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The University of Illinois Springfield’s Harry and Deborah Berman Sabbatical Award has been presented to Sharon Graf, professor in the Sociology/Anthropology department. She will receive $3,000 to support her research during her sabbatical leave.
Graf’s sabbatical plan is to conduct a second phase of ethnographic field research in Oceania that will contribute to the scholarly body of knowledge on the cultural practices—including art, music, the performing arts and seafaring—of the inhabitants of the Pacific Island region.
Furthermore, Graf’s research will expand our scholarly understanding of ways of knowing while travelling on sea as opposed to on land. Her 2010‐11 experience of sailing the vast expanse of the Pacific made her keenly aware of the ocean environment and the knowledge required to navigate and to thrive in it. One outcome of Graf’s sabbatical voyage was her 2013 music composition “West by South,” performed by the UIS Chorus in 2013. This sabbatical leave will give Graf the opportunity to contribute further original insight to academic discourse on embodiment, performance and human relationships with the sea, sharing her findings in articles, courses, blogs, creative works and public presentations.
Faculty who are awarded sabbatical leaves may apply for supplemental funding to assist with sabbatical expenses. Awards are granted through a competitive review and selection process.
The award was made possible thanks to the generosity of Harry and Deborah Berman. Harry served as a gerontology professor, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, provost and interim chancellor. Deborah served in a variety of central administrative positions at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
Graf says she is “honored to receive the Berman Award and thankful for Harry and Deborah’s support of my work on the UIS campus since I arrived in 2001.”
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| Robert Moore & Naomi B. Lynn |
The University of Illinois Springfield presented awards for service and alumni achievement during the virtual 50th anniversary celebration held via Zoom webinar on Thursday, April 22, 2021.
The 2021 Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University of Illinois was awarded to UIS Chancellor Emerita Naomi B. Lynn. The depth, consistency and continuum of Lynn’s leadership as a university administrator, trailblazer, community leader and volunteer has significantly impacted the welfare and advancement of the institutional mission. She is a champion of women’s rights, and leader and mentor for women and minorities in academia and the larger community.
As president of Sangamon State University (SSU), Lynn became the first Hispanic president or chancellor of a public state university in Illinois and the first female president of SSU.
“It was important to break barriers,” Lynn said. “I live for the day when no woman will have to be introduced as the first.”
Lynn skillfully led the transition of SSU to UIS, positioning the university for growth in enrollment, on-campus residential life, infrastructure, online education and international academic agreements. Lynn retired as Chancellor in 2001. At her retirement, the Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies was created at the university, with a $1.25 million gift from the family of Dr. Richard E. Vaden.
Lynn served as president or board member of several professional public administration, higher education and political science organizations. She is a past recipient of the U of I Loyalty Award for Exceptional Alumni Service. In 2012, Governor Pat Quinn presented Lynn with the Order of Lincoln, the state’s top honor.
The 2021 Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work was presented to Robert Moore. Over a career spanning nearly 50 years, Moore has become a distinguished and nationally recognized leader in the practice of law enforcement, facilitator of community policing initiatives and historical research of African Americans in law enforcement.
With the Illinois State Police, Moore played a pivotal role in diversifying the state police force make-up to include significantly more minorities and females. He was later appointed by President Bill Clinton as U.S. Marshal for the central district of Illinois. Moore also served as deputy chief of police for Savannah, Georgia, and chief of police for Jackson, Mississippi.
A passion for documenting and presenting the history of African Americans in law enforcement led him to author and publish “The Presidents’ Men: Black United States Marshals in America.” That led to the development of a traveling exhibit on the topic that tours colleges and universities throughout the U.S., inspiring college students to careers in law enforcement and to see themselves as leaders.
“I don’t allow myself to get frustrated,” Moore said. “I can’t afford to get bogged down in what has not happened. I focus on what I have been able to do to bring things forward.”
Moore has several community service credits to his name. He is a past recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award presented by Rotary International and the Directors Community Leadership Award presented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is a past recipient of the University of Illinois Alumni Humanitarian Award.
For more information on the awards, contact Chuck Schrage, associate vice chancellor for alumni relations, at 217-206-6058 or cschr1@uis.edu.
The Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, at the University of Illinois Springfield inducted eight new members during a virtual ceremony on April 11, 2021.
The Society inducts individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions. Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession.
