georgetownuniversitypress - Tumblr blog

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Understanding Russian Aggression Against Ukraine

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, it is important to understand the historical context of the present moment and what we might expect from Russia given its understanding of war. To that end, we've compiled this list of books aimed at providing greater understanding and promoting informed discussion as the international community continues to support Ukraine and as we adjust to the profound changes that will arise as a result of Russian aggression.

The Russian Understanding of War Blurring the Lines between War and Peace Oscar Jonsson

Russian Cyber Operations Coding the Boundaries of Conflict Scott Jasper

Soviet Leaders and Intelligence Assessing the American Adversary during the Cold War Raymond L. Garthoff

Russia Abroad Driving Regional Fracture in Post-Communist Eurasia and Beyond Anna Ohanyan, Editor

Russia, BRICS, and the Disruption of Global Order Rachel S. Salzman

NATO's Return to Europe Engaging Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond Rebecca R. Moore and Damon Coletta, Editors

Strategic Challenges in the Baltic Sea Region Russia, Deterrence, and Reassurance Ann-Sofie Dahl, Editor

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Shop our 2021 holiday sale

A book is a wonderful gift to receive from someone who really knows us (plus, they're easy to wrap!). We've compiled this handy list of recent titles for you to peruse as you search for the perfect gifts for your loved ones this holiday season. Use code THOL to save 40% when you purchase these books through our website, now through January 1.

The Nazi Spy Ring in America Hitler's Agents, the FBI, and the Case That Stirred the Nation Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones

After the End of History Conversations with Francis Fukuyama Edited by Mathilde Fasting

Spy Sites of Washington, DC A Guide to the Capital Region's Secret History H. Keith Melton and Robert Wallace

Spy Sites of New York City A Guide to the Region's Secret History H. Keith Melton and Robert Wallace

Spy Sites of Philadelphia A Guide to the Region's Secret History H. Keith Melton & Robert Wallace

Between Freedom and Equality The History of an African American Family in Washington, DC Barbara Boyle Torrey and Clara Myrick Green

George Washington's Final Battle The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and a Nation Robert Watson

To Catch a Spy The Art of Counterintelligence James Olson

A Georgetown Life The Reminiscences of Britannia Wellington Peter Kennon of Tudor Place Edited by Grant Quertermous

Remember This The Lesson of Jan Karski Clark Young and Derek Goldman

DC Jazz Stories of Jazz Music in Washington, DC Edited by Maurice Jackson and Blair A. Ruble

The Capital of Basketball A History of DC Area High School Hoops John McNamara

[georgetownuniversitypress]

10 Books that Define Georgetown University Press

Continuing our celebration of University Press Week 2021, we've compiled this handy list of ten books that define Georgetown University Press publishing. Read on to find your next read on topics such as the history of racial injustice in the United States, managing one's social presence at work and at home, and Arabic language learning.

Between Freedom and Equality: The History of an African American Family in Washington, DC by Barbara Boyle Torrey and Clara Myrick Green

Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski by Clark Young and Derek Goldman

Black Georgetown Remembered: A History of Its Black Community from the Founding of "The Town of George" in 1751 to the Present Day, 30th Anniversary Edition Kathleen Menzie Lesko, Valerie M. Babb, and Carroll R. Gibbs

Al-Kitaab Arabic Language Program Kristen Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal, and Abbas Al-Tonsi

Vice of Luxury: Economic Excess in a Consumer Age David Cloutier

Voices of the Border: Testimonios of Migration, Deportation, and Asylum Tobin Hansen and María Engracia Robles Robles, ME, Editors

Spy Sites of Washington, DC: A Guide to the Capital Region's Secret History Robert Wallace and H. Keith Melton

The National Security Enterprise: Navigating the Labyrinth Roger Z. George and Harvey Rishikof

Being Present: Commanding Attention at Work (and at Home) by Managing Your Social Presence Jeanine Turner

Facing Georgetown's History: A Reader on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation Adam Rothman and Elsa Barraza Mendoza

From across the AUP community:

Top Ten Books from Temple University Press

10 Books, 10 Years from the University Press of Florida

Books and Journals from University of Chicago Press This Past Decade

Ten books from the University of Alberta Press over the past decade

University Press Week 2021 Blog Tour : A #KeepUp Top Ten List from Johns Hopkins University Press

Books that Represent UBC Press

Celebrating University Press Week from Harvard University Press

#KeepUP from Fordham University Press

Ten Publications that Best Represent University of Washington Press

#KeepUp with Wilfrid Laurier University Press

Best of the Decade from University of Illinois Press

Ten Books for Ten Years from University Press of Mississippi

Ten Books, Ten Years from University of Toronto Press

Top Ten Titles from the Past Ten Years from University of Manitoba Press

Ten Publications that Best Represent the University Press of Kentucky

A Decade of Influential Texts from Duke University Press

University Presses, as told by Harry Potter from Catholic University of America Press

[georgetownuniversitypress]

UP Week 2021: Why University Presses Matter According to Georgetown University Press Authors

Every year on University Press Week we here at Georgetown University Press think it's important to reflect on our mission and what we are contributing to the essential conversations that move society forward. This year we decided to query some of our authors as well. Read on for insight into the importance of university presses from those who have been through the UP publishing process.

"University presses ensure that new knowledge sees the light of day. A rigorous process of selection, review, editing, and publication is essential to create scholarship of lasting value. This is the public service that university presses provide." Adam Rothman, coeditor of Facing Georgetown's History

"University presses are the unsung heroes of book publishing. They’re the publishers who are willing to take risks and publish books that may be controversial, or that may have topics that mainstream presses ignore. They’re the ones who spark the conversations that we need to be having about society." Chris Roush, author of The Future of Business Journalism

"There has never been a greater need for the university press as we are faced with complex, interdisciplinary problems that require reflection and synthesis of what we know and how to apply it. The world of self-publishing through blogs, books, magazines, and other avenues of content has provided access to a diverse collection of voices that we have not had access to before. However, the guidance, feedback, review and reflection processes that are an integral part of a university press provide a mediating role that can contribute to a message that has a clearer voice and sharper focus. My experience working with Georgetown University Press over the last few years has shown me the critical and collaborative role that a press brings to the publication of knowledge. I feel honored and appreciative to be a part of this process." Jeanine Turner, author of Being Present

From across the AUP community:

How Temple University Press has evolved over the past 10 years

Why do University Presses matter from Manchester University Press

How has University Press Publishing Changed from University of Toronto Press

A guest post from Bucknell University Press author Manu Samriti

Why the University Press of Kansas Matters

[georgetownuniversitypress]

A Q&A with the authors of Jusuur

Jusuur 1 presents a well-rounded curriculum that encourages active communication in Arabic from day one and is suitable for engaging students at a variety of levels including high school, community college, and four-year colleges. Read on for a Q&A with authors Sarah Standish, Richard Cozzens, and Rana Abdul-Aziz on what makes Jusuur unique and how it meets the needs of both instructors and students.

