Edited by Karolyn Kinane, professor of medieval and early modern literature, and Michael A. Ryan
The idea of the complete annihilation of all life is a powerful and culturally universal concept. As human societies around the globe have produced creation myths, so
too have they created narratives concerning the apocalyptic destruction of their worlds. This book explores the idea of the apocalypse and its reception within culture and society, bringing together 17 essays that explore both the influence and innovation of apocalyptic ideas from classical Greek and Roman writings to the foreign policies of today’s United States.
“A lot of the teaching and research I do explores how the medieval past is represented in contemporary popular culture,” says Kinane. “This project shifted that focus to consider how popular cultures treat a future event, the end of the world. By studying Armageddon in a variety of historical and cultural contexts, including the puritan migration, Nazi Germany, and zombie movies, I’ve learned just how potently anxieties and hopes for the future shape present behavior. The collaborative, interdisciplinary nature of this volume allows readers to discover multiple connections and conclusions about religion, politics, and art from its pages.”
Manuel Márquez-Sterling, professor emeritus of history
In his latest book, inspired by a collection of thousands of letters from his father, Márquez-Sterling revisits the last days of the Cuban Republic. Márquez-Sterling was a witness to history in the seven critical years from 1952 to 1959 when the struggle for Cuba was not just between Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro, but also his father, Carlos Márquez-Sterling, who advocated for a peaceful, democratic resolution.
On November 3, 1958, elections were held for Cuba’s president. Among the candidates was Márquez-Sterling’s father, Carlos Márquez-Sterling. While his father won the presidential election easily, there was rampant electoral fraud. Six weeks after the election, Batista fled Cuba, Castro’s revolution took over the country, and, as Márquez-Sterling notes, “the spirit of Cuba was crushed.”
Márquez-Sterling’s book dispells many myths about Cuba and shows that it was a progressive country with a prosperous future, positioned to become a First World country, with a large middle class, a fine educational system open to all classes, and high standards of living. According to Márquez-Sterling, his book is “a cautionary tale—no country is exempt from a collapse like this.”
Edited by Barbara Lopez-Mayhew, chair of the Department of Languages and Linguistics and professor of Spanish
“My book Valor, agravio y mujer (Valor, offence and woman) is an annotated and modernized edition of a seventeenth-century play written by Ana Caro Mallén de Soto,” explains Lopez-Mayhew. “The female protagonist of the play, Leonor, is courted under the pretense of marriage and then later abandoned by don Juan de Córdoba. She leaves her native Spain to follow her suitor to Flanders to avenge her dishonor. Once she arrives in Brussels, she disguises herself as a man, Leonardo, as part of her plan to recover her honor and force don Juan into a promised marriage or to kill him.
“Ana Caro was a contemporary of famous Spanish Golden Age authors Félix Lope de Vega and Miguel de Cervantes (author of Don Quixote) and her play is now considered a literary masterpiece, although it had been marginalized for centuries because it had been written by a woman.”
An art class that provides teaching moments—and fun—for all
by Barbra Alan
John Anderson photo.
It’s 3:30 p.m., and Jennifer Bradbury ’05, assisted by art education majors Julie Nichols and Betsy Brooker, is buzzing around D&M 311, taking stock of the classroom before her students arrive. Paints? Check. Brushes? Check. Juice and snacks? Check.
If you guessed that this isn’t for college students, you’re right. It’s for the 20 local grade schoolers who are starting to file in, all eager to snack, socialize, and pick up where last week’s class left off. Read More
Duncan McDougall
Duncan McDougall’s career has been a blend of real-world business experience and teaching. Since 1976, he has taught a variety of undergraduate and MBA business courses at PSU, directed the University’s nationally recognized Small Business Institute, and served as chair of the business department. An Amherst graduate who earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in business administration from Harvard Business School, McDougall has also taught business courses at Boston University and held several managerial positions, most recently serving as president of Rochester Shoe Tree Company in Ashland, NH.
McDougall’s experience and expertise in business education made him an ideal candidate for a competitive Fulbright-funded teaching position at Babeş-Bolyai University [BBU] in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, one of the largest, most reputable, and dynamic higher education institutions in Romania and a university with which PSU has enjoyed a student and faculty exchange partnership since 2004.
In March 2008, McDougall learned of his Fulbright award and six months later found himself embarking on the adventure of a lifetime—living and teaching in Romania. Plymouth Magazine recently spoke with McDougall about his Fulbright year. Read More
North Country Teacher Certification Program alumni reflect on the joys and challenges of their first year of teaching.
Joe Long, Alumni Relations Director. Mark Bogacz photo
Plymouth State University offers a number of ways for you to keep in touch with your alma mater and share your news with the PSU alumni community. Join our Facebook group, Plymouth State University – Alumni. Network through our PSU group on LinkedIn. Receive PSU alumni relations tweets, and check out alumni blogs. Share information and photos of your important life events—from marriages, births, career moves, awards, and more—by e-mailing us.
Now that you know how to keep in touch with PSU, here’s how we’re keeping in touch with you Read More
