News

Five Minutes with Midori Yamamura

Five Minutes with Midori Yamamura

October 2, 2015

Yayoi Kusama, the most famous Japanese artist to emerge after World War II, rose quickly in the art world exhibiting with superstar artists such as Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg. Though Kusama may not be as well-known as Warhol and Oldenburg, her work has recently gone through a resurgence in scholarly interest along with a series of major exhibitions. Midori Yamamura’s new book Yayoi Kusama: Inventing the Singular strays from the biographical and emphasizes how her work influenced the art world. 

Spotlight on Science: Sanda Dolcos

Spotlight on Science: Sanda Dolcos

October 1, 2015

Can a handshake make or break a business deal? We talk to Sanda Dolcos (University of Illinois) about the science behind body language and brain activity for this month’s Spotlight on Science Q&A. Dolcos’ article, “The Power of a Handshake: Neural Correlates of Evaluative Judgments in Observed Social Interactions,” appeared in the December 2012 issue of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. It has been referenced by Forbes and The Huffington Post and shared by tweeters from all around the world, including Saudi Arabia, Japan, Iceland, and Peru.

Spotlight on Science: Amit Zoran

Spotlight on Science: Amit Zoran

September 3, 2015

We’ve all heard jokes about students taking basket weaving classes, but have you ever wondered how science informs the craft? We talk to Amit Zoran (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) about digital fabrication for our September 2015 Spotlight on Science post. Zoran’s article “Hybrid Basketry: Interweaving Digital Practice within Contemporary Craft” appeared in the August 2013 issue of Leonardo. 

Five Minutes with Sharon Rotbard

Five Minutes with Sharon Rotbard

August 26, 2015

There are many books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but there are few that view it through the lens of architecture. Sharon Rotbard’s White City, Black City looks at the troubled relationship of the “White City”, Tel Aviv, and the “Black City”, Jaffa, and how it has shaped the current situation in the region. Our latest Q & A has Rotbard discussing Tel Aviv’s founding myth, its Bauhaus architecture, and how recognizing Tel Aviv’s rise at the expense of Jaffa can be used to reconcile the conflict.

Rise of the Digital Angels

Rise of the Digital Angels

August 14, 2015

Everyone knows that we are living an increasing amount of our lives online. But who’s performing the digital reckoning, watching the profiles we create and judging us on that basis? Hassan Masum and Mark Tovey have been thinking about that unsettling question – they are the authors of The Reputation Society: How Online Opinions Are Reshaping the Offline World. They sent this beautiful reflection on the algorithms and other “digital angels” who now watch over us.

Jürgen Habermas wins the Kluge Prize

Jürgen Habermas wins the Kluge Prize

August 13, 2015

Jürgen Habermas, one of the world’s most distinguished living philosophers and social critics, has been named co-winner of the John W. Kluge Prize for Achievement in the Study of Humanity.

Meet Jonathan Chu, new editor of The New England Quarterly

Meet Jonathan Chu, new editor of The New England Quarterly

August 8, 2015

We are pleased to welcome Jonathan M. Chu as the new editor of The New England Quarterly. Dr. Chu, Professor of History in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, took NEQ’s helm in July. He tells us about his relationship with NEQ and his vision for the journal in this brief Q&A.