In developing Jusuur, what need were you trying to fill and how did you go about it?

We embarked on this project to respond to the increased demand and interest in Arabic over the years. We wanted to create a book that focuses on building communicative proficiency and intercultural competence, especially for beginning learners. The Jusuur textbook is organized thematically and allows students to start communicating about their daily lives -- touching on topics such as introducing a friend, finding a time to meet, and discussing how often they practice certain hobbies. The content is brought to life with audio-visual materials, readings, photographs, infographics, and classroom activities. Each lesson includes opportunities to explore and reflect on related cultural themes, letting students build intercultural communicative competence. They learn, for example, how it may be necessary to refuse an offer of a drink a few times, and how to use appropriate body language when meeting others of different ages or genders.

Being classroom teachers ourselves, we know how difficult it is to teach and create curricular content at the same time. Our hope is that Jusuur will provide the framework, guidance, and day-to-day activities for both teachers and students to succeed. This textbook program can be easily tailored to meet the goals of a variety of teaching and learning contexts and will be useful to both new and seasoned instructors.

Can you say a bit about the process of developing Jusuur?

The idea for creating Jusuur grew out of our own experiences in the classroom, responding to the needs of working teachers. We began when Sarah and Richard were both teaching full-time in high schools, while Rana was teaching at a university and advising high school Arabic teachers across the US. We know first-hand that getting our students interested in Arabic and interacting in the language requires going beyond what existing textbooks offer. We want to ease the burden on teachers in similar situations who are spending extra hours creating their own curricular materials to let the language come alive for their students.

While developing the textbook we collaborated with a number of educators in diverse institutions: the content was used in real classrooms over multiple years and students and teachers provided feedback on their experience with the materials. As the project comes into existence, our hope is that Jusuur offers an extremely practical resource for hard-working teachers.

How can instructors tailor Jusuur to their own needs?

Jusuur exists to help students begin to master the fundamentals of the Arabic language—not to master the book itself. As such, the book is designed to give the instructor flexibility and choice in how to teach and lead their class.

Jusuur offers materials in both Levantine dialect and Modern Standard Arabic, allowing the instructor to choose which register of Arabic to teach and practice, while also exposing students to the other. The book also allows instructors to move at a pace that suits their class, with a variety of activities to support and build each communicative competence. This richness gives instructors the flexibility to complete everything or skip activities, depending on how much practice their students need.

What materials and resources does Jusuur offer?

The book is full of interactive and engaging communicative classroom activities which help students to progress in all four language skills. For example, students are asked to read an infographic about how Saudi students spend their free time, then survey each other about the same topic, and finally compare their classmates’ free time with that of their Saudi counterparts.

Jusuur has an online companion site featuring general suggestions for instructors, external resources, and models for classroom language, alongside printable handouts. At the conclusion of each unit, there is a suggested Integrated Performance Assessment that brings together the various communicative and cultural competencies of that unit. There are audio-only listening exercises, as well as a large number of videos created specifically for Jusuur. These are short dramatic scenes that were filmed on location in Jordan.

For more information about Jusuur, go to jusuurtextbook.com

[georgetownuniversitypress]

GUP’s Spring Sale 2021

Leap into spring with a great read courtesy of Georgetown University Press! Enjoy 30% off on these titles when you purchase them through our website using code TSPR, now through 5/31.

After the End of History: Conversations with Francis Fukuyama Mathilde Fasting

The End of Asylum Andrew Schoenholtz, Jaya Ramji-Nogales, and Philip Schrag

George Washington's Final Battle Robert Watson

Song to My City Carol Lancaster

Spy Sites of Philadelphia H. Keith Melton and Robert Wallace

Spy Sites of Washington DC H. Keith Melton and Robert Wallace

Spy Sites of New York City H. Keith Melton and Robert Wallace

The Nazi Spy Ring in America Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones

Black Georgetown Remembered Kathleen Menzie Lesko, Valerie Babb, and Carroll R. Gibbs

The Capital of Basketball John McNamara

DC Jazz Maurice Jackson and Blair A. Ruble

A Georgetown Life Grant Quertermous

A Pocket Guide to the US Constitution Andrew Arnold

[georgetownuniversitypress]

A Note from the Director

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past year, we’ve witnessed our country’s reckoning with deep-seated systemic racism and outrage over acts of violence and inequality that persist to this day. As social justice movements continue the fight for equality, it is vital that we look back at our nation’s past and examine its present in order to create a better, more equitable future together. As we celebrate Black history, this month and every month, we would like to share with you a selection of books that give these stories their long-overdue place in American history.

The Capital of Basketball: A History of DC Area High School Hoops and DC Jazz: Stories of Jazz Music in DC, allow us to view history through two fascinating cultural histories. The Capital of Basketball, the first-ever comprehensive look at the great high school players, teams, and coaches in the DC metropolitan area, also uncovers the turmoil in the lives of the players and area residents as they dealt with prejudice, educational inequities, politics, and the changing landscape of the city. It introduces readers to countless figures with roots in the region–including E.B. Henderson, the first African-American certified to teach public school physical education, and Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to take the court in an actual NBA game–showing their impact on basketball and beyond. DC Jazz shows the pivotal role the nation’s capital has played for jazz for a century. These stories let readers follow the DC jazz scene throughout its history, from the cultural hotbed of Seventh and U Streets and the role of jazz in desegregating the city to a portrait of Duke Ellington’s time in DC and the contributions of UDC and Howard University to the scene. 

We take a closer look at the Georgetown community with Black Georgetown Remembered and Facing Georgetown’s History. Black Georgetown Remembered reveals a rich but little-known history of the Georgetown Black community from the colonial period to the present. Drawing on primary sources, including oral interviews with past and current residents and extensive archival research, the authors record the hopes, dreams, disappointments, and successes of a vibrant neighborhood as it persevered through slavery and segregation, war and peace, prosperity and depression. Facing Georgetown’s History: A Reader on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation, available in summer 2021, introduces readers to Georgetown University’s involvement in slavery and recent efforts to confront its troubling past. 

