University Press Roundup: Empty Streets, Data Colonialism and Celebrating Plastic Free July

Check out this collection of 8 of the most interesting university press blog posts for this week. We aim to keep you informed, engaged, and part of the ongoing scholarly conversations.

1. There’s no vaccine for the sea level rising

Amidst the global efforts to remedy and stall the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Professor William Rouse directs our attention to the pressing issue of climate change, giving us an ultimatum. Without addressing climate change, “In the end, we are drowned, starved and/or diseased.” How can we fix our failures today before it’s too late? (Oxford University Press).

2. Can We Fill Our Empty Streets?: Brian Ladd on the Role of Streets in City Life

These past months, the world was set in pause as people scrambled indoors to practice safe social distancing protocol. For the first time, once-bustling metropolitan cities like New York City sported bare streets, free of taxis, cyclists and pedestrians. Brian Ladd considers our current state of lockdown, positioning the state of city streets in the history and future of cities (University of Chicago Press).

3. 50 Years of Theater: A Retrospective

The journal, Theater, celebrates its 50th anniversary and an enduring tradition of speculation on change in altered society. Its special anniversary issue takes a historic and futuristic outlook, featuring reflections from Tom Sellar, the current editor, and Gordon Rogoff, a founding editor (Duke University Press).

4. The Nuances of Data Colonialism

Nick Couldry and Ulises A. Mejias continue the conversation on data colonialism. Given that we spend most of our personal lives and work online, it is imperative, more than ever, to be aware of the symbolic violence that data colonialism categorises and orders everyday life (Stanford University Press).

5. Implications of the Coronavirus for Children

Dr Edward Bell answers pertinent questions on what every parent, grandparent and teacher needs to know about the implications of the coronavirus for children, from symptoms to over-the-counter medication (Johns Hopkins University Press).

6. 7 Easy Steps to Reducing Plastic Waste

The Plastic Free July challenge is happening right now, across 177 countries, led by people committed to reduce single-use plastic consumption and strive for a better future. To help you get started, Rebecca Prince-Ruiz and Joanna Atherfold Finn have shared 7 easy steps you can follow to reduce plastic waste in your daily life (Columbia University Press)

7. The limits of knowledge in a data-driven society

Advances in technology and data management sound good…right? Not necessarily. Professor Sunha Hong declares, “All too often, data generates speculation as much as it does information.” (New York University Press).

8. An Excerpt from Black Racialization and Resistance at an Elite University

The presence and experiences of Black people at elite universities have been largely underrepresented and erased from institutional histories. Read an excerpt from rosalind hampton’s book as she reflects upon differences in class, gender, and national identifications among Black scholars (University of Toronto Press).