Students inducted at this year’s ceremony listed by hometown:
In-State
Chicago: Oscar Mercado
Darien: Tina Vorreyer
Petersburg: Brandy McWhorter
Rochester: JC (John) Bartolozzi, Meghan Hawkshaw
Springfield: Christine Lin
Taylorville: Caitlin Donovon
(One student asked their name not be published)
Kappa Delta Pi was established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, the honor society supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership of nearly 40,000 worldwide.
For more information, contact Ronda Gray (Mitchell), chapter advisor and UIS clinical associate professor of teacher education, at 217-206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu.
Henning was chosen from a field of candidates referred by The Registry, a firm that specializes in identifying leaders to fill interim roles in higher education.
He has more than 30 years of financial leadership experience, recently served in several interim and transitional roles at Northeastern Illinois University and California State University.
He retired in 2016 from Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin where he served as Vice President for Business and Finance. He’s also worked in financial leadership roles for Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee, the United Way of Chicago and Navistar International Corporation.
Henning earned an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
He serves as a board member for the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. He’s also a member of the National Black MBA Association, Financial Executives International and the Association of Theological Schools Audit Committee.
“I am looking forward to working with a great division full of dedicated staff committed to supporting UIS students and the campus community,” said Comerford.
The Decatur, Illinois native has served as executive director of the UIS Student Union since August 2017 with direct responsibilities for the personnel, budget, strategic planning and evaluation of programs and services offered through the Student Union.
Prior to coming to UIS, Comerford served in several leadership roles at Western Illinois University for 18 years. She was the director of the University Union from 2010-2017, director of student activities from 2006-2010, associate director of student activities from 2005-2006 and assistant director of student activities from 1999-2005.
She started her career as a hall coordinator and assistant director of campus activities at Quincy University in 1993, followed by three years as a special programs and center events graduate assistant at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Comerford earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Quincy University and a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in college student personnel from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
She has been a member of the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) since 1997, earning the Susan Yung Maul Distinguished Service Award – Region 9 in 2011. Comerford was recently elected as an at-large member of ACUI’s Board of Trustees starting in March 2021. She also volunteers in Springfield as a member of the Springfield Old Capital Art Fair Board.
The fellowship is part of a grant-funded project on Social Dimensions of Technological Change, a collaboration between the University of Kiel, the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology and the Archaeological State Museum Schloss Gottorf (Schleswig). The project is funded by the German Science Foundation.
The fellowship supports two months in residence in Kiel during Fisher’s sabbatical in fall 2021, plus a return trip the following year to participate in an international workshop the collaborators will plan together. The workshop’s findings will be published as a book.
“I will work with Berit Eriksen, scientific director of the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, to organize an international workshop on regional and chronological variation in flint mining practices during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Europe,” Fisher said. “Eriksen and I both specialize in the study of ancient technologies and what they tell us about past social dynamics and social change.”
Flint mines are an important, but often ignored aspect of prehistoric life during these time periods. The stone dug out of mines and quarries was used to make tools used in everyday life, and also connects to social identities, gender, transmission of knowledge and socioeconomic changes such as craft specialization.
Eriksen and her colleagues, who direct the Social Dimensions of Technological Change project, invited Fisher to work with them when they heard she was planning to compare and contrast flint mines and quarries to put her own excavations of a quarry in southern Germany in context.
“My hope is to learn a lot more about how quarries and mines vary, including some where skilled toolmakers made highly standardized products and others that were much less standardized, and to understand what those differences are telling us about ancient societies and social change,” Fisher said.
Ann Comerford, executive director of the UIS Student Union has been chosen to serve as an at-large board member for the International Association of College Unions (ACUI.) Comerford's two-year term will include advancing the principles in the Association's vision and core values, performing various ceremonial duties such as attending regional conferences, speaking functions and writing articles for ACUI publications.
Comerford has volunteered and been recognized for her work within the Association in various capacities. She was a member of the 2018 annual conference planning committee, served on the International Education Council, was director of ACUI's Region 9, and has volunteered as a course instructor, presenter and faculty member for a variety of ACUI education courses and institutes.
The International Association of College Unions is a nonprofit educational organization that brings together college union and student activities professionals with the primary mission of building campus community through education, advocacy and the delivery of services.