Also available in summer 2021, Between Freedom and Equality: The History of an African American Family in Washington, DC allows us to see history through the eyes of George Pointer—an enslaved individual who purchased his freedom in 1793—and six generations of his descendants as they lived and worked in our nation’s capital. 

With all best wishes,

Al Bertrand Director, Georgetown University Press

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Black History Month: A Reading List

This Black History Month, we’re looking to the past to understand our present and create a better future. Read on to find your next read, from histories of DC basketball players at the top of their game and inspiring jazz musicians, to a reckoning with Georgetown’s problematic past and one man’s inspiring journey from servitude to freedom. Use code TBHM on our website for 30% off your purchase.

The Capital of Basketball A History of DC Area High School Hoops John McNamara

DC Jazz Stories of Jazz Music in Washington, DC Edited by Maurice Jackson and Blair A. Ruble

Black Georgetown Remembered A History of Its Black Community from the Founding of "The Town of George" in 1751 to the Present Day 25th Anniversary Edition Kathleen Menzie Lesko, Valerie Babb, and Carroll R. Gibbs

Facing Georgetown’s History A Reader on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation Edited by Adam Rothman and Elsa Barraza Mendoza Foreword by Lauret Savoy

Between Freedom and Equality The History of an African American Family in Washington, DC Barbara Boyle Torrey and Clara Myrick Green Forewords by James Fisher, with Tanya Gaskins Hardy, and Maurice Jackson

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Darcy Lear: What will you take back to the face-to-face language classroom post-pandemic?

Like so many educators who’ve moved first to emergency remote teaching then to something more like online teaching, I have been overwhelmed by the information coming at me. At first, I eagerly attended all the Zoom workshops I could to get over the learning curve. Then I settled into a holding pattern that fit within my comfort zone for the online venue. Now I try limit my time on Zoom to the hours I am teaching or otherwise engaging with students.

Once the clutter and confusion cleared a bit, I was able to start to look ahead toward a return to face-to-face teaching. And what I’ve realized is that emergency remote teaching reminds me of some of the most important basics of language education—things I want to take back to the in-person classroom as soon as that is possible.

Here are a few of the things I am doing now that I want to keep doing post-pandemic:

1.     Keep it simple—technology edition

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. And just because a technology exists, doesn't mean you should incorporate it into your classes—especially during forced online teaching due to a pandemic.  

I have necessarily added the online teaching platform used by my campus: Zoom. Otherwise, students and I are using the same tech we've always used—the campus online learning system and the publisher's online textbook and workbook materials.  I know Flipgrid and Flippity and Padlet and Panopto and Quizlet and twelve different recording and transcribing options exist. I believe that some are great pedagogical tools and have true potential in the language classroom. But not now. There have been enough learning curves during the pandemic.

Takeaway Don't use bells and whistles gratuitously. Identify your problem first, then solve it using technology if and only if it meets your needs.

2.     Keep it simple—curriculum edition 

Simplify, simplify, simplify. Are high-stakes tests feasible in the new venue? Do I really need 8-10 course components? Are my own pedagogical materials consistent across different documents and platforms? 

The first two questions were a pleasure to address when we were first forced online in spring 2020: high-stakes chapter tests and the final exam were eliminated and replaced by low-stakes daily online quizzes (this is stuff we've known is better for a long, long time). These were 5-10 item assessments closely tied to content covered in that day's class. I told students, "If you can't complete those quizzes without resources, that's a red flag for you. Did you miss class and so it makes sense that it was hard? Do you need to brush up on a grammar point? Do you need to meet with me outside of online class? Did you forget to do the online homework (from which some quiz items are copied and pasted)?" This is what assessment is for—to measure student progress and see if they are ready to move on.

In the meantime, students’ course-long blogs and research projects formed the kind of project-based portfolio assessment we also have known for a long, long time is a better way to assess student learning than a lot of our old-school achievement tests (the kinds of tests people are fretting over how to administer securely online while ‘monitoring cheating’).

I folded some course components, such as recorded TalkAbroad conversations, into students’ portfolio projects so that students reported on them within the regular blog posts they were doing instead of in separate assignments.  

By the time the spring 2020 course started, there were three major course components: textbook content, an online blog, and a research project. There were a total of 5 grading categories: daily quizzes, daily blog posts, in-class mini-presentations, a course-long research project, and a final presentation of the research project.

A single thread ran through the entire course so that the work to prepare for class led smoothly into the synchronous class period, which was followed by homework and assessments that reviewed all the content before repeating the cycle. Even though this is how it’s supposed to always work, it felt more focused and streamlined than any face-to-face course I've taught in recent memory.

In cleaning up my pedagogical materials, I developed a kind of check list: Do I even need to keep this content? Is there a way to fold this material into something else (portfolio assessments, online quizzes)? Do I use the names I have for assignments consistently? Do they make sense? Why were assignments described as "personal readings" in course documents and grade book columns years after they'd become "blog entries" in practice? Ditto for "documents 1-5" that were really "research project" components. Getting ready to engage in emergency remote teaching forced me to revisit a lot of content that worked inside my own head but didn't make a lot of sense to anyone else, something I know is an issue when designing pedagogical materials, writing instructions, writing academic articles—you name it!

Takeaway Can I simplify logistics for students? Can the various bits and pieces be streamlined so it makes more sense to students and flows better for all of us?

3.     Keep it simple—classroom edition

As the teacher, do most of your work outside of class. With emergency remote teaching, most of my time was dedicated to planning before class, then grading and meeting with students after. In the online class sessions, I mostly just set up activities for students then hang out and listen to them interact. Occasionally, I interrupt to correct or explain, but mostly I wait for students to self-correct or reach out to me for clarification. I’ve noticed a lot more self-correction when I gave students the time and space to do it—well, Zoom did that for me.  

This experience has reminded me of the kind of planning and preparing required of a novice teacher.  I set up my lesson plan, re-visit it after a day or so, then run through it before class starts to make sure I have everything ready to go on my laptop: 

Is the ebook opened to the first page I'll     reference? 

Do students have the link to the Google doc I'll     ask them to use? 

Do I have the PDF opened and ready to click     on? 

Is the PowerPoint presentation launched?

