the Republican party. Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump were both victorious in Indiana, with 53% of the votes for each. Most of the attention of the columnists and commentators however, was directed to the GOP due to Ted Cruz and John Kasich announcing that they were pulling out of the race.
Continue Reading60 Seconds With Todd Carter
This month we’re taking time out of our usual publishing schedule to invite you to spend 60 seconds with the new members of the U.S. Studies Online editorial team and BAAS Executive Committee. Our first interviews will be with the new Co-Editors and Assistant Editors of USSO.
Continue Reading60 Seconds With Jade Tullett
This month we’re taking time out of our usual publishing schedule to invite you to spend 60 seconds with the new members of the U.S. Studies Online editorial team and BAAS Executive Committee. Our first interviews will be with the new Co-Editors and Assistant Editors of USSO.
Continue ReadingThere’s No Place like Home: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Conquered New York
19 April marked one of the most important events of the 2016 primary elections: the vote in New York State. The results did not dispute the previous day’s polls: Republican Donald Trump won by getting 60.5% of the votes (89 delegates), John Kasich received 25% of the votes (3 delegates), Ted Cruz, 14.5% and no delegates. For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton got 57.9% (139 delegates) and Bernie Sanders 42.1% (106 delegates).
Continue ReadingChampions of Compassion: The American Council of Voluntary Agencies for Foreign Service and Cold War-Era U.S. Foreign Policy
In the context of the Cold War, writes Joshua Mather, policymakers proved eager to enlist voluntary agencies (and their supporters) in initiatives that enhanced the United States’ image abroad and showcased the altruism nurtured by a democratic, capitalist society. Fully aware of the global struggle for hearts and minds, American Council of Voluntary Agencies for Foreign Service, Inc. leaders touted state-private humanitarianism’s value for U.S. foreign policy. By portraying Americans as deeply attuned to the needs of ordinary foreigners, and voluntary agencies as the collective embodiment of this concern, ACVAFS hoped to score a public diplomacy victory for the United States.
Continue ReadingReview, ‘An American Toy Story’
Officially launched on 19 March, the museum’s latest exhibition is, ‘An American Toy Story’. From Mickey Mouse to James Bond, the exhibition showcases vintage toys and memorabilia from an eclectic range of films. As explained by Chief Curator Kate Hebert, the exhibition celebrates toys whilst embracing the sense of nostalgia that one feels when recognising a beloved childhood relic.
Continue ReadingStorify of our #Bookhour on ON SUCH A FULL SEA by Chang-rae Lee
On Tuesday 5th April, Dr Andrew Tate, Dr David Bell, Dr Louise Squire and #bookhour organiser Dr Diletta De Cristofaro discussed Chang-rae Lee’s On Such a Full Sea. The chat focussed on the defamiliarisation produced by the first-person-plural narration, on how the novel negotiates between the collective and the individual, on acts of resistance as well as the notions of utopia and hope within the text, on the narrative’s extrapolation from present circumstances and on what this extrapolation may suggest in terms of current ecological issues. Catch up on the chat in the storify here.
Continue Reading“An exceptional opportunity”: Rachael Alexander on the role of BAAS Postgraduate Representative
Rachael Alexander, BAAS Postgraduate Representative 2014-2016, reflects on the role of the BAAS postgraduate rep, her achievements in the role, and the benefits of the post. “Looking back, I felt incredibly under-qualified when I took up the post; being prone, as so many of us are, to “impostor syndrome”. The position has proven an exceptional opportunity, in terms of both personal and professional development. Perhaps one of the best aspects of the role is that you can really make it your own; interact with the community, identify a core issue, and work to improve it.”
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