University of Illinois Springfield students earned awards and were elected to leadership roles during the virtual Model Illinois Government (MIG) simulation held Feb. 26 & 27, 2021. The simulation, which normally takes place at the Illinois State Capitol, was held virtually this year due to COVID-19.
Three UIS students were elected to the 2022 MIG executive board. Connor Krater of McHenry was elected speaker of the House, Aislinn Diaz of Chicago was elected president of the Senate and Mackenzi Matthews of Springfield was elected attorney general. Kallie Matthews of Springfield served as speaker of the House on the 2021 executive board.
The delegation also took home three individual awards. Mackenzi Matthews received the Outstanding Committee Chair in the House award. Bryce Thomas of Hawthorn Woods earned the Outstanding Member of Staff award. Kallie Matthews received the Outstanding Contribution to MIG award.
UIS alumnus Kevin Kulavic was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his many years of service to the organization in the role of secretariat.
Three UIS students were elected to legislative positions. Mackenzi Matthews was elected majority leader in the House, Jacob Cacioppo of Ingleside was elected assistant minority leader in the House and Aislinn Diaz was elected majority leader in the Senate.
Mackenzi Matthews, Joseph Partain of Iuka and Aislinn Diaz were elected committee chairs. Connor Krater and Francisco Lopez Zavala of Chicago were elected committee spokespeople.
UIS students competed against students from 10 colleges and universities across the state of Illinois. MIG gives them the chance to serve as legislators, staffers, lobbyists, journalists and officials of the executive branch. Through committee actions, a regular legislative session and a veto session, participants learn the legislative process by actively participating in the simulation.
MIG members start preparing legislation during the fall term, polish their parliamentary skills and organize membership into a delegation for the spring conference.
For more information, contact Kenneth Owen, MIG faculty advisor and UIS associate professor of history, at 217-206-7439 or kowen8@uis.edu.
According to the Navy, “nearly 200 years ago, ships were ordered be outfitted with a reading list of 37 books in order to help train and educate Sailors. The Navy’s leaders knew then what is still the case today: to outthink our competitors we must study and apply lessons we’ve learned from our past. Furthermore, it is critically important for our Navy to be a learning organization. And one of the very best ways to do that is to foster an environment where every Sailor deepens their level of understanding and learning.”
Published in 2015 by Rowman & Littlefield, Pierceson’s book provides an overview of the history of the movement for LGBT rights and examines contemporary political and legal issues, such as LGBT candidates for elective office, public policies supportive of the LGBT community, opposition to LGBT rights and litigation aimed at expanding LGBT rights. The book was primarily written to be used in the college classroom, but the book is also an excellent and accessible introduction to the issue for the general reader.
“I am honored to have the Navy select my book alongside books by Michelle Alexander, David Brooks and Ibram X. Kendi,” Pierceson said.
Pierceson is also the author or co-author of six additional books on LGBT politics, in addition to numerous articles and book chapters on the subject. His latest two-volume book “LGBTQ Americans in the U.S. Political System: An Encyclopedia of Activists, Voters, Candidates, and Officeholders” includes introductory essays on LGBTQ candidates, elected officials and voters, as well as more than 250 entries on important events, issues, organizations and people in the LGBTQ rights movement.
Pierceson’s commentary and writings have appeared in such media outlets as The New York Times, The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report. He has also served as an expert witness in federal civil rights litigation.
Pierceson holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Knox College and a doctorate in politics from Brandeis University. At UIS, his teaching and research focuses on public law, the legal and political issues relating to sexuality and gender and political theory.
For more information, contact Pierceson at 217-206-7842 or jpier2@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield will honor Mark and Julie Staley of Springfield with the University of Illinois Foundation’s William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership during a virtual Celebration of Philanthropy.
The Zoom webinar will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 3. All are invited to attend the free virtual event by registering in advance at go.uis.edu/CoP21.
Mark and Julie Staley have called Springfield home for nearly two decades. Their belief in the power of education is what drew the couple to getting—and staying—involved at UIS.
Julie is president of the Staley Museum in Decatur, as well as CEO and owner of Spencer Films and president at Spencer Theatre Company. Mark is general partner of SB Partners and VLS Holdings, which specialize in private equity and other alternative investment vehicles. They are both involved in the leadership of their two family foundations: The A.E. Staley Jr. Foundation and the Staley Family Foundation.
