Department of Comparative Studies

Ashley Hope Pérez: Exploring Uncomfortable Narratives in Literature

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Ashley Hope Pérez, Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Studies, discusses her latest book, Deformative Fictions: Narrative Ethics and Cruelty in Twentieth-Century Latin American Literature. Pérez explores difficult and uncomfortable narratives in literature and explains how these fictions challenge readers and why such narratives are important. She and host David Staley discuss her experience with book banning, particularly her novel Out of Darkness, and explore the impact of book censorship on readers and authors. Additionally, Pérez describes editing the anthology Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers Rights and leading her Unite to Read project.

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John Low On Understanding the Importance of the Newark Earthworks

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John Low, Associate Professor of Comparative Studies and Director of the Newark Earthworks Center, studies American Indian histories, literatures, religions, and cultures, and native environmental perspectives and practices, among other areas. He joins David Staley on this week’s Voices of Excellence to discuss the Newark Earthworks and what makes the two remaining mounds so special, on par with Stonehenge.

Miranda Martinez Describes the Best Way to Save for Retirement

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Miranda Martinez, an Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Studies, researches race and public policy and economic, sociological, and cultural economies, among other areas. She looks at the impact of financial coaching in communities of color and how having an automated monthly savings plan can be a significant benefit over having to decide consciously to save every month.

The Ethical Significance of Reading, According to Prof. Ashley Hope Pérez

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How readers engage with what they encounter in reading has ethical significance, says Ashley Hope Pérez, Assistant Professor of Comparative Studies. In addition to having written three novels, she researches fiction with an eye to how it shapes the way that readers respond to others in the real world.

Professor David Horn on Cultural and Historical Studies of Science

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Professor of Comparative Studies David Horn describes the history of spiritism, automatic writing, and other human sciences of the 19th century on Voices of Excellence.

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Professor Barry Shank Says Musical Beauty Builds Community

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Professor Shank’s latest book explores the power of music to create community, and he discusses this along with a history of Comparative Studies and how greeting cards maintain social connections.

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Sarah Iles Johnston Sees Stories As Creating Meaning and Beliefs

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Professor Sarah Iles Johnston joins David Staley to discuss how myths and engaging narratives of all kinds—including modern narratives such as Lord of the Rings—create belief, and the way that telling stories might have contributed to human survival. 

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