The company we keep
Observing how various words for “friend” originate and develop is a rather curious enterprise.
May 2023
Privacy and the LGBT+ experience: the Victorian past and digital future [podcast]
Scholars continue to explore the role of sexuality in private lives—from the retrospective discovery of transgendered people in historical archives to present questions of identity and representation in social media—with the understanding that those who identify as LGBTQ+ have always existed and have fought tirelessly to advance their rights.
Multicultural evangelicalism: what is it and why should anyone care?
One of the many tragedies of the religious currents swirling around the capitol insurrection and the amplification of white Christian nationalist discourse in American politics and public life is the cementing of evangelicalism with whiteness and Trumpism in the minds of many Americans.
On specters and spectacle: tales of two Eurovisions, Liverpool-Ukraine 2023
Phantoms from the past, ghosts of the present, specters of the future, all gathered on 13 May to haunt the Eurovision Song Contest, cohosted in 2023 by the United Kingdom in Liverpool and by Ukraine in the spectral spaces of a Europe divided by war, but singing in concert under the banner, “United by Music.”
The asexual awakening: Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
What is a woman? This is the central question that Kawakami’s novel, “Breasts and Eggs”, addresses from every angle. The main character, Natsuko, is preoccupied with her body and the gendered and sexed bodies of those around her.
More short words, or negation of the negation
All over the Indo-European map, the main word of negation begins with “n”. What is in this sound that invites denial, refutation, or repulsion?
Black Methodists, white church
Paul William Harris explores how different the experience of Black Methodists was in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and what the trade-offs were in seeking the support of white allies.
Advancing the open access movement in Japan
Read and Publish agreements have become an important mechanism for providing institutions with a simple, flexible, and inclusive way of managing access to subscription and hybrid journals, whilst supporting their faculty to publish with open access licenses. These agreements play an increasingly important role in OUP’s program for advancing high-quality open access publications, and bring many benefits and opportunities for researchers.
Bringing museum collections to life
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has declared a focus for 2023 on sustainability, well-being, and community.
On cowards and custard from a strictly linguistic point of view
The Oxford Etymologist dives into the history and meaning of the word “coward” – and what does cowardice have to do with custard?
Rethinking the future of work: an interview with Adrienne J. Colella and Eden B. King
An interview with organizational psychologists Adrienne J. Colella and Eden B. King, discussing trends in the workplace and how organizations can prepare/adapt to the future of work, enabling employees to flourish and do their best work. This particular interview covers workplace discrimination, employee wellbeing, flexible working and more.
American evangelism and complementarianism: authority and abuse
Jennifer McKinney shows how the complementarianism in churches such as Mars Hill Church, Grace Community Church, and the Southern Baptist Convention leads to abuse.
An inflation-proof methodology to measuring policy effects on poverty
Europe’s soaring inflation and energy prices highlight the need to measure poverty and policy responses in non-monetary ways.
Etymology gleanings for April 2023
Always, let me thank our correspondents for consulting the blog, asking questions, and offering words of encouragement.
How well do you know your twentieth-century literature? [Quiz]
Try this short quiz to test your knowledge and learn more about famous twentieth-century texts!
What does a technical writer do?
When people think about careers in writing, they may focus on writing novels or films, poetry or non-fiction. But for steady work, there is nothing like technical writing.