“Education is a cornerstone of our family charitable foundation and we are always committed to supporting those institutions in our area,” the couple said. “UIS is a vital part of the Springfield community and our surrounding area. It has grown exponentially throughout the years, and continues to help Springfield thrive.”
Their involvement at UIS began with Mark joining the Stars Athletic Advisory Board and Julie using her TV news anchor skills to benefit the University by hosting and emceeing events, including the annual UIS Scholarship Luncheon and the Good as Gold awards ceremony which honors local volunteers. She also has been a pitch person for NPR Illinois (WUIS).
Mark and Julie have financially supported numerous projects at UIS, including the Student Union and Baseball Turf projects. The couple established the Staley Family Athletic Scholarship to benefit the UIS Department of Athletics and continue to support the University of Illinois System through an endowed scholarship at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Mark remains a member of the Stars Athletic Advisory board and Julie serves as a board member on the Reaching Stellar Campaign Committee. Julie also recently became a UIS student in the doctorate of public administration program.
Named for the late CEO Emeritus of the 7-Up Company and a longtime member of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors, the William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership celebrates individuals who play active roles in securing private support for the University of Illinois.
Past UIS recipients of the William E. Winter Award include David Farrell, Paul O’Shea, W. Robert Felker, Pamela McClelland, Cullom Davis, Bob Clary, Leonard Branson, Thom Serafin, Tom Marantz, Julie Kellner, Guerry Suggs and Michelle Suggs (deceased); Howard Humphrey (deceased), James Lundquist (deceased), Clifford Greenwalt and Larry Shiner.
For more information, contact Maggie Owen, assistant director of advancement engagement, at 217-206-6058 or mowen7@uis.edu.
“Face to Face,” a short film featuring Dr. Wesley Robinson-McNeese reading a powerful poem he wrote from inside the remains of black-owned homes that were burned in the 1908 Springfield Race Riots was honored with an Emmy in the Short Format Program category during the virtual 2020 Mid-America Emmy Award on Saturday.
University of Illinois Springfield Assistant Professor of History Devin Hunter approached The Storyteller Studios with the idea of creating the short film, while they were documenting the archaeological work at the Race Riot site. Hunter connected Storyteller with Dr. Wesley Robinson-McNeese and his powerful poem.
The Emmy was awarded to The Storyteller Studios’ Chris Costello, who served as director, cinematographer and editor, and to Josh Hester, who serves Storyteller as executive producer. Costello earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from UIS in 2015 and Hester earned a master’s degree in communication from UIS in 2009.
Hunter said, he hoped the film and the poem would help anyone that watches it focus on the victims of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, and especially to its lasting impact on the community and the work that needs to be done towards racial justice and equality today.
“All possible credit is due to Wes, and his remarkable poem,” Hunter said. “The entire project started with his powerful words, and I'm proud that this honor may bring more attention to this amazing work.”
The Emmy award-winning video was produced through the University of Illinois and funded by the University of Illinois Presidential Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts & Humanities and created as a part of The Humanities Innovating New Knowledge (T.H.I.N.K.) Project.
You can watch the film at https://vimeo.com/360603422.
University of Illinois Springfield Political Science Professor Richard Gilman-Opalsky has written a new book on “The Communism of Love: An Inquiry into the Poverty of Exchange Value.”
According to the publisher, the book explores the meaning and power of love from Ancient Greece to the present day. Gilman-Opalsky argues that what is called “love” by the best thinkers to have approached the subject is in fact the beating heart of communism—that is, communism understood as a human yearning and way of life, not as a form of government. Along the way, Gilman-Opalsky demonstrates that the capitalist method of assigning value to things is incapable of appreciating what humans treasure most. Exchange value cannot appropriately value the experiences and relationships that make our lives worth living. Capital can only value love by turning it into a commodity, but the commodification of love destroys it.
“The Communism of Love” follows the struggles of love in different contexts of race, class, gender and sexuality, and shows how the aspiration for love is as close as we may get to a universal communist aspiration.
“In this beautifully crafted book, Richard Gilman-Opalsky persuasively uncovers and explores an ‘irreducibly antagonistic relationship of love to capitalist exchange value.’ Refusing to submit to the all-too-common reduction of love to sex, he points to the emergence of communist love during moments of uprising and resistance,” writes George Katsiaficas, author of “The Subversion of Politics,” in reviewing the book.
