Posts from the ‘Cal Poly Authors’ Category

Apr 15

Conversations with Cal Poly Authors puts morality on trial

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:35 — 72.2MB)

“I believe that my book, Judicial Review in an Age of Moral Pluralism, is the most important book in the history of the world,” said Ronald Den Otter, Cal Poly associate professor of political science, to kick off the Cal Poly Authors discussion last Friday.

He was joking, of course, but as the conversation turned from the book’s origins to the subject matter, it became clear that Judicial Review in an Age of Moral Pluralism tackles crucial questions about the role of the justice system in a diverse society that has differing opinions about right and wrong. Joined by Jude Egan, also an associate professor in political science at Cal Poly, the two discussed the appropriateness and history of judicial review in the United States.

Jan 29

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California music is an audible photograph

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:22 — 67.8MB)

How do you understand history? Do you look at photos, read books? Watch the History Channel? For Craig Russell, Cal Poly music professor, a community’s songs are enduring records of their era, providing in-depth and textured insight into their ways of life. Read more

Oct 19

Revenge of the white whale

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:29 — 61.1MB)

Cal Poly author and history professor George Cotkin shared his own eccentric, extensive and often hilarious relationship with Herman Melville’s classic “Moby Dick” on October 12 at Kennedy Library’s first Conversations with Cal Poly Authors event of the school year. The podcast is below. Read more

May 18

How to make a local climate action plan

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:14 — 74.5MB)

Why write a book? There are many reasons. One very good one is when a book does not yet exist for your topic. That’s one reason why Michael Boswell, Adrienne Greve and Tammy Seale set about writing Local Climate Action Planning together. Read more

Feb 17

Urban trees are not cell phone towers

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:09:07 — 94.9MB)

Matt Ritter has visited every town in western California with a population of over 40,000 to check out their trees. That is what you do if you’re going to create a guidebook called, A Californian’s Guide to the Trees among Us as Ritter did (Heyday, 2011). Read more

Nov 21

Blurred boundaries, self-consciousness and other contemporary film noir themes

Doug Keesey, English professor, and Josh Machamer, associate professor in the Theatre and Dance Department, joined us for a conversation about contemporary film noir that made me want to 1) hear conversations between two thinkers in the liberal arts more often and 2) watch 40 movies in the next week.

Jun 8