Do I know when I'm going to use breakout rooms     and how many I will need?

At the beginning of each class, I share my screen to show students the lesson plan and run through the major topics as well as assignments that are due soon. It begs the question: why haven’t I been sharing my lesson plans with students all along?

Getting everything set up seems to take more time and energy than the Zoom session itself, but in the Zoom session I also shed the novice teacher and settle into the role of experienced teacher.  

As soon as a Zoom class ends, I go back into planning mode—I post the day's lesson plan and homework online for students to reference, then I prepare the first draft of the next session's lesson plan.  Before I polish the next plan, I spend a lot of time grading—reading/watching students' work, making individual comments on it, and checking their progress with online activities and assessments. In the process, I make sure the homework and quizzes align well with the class sessions (something I haven't dedicated enough time to in face-to-face teaching over the past decade or so). 

Takeaway Be transparent with students. Make most of your work happen in the prep and follow-up so class time can focus on smooth student activities.

4.     Let students learn by doing: Be the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage

Zoom is a horrible venue for "teacher at the front of class soliciting responses from individual students"—but so is a classroom if your goal is for students to build communicative competence in the language. But in classrooms it's very easy to fall into old-school patterns of the teacher doing too much of the talking. Online teaching—where everyone is disembodied and there are awkward pauses combined with people talking over each other—forces me to abandon any remnants of the Atlas complex. If I'm talking on Zoom it's very obvious I'm delivering a lecture or a teacher presentation.

I do talk to the whole group at the beginning and end of each Zoom session, with some teacher-like explanations peppered throughout the entire course. But most of the time spent on Zoom has been students in breakout rooms interacting with each other in Spanish—sometimes discussing textbook content in groups, sometimes preparing brief presentations to give to the whole class, sometimes with student discussion leaders who are formally assessed on their performance. I pop in but try to leave myself on mute.  

Takeaway Find a way to put myself "on mute."

5.     Be flexible and go easy on yourself and others 

Right now we’re in a pandemic, but in "normal times" there are always some individuals who are navigating crises. We don't need to know the details, but we can make interactions with us easier instead of harder—extend deadlines, take late work, allow students to make up tests, and be understanding when they have to miss class. 

Takeaway Nobody needs a punitive work or learning environment—ever. Be flexible. Go easy on yourself and others.

Darcy Lear has a PhD in Foreign and Second Language Education from the Ohio State University and teaches Spanish at the University of Chicago. She regularly gives presentations on teaching strategies to departments around the country and has developed languages for special purposes courses at several institutions. Lear is also a career coach, helping people to position themselves to use their language skills in rewarding careers. She is the author of Integrating Career Preparation into Language Courses.

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Benjamin Rifkin: The Art of Teaching Russian

Perhaps never in the history of the teaching of Russian in North America have we, teachers and professors of Russian, been so challenged by change. In addition to the linguistic, social, political, cultural, and economic changes in the Russophone world—which we must authentically represent in our classrooms—we are also in the midst of significant pedagogical change in the teaching of world languages more generally at the same time that we, as individuals and communities, are reckoning with discrimination and bias. We must add to all these changes the rapidly evolving use of technology in the classroom—software that can bring the culture alive to our students and immerse them in it—and the fact that some of us are compelled to use new software to connect with students near and far, in part due to the pandemic. The pandemic, we hope, will in the course of a few months fade into the past, but it will leave a wake of trauma behind it. Some of us will have gotten sick, some members of our communities will have, some will have lasting health consequences, and many will face lasting economic impact. The global trauma of Covid-19 will not go quietly into the night when a vaccine is found: it will haunt us for at least a generation.

Many of us have adapted our teaching to address some or more of these changes in the world. Some of the innovations we have created for our language and culture classes, developed and implemented under the gun as it were, will ultimately find long-term application in the post-Covid era. I have seen many educators tweet about learning tasks they have developed that will work with online or hybrid classes, and it seems obvious to me that many of them would work quite well in a face-to-face context. And, so, I raise this question to you:

What new approaches to the Art of Teaching Russian Language and Culture have you adopted in this challenging time that you might imagine using after the Covid19 crisis is over?  

Whether technology-based or not, your ideas, shared with the community, will help us all learn from one another, a grand peer-mentoring exercise whose impact will be multiplied with the release, later this year of The Art of Teaching Russian, edited by Evgeny Dengub, Irina Dubinina, and Jason Merrill, featuring chapters by some of the best-known scholars in the field of Russian-language pedagogy.

[georgetownuniversitypress]

#UPWeek: An interview with Senior Acquisitions Editor Hilary Claggett

In honor of University Press Week 2020, we sat down with GUP’s newest editor Hilary Claggett for a discussion on how the global business list will amplify new voices.

How long have you been working as an acquisitions editor, and in which subjects have you acquired?

I’ve been a Senior Acquisitions Editor for two decades, with equal time spent acquiring in business, economics, and finance, on the one hand, and politics, international affairs, and security studies, on the other. The common thread is that both publishing programs have, in retrospect, been strongly influenced by current events. For example, twenty years ago, business publishing was consumed by globalization and ecommerce, and international affairs publishing was heavily influenced by counterterrorism efforts in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Today the main influences I see impacting both business and politics are the pandemic, climate change, the Fourth Industrial Revolution sparked by artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning, and related technologies; and the movement for equity, diversity, inclusion, and racial and environmental justice. Many of these are interrelated. For example, the coronavirus and racial inequality combine in health disparities and higher death rates from COVID-19 among minority groups. Climate change relates to economic inequality because it impacts people differently, and climate change relates to the pandemic by exacerbating the likelihood of more pandemics in the future, perhaps worse than this one.

How do you publish timely books that in some ways are chasing a moving target without their becoming immediately outdated?

Because books relating to the economy and to business—whether we’re talking about a perennial subject like leadership or a relatively new one like the impact of AI—have always been highly sensitive to fast-moving events and trends, I’ve been able to leverage my experience publishing in politics and current events to plan one to two years ahead in terms of focusing on what is enduring about a subject and what is just a flash in the pan. Ironically, the more up-to-the minute the writing, the more dated it may be. For example, you wouldn’t end a book on coronavirus by saying, “at press time, there were X number of deaths” when you know those numbers will be irrelevant by the time of publication. But you can discuss the historical trends in the data in a meaningful way.

With all this experience, in what way do you see yourself as a “new” voice? Can acquisitions editors be said to have a voice?