Gilman-Opalsky, the 2018 University Scholar award winner, is the author of five previous books, including “Specters of Revolt” and “Precarious Communism.” He earned his Ph.D. in political science from The New School for Social Research in 2006. He also earned master’s and bachelor's degrees in philosophy from The New School for Social Research and Hofstra University, respectively.
“The Communism of Love” is published by AK Press and will be released on Dec. 1, 2020. The book can be purchased on the publisher’s website at akpress.org/communismoflove.html, on Amazon and from other online retailers.
For more information, contact Gilman-Opalsky at 217-206-8328 or rgilm3@uis.edu.
“As I was reading my nomination letter, I immediately thought to myself, ‘This is too good to be true.' I began researching the award online and realized just how great of an honor it is to be named a Student Laureate,” Smith said. “It feels good to have my hard work be acknowledged by others.”
Smith, a senior biology major at UIS who graduated from Taylorville High School, plans on attending medical school and becoming a trauma surgeon following completion of her bachelor’s degree.
At UIS, she is a member of National Society of Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi) and the Pre-Health Society, a group of students who are interested in working in the medical field. She has volunteered with the group multiple times at Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach where she helped package unused medical equipment and send it to countries who are in need of the supplies.
“Experiences like this one make me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself as I am helping people who are thousands of miles away from me,” she said.
In 2019, Smith started working as a medical scribe in a hospital emergency room, which she calls an “opportunity of a lifetime,” adding that she has gained a plethora of medical knowledge. She more recently spent time shadowing an ear, nose, and throat surgeon.
“It has given me insight into the medical field that I thought I would not be able to obtain until I was at least in medical school,” she said.
Through a UIS internship, she also worked as a cancer research intern at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine this past fall.
“While there, I would culture cells, apply different medicines and treatments to cell colonies, and perform various experiments,” she said. “The doctor who I performed research under was trying to find a cure for cancer through his experiments and he gave me an appreciation for the research aspect of the medical field.”
When she was in high school, Smith was actively involved in a variety of extracurricular activities, including being a part of Taylorville’s cheer team for six years where she got the chance to travel to London, England to perform in their New Year’s Day Parade and earned the title All-American cheerleader.
She was also very involved in band in high school. She participated in four honor bands, was named a District Musician for two years and an All-State Musician. Her senior year she was named an Illinois State Scholar and Illinois Ambassador of Music and was able to travel and perform concerts in several European countries.
Her other high school involvement included National Honor Society, FFA and Key Club where she spent a significant amount of time volunteering.
“If I apply the skills I have obtained through my high school and college career thus far, I believe I can be successful with my future and have a rewarding career,” she said.
Each year an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Student Lincoln Academy Medallion and thereby becomes a Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Student Laureates are honored for their overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities and receive a $500 stipend.
Sharma joined UIS in Fall 2015, after already having established himself as a top scholar in his areas of negotiation and conflict management, personality and individual differences and emotions in the workplace. In particular, Sharma's work in the area of individual differences in negotiation has challenged the status quo. The consensus among negotiation scholars has been that individual differences play a limited role in negotiation effectiveness, but Sharma's research has proven otherwise.
Although at a relatively early stage in his career, Sharma has already had numerous impactful publications in leading and high-quality journals in organizational behavior. These journals include Human Performance, Emotion, Organizational Psychology Review and the International Journal of Selection and Assessment, among others. Sharma's research has been cited 311 times per Google Scholar, and he has six papers with at least six citations each. So far, Sharma has published nine peer-reviewed journal articles and 19 peer-reviewed conference papers.
“Much of Sharma's work is lead-authored, which is a testament to the significant contributions that he has made to each manuscript,” his nominator said.
Although Sharma's track record of published research is impressive, it is worth noting that he has a substantial pipeline of work that is poised to make additional contributions to his fields of study. He currently has eight manuscripts in development which are targeted to journals such as Psychological Bulletin, Journal of Applied Psychology and Administrative Science Quarterly. These outlets are among the best in the field. Moreover, Sharma regularly presents his research and organizes symposia at the major academic societies in the field of organizational behavior.
Sharma's scholarship has earned him awards, including the Outstanding Article Published in 2013 by the International Association for Conflict Management. More recently, Sharma was awarded a 2020 DAAD (the German Academic Exchange Service) Fellowship to be a visiting scholar at the Institute for Management and Organization at Leuphana University. Only 75-100 scholars from across the globe are selected each year from across diverse areas of research.
