Congratulations to our faculty for their recent publications and achievements.
Professor of History and Interdisciplinary Studies Dr. Douglas Cremer’s essay, “‘Walking Together’: Can Racism Be Overcome by a Post-Secular Spirituality?” was recently published in The European Legacy. The article is a preview of the book he’s completing, Antiracist Leadership: A Spiritual Approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to be published by Palgrave Macmillan. In his essay, Dr. Cremer contends that “the continuing power of racist ideology threatens liberal democracy” and explains that we need to “see this ideology clearly in order to choose a proper response and then act accordingly.” He lays out a four-point approach to dismantling racism, including “the reimagining of ‘blackness’ as a source of life and spirituality” and engaging a “post-secular spirituality—based on the work of Pope Francis—that emphasizes the importance of protecting our common human dignity, of caring for each other, and of ‘walking together.’”
Adjunct professor of Writing and Political Science Dr. Laila Dahan had her chapter accepted for publication in The Routledge Handbook of Language and Mind Engineering, edited by Chris Shei and James Schnell. Entitled “Nostalgia as False Commemoration: How US Conservatives and White Supremacists Mind Engineer through Dog Whistle Politics,” the chapter focuses on the messages that U.S. politicians and white nationalists convey to their supporters through dog whistles. Because the propaganda effect of the dog whistles appeals to people’s subconscious anxieties and desires, this type of coded language has the effect of brainwashing or mind-engineering its listeners. The chapter advances the concept of nostalgia, using research from the social sciences and psychology, to show how dog-whistle politics is a tactic used by both conservative politicians and white supremacists to garner support and power. By applying a simplified form of critical discourse analysis, the study evaluated speeches, tweets, media recordings, and publications. The results shed light on how dog-whistle politics operate in the current political climate and the tactics employed to further its objectives.
Dr. Sam Sambasivam, chair and professor of Computer Science in Data Analytics, was appointed to the editorial/review team for the Cybersecurity Pedagogy and Practice Journal (CPPJ) and as an Editorial Board member of Mathematics and Computer Science at Science Publishing Group, USA. Always looking to enhance his own professional development, Dr. Sambasivam is also participating in the “Self-Awareness as Your Superpower: A Certificate Program for Department Chairs” facilitated by Academic Impressions. This program emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in effective leadership, an invaluable skill he is eager to develop further. Additionally, he has recently completed the Deep Learning Professional Development Intensive for Educators course in collaboration with Stanford University, The Coding School (TCS), and Amazon AWS Machine Learning University. This course covered a range of topics including deep learning fundamentals, advanced architectures, and discussions on AI ethics and policy.
Public Safety and Administration adjunct faculty Dr. Paul Chavez will be presenting two proposals at the American Probation and Parole Association’s (APPA) national conference in February 2024 entitled “Improving Employee Retention in the Law Enforcement Workplace” and “Policies Impacting Officer Wellness.” He is also awaiting a publication for APPA on “Policies Impacting Officer Morale.” Dr. Chavez says these are important topics because “law enforcement wellness is a major issue that increases their workload while impairing their long-term health. Besides physical injuries, officers also face emotional trauma when their workdays are done.”
Participating adjunct faculty of Writing Dr. Linda Dove recently won the 4th American Literary Award from Miju Poetry & Poetics, a bilingual Korean-American publication from the Korean Poets Society of America. Dr. Dove’s poem “The Lark” was selected through a competitive submissions process to win a cash prize as well as publication in the journal.
“The Lark” is based on a line from the poem “Lullaby of the Onion” (“Nanas de la Cebolla”) by mid-20th-century Spanish poet Miguel Hernández, whom Dr. Dove first learned about from her friend, the Los Angeles-based artist Enrique Martínez Celaya, which she credits as an example of how the cross-pollination of the arts should ideally happen.
Dr. Dove will read her winning poem at the journal release event in Koreatown in May, along with a speech about poetics and the creative process.
Last Updated February 13, 2024