I am new to the university press world after having spent my career in what is awkwardly called commercial academic publishing, which is neither purely trade nor purely scholarly. I used to say that I published books for general readers with a scholarly backbone, and in a way, I still seek books that are accessibly written for business leaders or general readers with an interest in the economy. The difference is that they are peer reviewed, which has helped authors to focus on their analytical frameworks and the quality of their research. As to whether acquisitions editors have a voice, I’d say we do, though not in the way you might think. Authors have their own points of view and perspectives, and I do not seek to impose my opinions or my writing style on their work. However, I do have a voice in selecting what proposals for books that I believe would be important, valuable, and useful, in addition to being marketable. Because this Global Business program is new, I am commissioning a large portion of the list to get it off the ground, so there are times where the idea starts with me, and then I look for an author to write what I have in mind. But ultimately it’s a collaborative process.

How are you giving space to diverse voices within the Global Business publishing program?

Over the last five years at least, a lot of research has been done on the invisibility and/or neglect of women in the economics profession, and I’m working on a series to address that inequity. In terms of business leadership, women have made great strides, and it’s no surprise that I’m receiving a lot of excellent proposals for business books from highly qualified women. While diversity has long been a goal of corporate America, some scholars have pointed out that white women have been the primary beneficiaries of these initiatives. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests over the deaths at the hands of police of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others, corporations and other organizations are facing the same reckoning as the rest of American society. I am working with several potential authors on assessing this effort. Some companies will take it seriously, and some will pay lip service, but I’m seeing signs of lasting change. One of the most important trends of our time is the accelerated pace of change, so my challenge in the acquisitions process is to ensure that my books stay slightly ahead of the curve, but are not so far out in front that they are too early, such as the book I published on predatory lending a couple of years before the 2008-2009 financial crisis. Timing is everything, but we can also lead change by privileging previously neglected voices and perspectives, and that is what I intend to do.

[georgetownuniversitypress]

A Georgetown Life: The Reminiscences of Britannia Wellington Peter Kennon of Tudor Place

As a Georgetown resident for nearly a century, Britannia Wellington Peter Kennon (1815 – 1911) was close to the key political events of her time. Born into the prominent Peter family, Kennon came into contact with many notable historical figures of the day, often entertaining them at Tudor Place, her home for over 60 years. Now available to the public for the first time, the record of her experiences offers a unique insight into nineteenth century American history. Lavishly illustrated, the book includes an exact transcription of the original Reminiscences, annotations with details about the people, places, and events noted in the text; a biographical essay; and an essay on the creation of the original document. Read on for a Q&A with editor Grant Quertermous, former curator of Tudor Place.

Who was Britannia Kennon? 

A great-granddaughter of Martha Washington, Britannia Wellington Peter Kennon (1815-1911) was a truly fascinating but fairly unknown historical figure who lived for all but a few years of her life at Tudor Place, the Peter family estate in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Britannia embraced the Custis-Peter family's historic lineage and role in American history and instilled that same sense of family pride in several subsequent generations of her descendants. An early member of both the DAR and the Colonial Dames, Britannia conducted her daily correspondence at Martha Washington's writing table, a piece of furniture her mother received as a bequest in 1802. Britannia was also the owner of a significant collection of manuscripts and objects that her parents acquired following Martha Washington’s death. Beginning in the 1890s, Britannia's grandchildren prompted her to recall anecdotes and information about the people she had met, such as Lafayette or President Andrew Jackson, as well as her experiences as a southerner during the Civil War. The notes from these interviews were preserved by her grandson, Armistead Peter Jr., and are now found in the Tudor Place archives. 

What will this book add to our understanding of 19th century America? 

The Reminiscences provides an unparalleled look at daily life in 19th century Georgetown and greater Washington, D.C. in the four decades before and immediately following the Civil War through the eyes of one woman who experienced it firsthand. To her grandchildren, Britannia recalled the dancing lessons she took with the daughter of neighbor and Vice President John C. Calhoun as well as her memories of meeting well-known figures in American history ranging from Daniel Webster to Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the widow of Alexander Hamilton whom she befriended in the 1850s. Britannia also passed along information about George and Martha Washington that Martha Custis Peter had recounted to her—such as how President Washington would often lodge with the Peters at their earlier K Street residence when he came to survey the progress of construction on the Federal City. Britannia also provides an insight into the complicated and complex relationships forged between master and slave, recalling by name the many individuals who labored at Tudor Place and other family properties during her childhood and later during her widowhood prior to the emancipation of slavery.

What insight did working as curator of Tudor Place give you into the people who lived there?  

It has certainly shown me that regardless of how much information we have about the Peter family’s occupation of Tudor Place—the archives have more than 250,000 manuscript pages and the museum collection consists of nearly 18,000 objects—we’re not always going to be able to know everything. And that’s both an endless source of frustration and fascination. For example, while I know exactly where in the house Britannia Kennon was born, the room in which she was married, the room in which she gave birth to her daughter, and even the room in which she died, I don’t know exactly what happened the day that her slaves were emancipated or her reaction to freeing this captive labor force. As a curator, I always point out that Tudor Place was first and foremost a family’s home. Six generations of the same family lived within the house—many were born and even died there. The objects in the collection and documents in the archives help us to better tell the family’s stories as well as the stories of those people who aren’t always as visible in the historical record but play an equally important part of history—those who labored there for the family, both the enslaved and the later domestic servants, many of whom were immigrants. To so many people, history is just a series of names and dates. Yet it’s so much more than that.

[georgetownuniversitypress]

GUP August 2020 Newsletter

Engage • Educate • Enlighten

Welcome to the inaugural monthly newsletter from Georgetown University Press! We value you as a part of our community and want to share new initiatives, news about our books, occasional offers, and great programming with original content to engage you in the work of our authors who inspire readers to know the world better.

You may have heard that we recently announced a new publishing program in global business and the global economy led by Senior Acquisitions Editor Hilary Claggett. You can meet Hilary and learn more about her vision for this new list in her video message below.

We have also launched a weekly live-streamed speaker series called "Books for a Better World" featuring GUP Director Al Bertrand in conversation with Georgetown University faculty and GUP authors. Join us at noon on Thursdays or listen in later to recordings available on YouTube and Facebook as well as our companion podcast (available on most major podcast channels)

We hope you will be a part of a GUP community in conversation about the work we publish by authors whose ideas illuminate and respond to the world's most difficult questions and shape our collective future.