“Although research is among the most important endeavors engaged in by university professors, Sharma has also established himself as an excellent teacher,” said his nominator. “Sharma has developed and taught several courses in the Department of Management curriculum. Student assessments of his teaching are very positive, with ratings routinely exceeding averages of the department, college, and university. Thus, Sharma embodies what it means to be a teacher-scholar at UIS.”
At UIS, he teaches courses on organizational behavior, leadership in organizations, negotiation, and HR courses on the topics such as performance management and selection and assessment to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Sharma earned a master’s and doctorate degree in business administration (organization behavior) from Washington University in St. Louis. He also earned a master’s degree in industrial relations and organizational behavior from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
As University Scholar, Sharma will receive $15,000 a year for three years to support research and other scholarly activities. Faculty do not apply for this award; they are nominated by their peers. A committee of senior faculty makes the final selection.
At its core, taxation is an ethical question. It requires people to sacrifice for the benefit of others, whether or not they also benefit themselves. Morris’ book is an interdisciplinary exploration of utopian taxation and how it provides a novel approach to examining relations between a state's view of the general welfare and the sacrifices this view requires of its citizens.
“I chose utopias for the same reasons that investigators exploring other problems control variables, adopt simplifying assumptions, and develop conceptual models,” Morris said. “And while moral concerns permeating taxation are illustrated in the context of utopian literature, this is not an argument for a stand-alone tax utopia or a practical treatise on tax reform. Most utopians devote little time to describing their pecuniary tax systems.”
The book traces the moral dimensions of taxation through the utopian writings of political theorists and novelists including Henry David Thoreau, H.G. Wells, Thomas More, Leo Tolstoy, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, George Orwell, B. F. Skinner, Jonathan Swift, Plato, Karl Marx and many more.
“This is an extremely well researched and thorough exploration of utopian literature, effectively back to the beginning of the written word,” said Jennifer Bird-Pollan of the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law in reviewing the book. “Morris covers every major work of literature with a utopian element, and works through the tax (both pecuniary and constructive) present in all of these works. His explanation and analysis of economics and doctrine of tax laws is of the highest order.”
Morris is the author of several books, including “Tax Cheating: Illegal—But Is It Immoral?” He was a Silver Award Winner in the 2012 ForeWord Book of the Year in the Political Science Category, and a Category Finalist in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, presented by Hopewell Publications.
“Taxation in Utopia: Required Sacrifice and the General Welfare” was published by the State University of New York System (SUNY) Press in September 2020 and is available for purchase as a hardcover or electronic book from Amazon, Google and other retailers. For more information on the book, visit taxationutopia.com.
University of Illinois Springfield Professor of Political Science Jason Pierceson’s “LGBTQ Americans in the U.S. Political System: An Encyclopedia of Activists, Voters, Candidates, and Officeholders” was recently featured on Choice’s top ten editors’ pick list for June 2020.
Choice is a publishing unit of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association.
The two-volume work, published in November 2019, includes introductory essays on LGBTQ candidates, elected officials and voters, as well as more than 250 entries on important events, issues, organizations and people in the LGBTQ rights movement. It also includes a timeline of important events in addition to noteworthy government documents, court cases and speeches by LGBTQ candidates and activists. The encyclopedia covers people and events from the early-twentieth century through the 2018 elections.
Among the politicians profiled in the work are pathbreaking candidates and officials such as José Sarria, Kathy Kozachenko, Elaine Noble, Harvey Milk, Danica Roem, Kate Brown, Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, Kyrsten Sinema, Sharice Davids and Pete Buttigieg. Activists profiled include Barbara Gittings, Frank Kameny, Marsha P. Johnson, Cleve Jones, Larry Kramer and Bayard Rustin.
Pierceson is the author or co-author of several books on same-sex marriage and sexuality and politics, including “Same-Sex Marriage in the Americas: Policy Innovation for Same-Sex Relationships,” “Courts, Liberalism and Rights: Gay Law and Politics in the United States and Canada,” “Same-Sex Marriage in the United States: The Road to the Supreme Court” and “Sexual Minorities in Politics: An Introduction.”
Pierceson’s commentary and writings have appeared in such media outlets as The New York Times, The Washington Post and U.S. News & World Report. He has also served as an expert witness in federal civil rights litigation.