New Publishing Program in Global Business

We are pleased to announce that we are launching a new publishing program in global business and the global economy led by Senior Acquisitions Editor Hilary Claggett.

Learn More

Books for a Better World

We are pleased to offer a series of livestreamed interviews with Georgetown faculty and GUP authors about their books—past, present, and prospective.

Learn More

Announcing Our New Podcast Series

Available wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google.

New Books

Enjoy 30% off on all August releases purchased through our website from now until August 31st when you use code TAUG.

In the News

Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones's The Nazi Spy Ring in America reviewed in Publishers Weekly

Oscar Jonsson's The Russian Understanding of War reviewed by Captain Jayson M. Warren, USAF in Strategic Studies Quarterly

Scott Jasper's Russian Cyber Operations reviewed by Kevin P. Riehle in Intelligence and National Security

Daniel Sulmasy’s "Books for Better World" talk featured in Washingtonian Online

Imad Mansour and William Thompson's Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa featured on the Middle East Focus podcast

Authors of the forthcoming book Pope Francis and the Transformation of Catholic Health Care Ethics Todd A. Salzman and Michael G. Lawler's story in the National Catholic Reporter

A World Free from Nuclear Weapons coeditor Father Drew Christiansen's story for In Depth News

[georgetownuniversitypress]

For Japan and South Korea, what next?

In Peak Japan, Brad Glosserman shows why Japan has been unable to break out of the torpor that began in the early 1990s and continues to this day, providing critical insight into its political system and culture. Glosserman was recently interviewed for the Seoul Economic Daily in Korea about the impact of Covid-19 in Japan, the South-Korea-Japan relationship, and what steps the South Korean government should take in its foreign policy in light of what’s going on internationally. The interview has been translated and lightly edited for clarity.  

Can you say a bit about the impact of Covid-19 in Japan?

Japan’s response to the COVID outbreak has been schizophrenic. On one hand, the grayest country on earth should be rightly concerned about a pandemic that hits the elderly especially hard. On the other hand, the government’s power is limited–unlike the ROK, forced lockdowns are not possible. Thus, citizens assume special responsibility for their decisions. A generational split in that response (young people have been out and about while the elderly seem more restrained) has been compounded by tension seen around the world between those who prioritize health and those who worry about the economic toll. That has been exacerbated in Japan by economic difficulties that predated the COVID outbreak–the Japanese economy had already contracted before it began–and geopolitics, in particular relations with China. Xi Jinping was supposed to make a state visit in April and its postponement and possible cancellation has clouded efforts by the Abe government to improve relations with China. The attitude toward China has hardened since then due to a variety of factors–Hong Kong, continued incursions in territorial waters, and more aggressive foreign policy in general.

As I write, COVID cases in Japan are increasing; I can’t say spiking because they continue to grow. The Japanese knew that they had avoided the worst of the outbreak in the first wave, but they didn’t know why. They still don’t. Their economy is in trouble, China is being more aggressive and assertive, the US is acting more and more oddly, and Japanese political leadership appears to be weakening. In other words, all trends identified in Peak Japan are intensifying.

It seems the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics is having a particular impact on those living in Fukushima and the surrounding area. Do you foresee that this will have an effect on the popularity of Abe’s party (the Liberal Democratic Party)?

Soon? No. Abe is definitely weakened, however. That reflects the reassertion of bad habits and the sclerosis of a one-party system. Politicians and bureaucrats have settled back into old ways of doing things and that is not good for the country. Abe’s tenure has been marked by the consolidation of power in the Prime Minister’s Office. It will be very interesting to see how the political world reacts to weakness there and how the leadership vacuum is filled. The first signs of that cracking in authority are evident.

The problem is that there really isn’t a good alternative to Abe within his party or from across the aisle. Approval ratings for the Cabinet have been falling but the Japanese public does not trust the opposition. The DPJ split and is no longer the leading opposition party; that position is now filled by the Democratic Constitutional Party of Japan, and its distinct identity from the LDP is unclear. This is often the case in Japanese politics. In Peak Japan, I noted that perhaps what most outraged the LDP was DPJ success at pushing through parts of the LDP agenda. So, no, the opposition has not matured. Nor for that matter has the Japanese voting public.

The key question is when Abe will leave office. There isn’t interparty agreement on who should succeed him and my guess is that Abe wants to hang on until the 2021 Olympics. But there are so many uncertainties between now and then that it is hard to anticipate how things will unfold.

You have repeatedly emphasized the need for South Korea and Japan to cooperate, not only in the book but also in the several talks, papers, and debates. Unfortunately, the relationship between these two countries is continually worsening, considering the historical, economic (e.g., whitelist removal, export regulations), and military conflicts (e.g., GSOMIA). Furthermore, Japan openly opposes South Korea joining G7. Do you still believe these two countries can cooperate? If so, what would you consider to be the first step?

Yes, I still believe they can cooperate but that it would require political leadership that understands national priorities and interests and puts those above the political interests of particular leaders. The first step would be resolving the trade dispute. The opening of a WTO case is a way to make progress. And since the WTO dispute resolution mechanism is currently broken the dispute cannot be resolved immediately, which buys the two countries time.

The problem, as repeatedly noted in those “talks, papers, and debates” is the utter lack of trust between the two governments. That must be rebuilt–but neither side trusts the other or believes that its partner wants to resolve the larger suite of issues that keeps them apart. South Koreans believe that Japan wants to keep them down and ignore the past, while Japanese believe that the ROK wants to maintain the moral high ground and keep them on the defensive. Japan wants Moon to make a political decision to promote better relations, and the only way they will be convinced of his sincerity is if he pays a political price for such a move. As I have suggested, if Moon were to say that “he accepts the Supreme Court decisions on forced labor but believes that it is South Korea’s national interest not to enforce them,” then that could lay the foundation for progress. Japan could find a face-saving solution to the problem.  

The point of regional security cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan is the strategy of response to China and North Korea. The official reason for Japan’s opposition to accepting South Korea as a member of G7, which President Trump suggested, is that ‘there is a difference in ideologies between South Korea and the other member states of G7 on how to respond to China and North Korea.’ What’s your opinion on this position? And what is your opinion regarding South Korea’s diplomatic action as it relates to China and North Korea?

There are two issues here. The first is expansion of the G7, which really isn’t on the table. The G7 is outdated and needs a new raison d’etre. The proposal for a D10 makes some sense but a lot depends on details that are not forthcoming. Any organization of advanced economies with liberal democratic foundations that doesn’t include the ROK isn’t worthy of the name. South Korea must be a member of such a group, but that begs the question of what the group is for and what it will do. Seoul will likely not be the only ‘difficult’ government in such a grouping.

The second question has to do with a general understanding of South Korea’s security policy. I have written a good bit about this with Paul Choi–there is a recent article in The Diplomat. Our argument is that few really get Seoul’s thinking. Caricature tends to prevail, rather than an appreciation of the sophistication of ROK policy. We have all learned the wrong lessons from the THAAD episode. We need to reassess that incident and geopolitical dynamics generally to get policy and possibilities right.  

It has been a while since the absolute hegemony of the US was weakened due to the steep rise of China. Many experts refer to the relationship between these two countries as a ‘Tuchididdes Trap.’ It has made the security dynamics in East North Asia more complicated. And the US-China conflicts and the East North Asia conflicts in turn frame the foreign policy of the Middle East. In this situation, what do you think is the most effective diplomatic policy Korea can consider?

I believe that Seoul’s best interest lies in continued alliance with the US, despite the fact that President Trump makes that difficult to see and even harder to pursue. I also believe that closer ties with Japan are vital and a strong Seoul-Tokyo axis could give both countries more leverage with the US. The most important thing though is for the South Korean people to quit thinking of themselves as “shrimps among whales,” and to believe that they have more agency in foreign affairs and should be more creative in their foreign policy.

You said, “The flying geese view is an obstruction for the Japanese in considering how to prepare for Japan’s future development.” However, last year, Japan imposed economic retaliation against Korea, excluding major export items from the whitelist. Do you think Japan's strategy worked for Japan?

No. Japan is trying to figure out how to practice better national economic statecraft and has reorganized its government bureaucracy to do so. The decision viz-a-viz the ROK on those three products was wrong-headed. There may well have been national security concerns–Japan wasn’t totally off base in having worries–but its response was shortsighted, emotional, and ultimately a self-inflicted wound.  

Rumors of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea have been circulating, and I don't think it's just simple pressure to increase defense cost sharing. What do you think of the possibility of withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea?

That would be a mistake. The issue of burden sharing is now part of every US alliance around the world. Its salience predates the Trump administration but Trump has the most narrow and mistaken understanding of how alliances work and the advantages they provide to the US. There must be a recalibration of roles, missions, and responsibilities among the US and its security partners but that will demand a new understanding of how alliances work. The US has been very slow to do that. Allies are going to have to convince the US public that they believe in mutual responsibilities and shared missions. Often when I talk to allied governments, they urge the US to make the case for the alliance to their publics, as if that wasn’t their job. Not only is that not the case, but they are going to have to do more to sell the alliance to the US public as well. We all must become engaged in doing the PR work for these security partnerships.

As you say in the book, Japan is at its peak and already facing the problems that countries all around the world will soon be facing. Japan is trying to find a solution to problems like aging, low growth, and low consumption. What do you think Korean government should take away from the Japanese government's efforts on such issues?

Learn from Japan’s mistakes. Don’t be too insular, don’t put off dealing with trends that are already visible and problems that are likely inevitable but not here yet. Don’t get too comfortable. Don’t get cocky. Accept uncertainty, the need to constantly challenge yourselves and acknowledge that the world is changing faster than you think and all your assumptions will likely soon be upended. Openness–in virtually every sense–is key. Tinkering is unlikely to solve structural problems.

You say in the book that Japanese people are focused on becoming a mature country. However, the major conservative forces such as the Nippon Kaigi (Japan Conference) and Prime Minister Abe have different ideas. What do you think of the reality of Japan's addition of military capability through the revision of the pacifist constitution?

Japan is a small ‘c’ conservative country. Most Japanese don’t buy into the nationalism of Nippon Kaigi or the hard right. They want recognition for their contributions and the good things they have done, prefer not to dwell on–that is NOT the same as ‘erase’–the past, and mostly want to be left alone since they see a hostile world surrounding them. They know they are vulnerable and they fear that the changes that they must make to adjust to that world will not necessarily make their lives better. After all, who knows what the future will bring? The key message of Peak Japan is that in the absence of certainty about a better future after they make changes in their country, the Japanese will stick with the comfortable situation they are in.

The military piece of this is simple: The Japanese want to be left alone. They are pursuing military capabilities to better defend themselves and be a better ally. Not to threaten anyone else. For some Japanese, improved capabilities are intended to allow them to better contribute to international society, to give back what they have gained from the contributions of others. But that is not a universal sentiment. More popular is a belief that the country should not do anything that risks entanglement in foreign controversy or conflict.    

Last question: recently John Bolton’s memoir has become a hot issue in Korea. Bolton criticized President Donald Trump’s policy toward North Korea and he put forth a very negative assessment of the Korean government while evaluating the Japanese government and his fifteen-year friend, Prime Minister Abe, as relatively friendly. What do you think of his book?

I am bothered by the Bolton book. In truth, there is little that he reports about President Trump’s thinking that was not known or suspected. The president is vain, narcissistic, self-absorbed, ignorant, and petulant. He cannot distinguish between his personal interest and that of the country. Perhaps even more worrying is the complete breakdown of a rational policy making process in the White House. The disorder is most disturbing–and the fact that someone like Bolton could get as close to power as he did is unsettling. He appears to have promoted his own agenda throughout his time in the White House and I must wonder how many other people throughout the administration are doing the same. That suggests that the chaos is structural and there is perhaps even more damage being done elsewhere.

We all must worry about what happens after Trump. T­­­­hese problems will not just go away if he loses the 2020 election.

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Announcing Al-Kitaab Third Edition E-Textbooks

Al-Kitaab Arabic Language Program, Third Edition eTextbooks Now Available

The best-selling Al-Kitaab Arabic Language Program uses a communicative, proficiency-oriented approach with accompanying audiovisual media to teach modern Arabic as a living language. Designed for anyone interested in learning modern Arabic, the series focuses on developing skills in Modern Standard Arabic and gradually introducing readers to Egyptian and Levantine Arabic, the most widely spoken dialects in the Arabic-speaking world. 

At every level, students will find additional authentic texts for reading and listening comprehension, vocabulary and grammar exercises, close listening and speaking activities, and cultural background. Each volume reinforces grammar and vocabulary through extensive exercises that provide constant review and expand to challenge students as they gain proficiency. Extra resources include glossaries, grammatical reference charts, and grammar indexes.

eTextbook Features

Allow students and instructors to access materials online or offline

Enable students and instructors to take notes and highlight the text

Provide flashcards and review mode for easy studying

Available through VitalSource.com

Free Additional Resources

All audio and video needed to complete the homework exercises in the textbooks are available to stream online.

Instructors can access teaching materials for all three books, including videos on Al-Kitaab pedagogy, lesson plans, tests, and quizzes.

A new discussion board allows instructors to connect with other instructors about topics of interest related to the Al-Kitaab Arabic Language Program.

Available on AlKitaabTextbook.com

For Instructors

Instructors may request digital desk and exam copies of all Al-Kitaab Arabic Language Program Third Edition textbooks and answer keys (available in PDF form) here now. At the end of August, instructors may request an exam copy of the eTextbook of the Teacher's Edition on VitalSource.com. VitalSource Teacher's Editions include the corresponding answer keys.

Other instructor resources are also available on AlKitaabTextbook.com.

__________

Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds ISBN 9781626168114 Perpetual Access $59.95 Rental 365 Days: $44.97 180 Days: $32.98 120 Days: $29.98

Al-Kitaab, Part One: E-Textbook for Beginning Arabic ISBN 9781626168145 Perpetual Access $79.95 Rental 365 Days: $59.97 180 Days: $43.98 120 Days: $39.98

Al-Kitaab, Part Two: E-Textbook for Intermediate Arabic ISBN 978626168169 Perpetual Access $79.95 Rental 365 Days: $59.97 180 Days: $43.98 120 Days: $39.98

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Russian Cyber Operations

Russia has deployed cyber operations to interfere in foreign elections, launch disinformation campaigns, and cripple neighboring states—all while maintaining a thin veneer of deniability and avoiding strikes that cross the line into acts of war. How should a targeted nation respond? In Russian Cyber Operations, Scott Jasper dives into the legal and technical maneuvers of Russian cyber strategies, and offers the national security community a robust plan of action critical to effectively mounting a durable defense against Russian cyber campaigns.

How are Russian cyber operations unique?

 The Russians use technical uncertainty and legal ambiguity to evade significant consequences for their cyber operations. Russian cyber actors abuse technical means for intrusion, evasion, and deception to maintain anonymity. As an example of intrusion, during the 2017 Bad Rabbit attack visitors of infected Russian-language media websites fell for a fake pop-up to update the Adobe Flash product that enabled download of the malware. For evasion, in DragonFly 2.0, the Russians used Fileless malware tactics that leverage trusted legitimate processes such as PowerShell to obtain configurations of critical infrastructure. And for deception, during the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, Main Intelligence Directorate hackers used North Korean IP addresses to make an attack look like the work of North Korean hackers. If detected, the Russians exploit legal regimes to avoid thresholds and classifications that prompt or justify meaningful responses. Their cyber operations often do not rise to the level of an armed attack, which would give states the right to respond with military force. Instead, they border on an internationally wrongful act that could give states the right to use countermeasures, but the Russians avoid clarity when it comes to meeting required conditions.

What is being done to combat them?

The United States has worked with likeminded partners to name and shame Russia for malicious cyber activities, most recently blaming Russian military intelligence for the 2019 attack on Georgia, which took Georgian television stations off the air and disabled or defaced thousands of websites. National statements did not provide the basis for attribution, what exact rules were violated, or outline any consequences. The United States did use a whole of government approach in response to the Russian hacks and leaks during the 2016 US Presidential election. The Obama Administration expelled Russian diplomats, closed recreational compounds, issued sanctions, and exposed malware. In 2018, after Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, the United States indicted Main Intelligence Directorate officers and Internet Research Agency operatives for interfering with the US Presidential election. These responses by the US government have not altered Russian behavior in cyberspace.

How can these strategies be improved?

The United States military has taken a more aggressive stance to compete and deter in cyberspace through the concept of defend forward. US Cyber Command created a Russia Small Group task force to protect the 2018 US midterm elections from foreign interference. On Election Day, and for a few days during the vote count, Cyber Command took the Internet Research Agency servers offline by blocking Internet access. US senators from both political parties praised the operation, although the Russian Federal News Agency said the cyberattack “did not stop work entirely.”  Defend forward is a key element of the layered cyber deterrence strategy advocated by the 2020 Cyberspace Solarium Commission, along with an urgent call for national resilience. Since Russia appears undeterred in cyberspace, the development of robust solutions for resilience, using cloud-centric data correlation technologies, is imperative to secure critical infrastructure from their sophisticated cyber operation.

[georgetownuniversitypress]

Books for knowing the world better

Our mission at Georgetown University Press is to publish books that enable readers to reach across barriers, both locally and globally, in order to engage with one another. To that end, we’ve compiled this list of recent titles that are sure to inspire, inform, and enlighten. See something you like? Take 30% off and enjoy free shipping on all books purchased through our website, now through June 30.

Local

The Capital of Basketball by John McNamara is the first comprehensive history of DC-area high school hoops. Full of illustrations and rich detail, it is a celebration of basketball.

DC Jazz, edited by Maurice Jackson & Blair Ruble, uncovers the pivotal role the nation's capital has played for jazz for a century.

In Spy Sites of New York City and Spy Sites of Washington DC, H. Keith Melton & Robert Wallace reveal the secret the secret espionage history of these major American cities through over 400 entries on the places where spies have lived and worked throughout American history.

First published in 1991, Black Georgetown Remembered chronicles and celebrates the rich but little-known history of the Georgetown black community from the colonial period to the present.

Global

In To Catch a Spy, former chief of CIA counterintelligence James Olson takes the reader into the arcane world of counterintelligence and provides a guide for how our country can do a better job of protecting its national security and trade secrets.

In The Russian Understanding of War, Oscar Jonsson analyzes the evolution of Russian military thought and how Russia's current thinking about war is reflected in recent crises.

In Humanity in Crisis, David Hollenbach, SJ, examines the refugee crisis and asks what our more obligations are to help those in need.

Russia, BRICS, and the Disruption of Global Order by Rachel Salzman tells the story of why Russia broke with the West, how BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) came together, why the group is emblematic of Russia's challenge to the existing global order, and how BRICS has changed since its debut.

Everyday Ethics, edited by Michael Lamb and Brian A. Williams, examines ethics through the practices of everyday life.