MARCH 25, 2021 VOL. 28 NO., 12
PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Mr. Walsh Goes to Washington
INSIDE 3x Diversity Headline & Inclusion Summit Registration begins April 5 for this xxxxx. year’s event, taking place May 26.
x Headline 4 Campus School History xxx.
A new book celebrates the school’s x50th Headline anniversary. xxxxx.
8 Burns Scholar
Fearghal McGarry to give talk on interwar Ireland and modernity.
Trustees Set 2021-22 Tuition The Board of Trustees has set undergraduate tuition for the 2021-2022 academic year at $60,530, as part of a 2.5 percent increase in tuition, fees, room and board, bringing the overall annual cost of attendance at Boston College to $77,308. To maintain the University’s commitment to providing access to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, the trustees voted to increase need-based undergraduate financial aid by 2.98 percent, or $6 million, to a total of $151 million. Boston College remains one of only 20 private universities in the United States that is need-blind in admissions and meets the full-demonstrated need of all undergraduate students. Overall, more than 67 percent of Boston College undergraduates receive financial aid, with the average need-based financial aid package projected to exceed $49,000 in 2021-2022. The Board of Trustees also set tuition
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BC alum is confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Labor for Biden administration BY PATRICIA DELANEY SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
On Monday, Boston College alumnus Martin J. Walsh, who had served as the 54th mayor of the City of Boston since 2014, was confirmed by the United States Senate in a bipartisan vote as U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Joseph R. Biden. A graduate of the Woods College of Advancing Studies, Walsh becomes the third University alumnus to serve in the U.S. Cabinet in recent years: BC Law School alumnus John F. Kerry J.D. ’76 was secretary of state during the Obama administration, while Ernest Moniz ’66, a graduate of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, was secretary of energy. Kerry now holds a newly-created cabinetlevel position as special presidential envoy for climate under Biden. In his new role, Walsh will head the
Martin J. Walsh: “The word ‘labor’ means everything to me.”
department entrusted with promoting the welfare of the nation’s wage earners, job seekers, and retirees, a charge that encompasses improving working conditions, advancing opportunities for profitable employment, assuring work-related benefits and rights, and administering federal regulations that affect everything from minimum wage and overtime pay to workplace safety. He will have leadership
still from video by john walsh
responsibility for both policy and operations and will oversee some 900 employees in the department’s national headquarters and six regional offices. A lifelong champion of working people and the first union member to serve as labor secretary in nearly half a century, Walsh has “worked tirelessly to rebuild the middle class, create a more inclusive, resil-
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BCSSW Initiative Focuses on Trauma Impact BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
The Boston College School of Social Work has launched a multifaceted initiative that organizers say will enable the school to become a national thought leader in addressing the impact of trauma on individuals, families, and communities. Launched in 2019, the Trauma Integration Initiative (TII) incorporates teaching, fieldwork, and research into a holistic program that not only prepares BCSSW students to help their clients deal with trauma, but to guard themselves against its effects. Keeping with BC’s Jesuit, Catholic tradition, the TII also advances a formational element to guide students in
contemplating the challenges of traumainformed social work. At a time when, according to studies, 85 percent of social workers routinely treat clients with a traumatic condition, and one in seven social workers themselves develop post-traumatic stress disorders, the TII organizers say a fully integrated traumainformed perspective is needed for social work education. The TII is one of the school’s strategic priorities, an indication of its level of commitment to the initiative. To understand the necessity for the initiative, BCSSW Professor and TII cofounder Scott Easton said, it’s important to understand what trauma is and how it can affect lives. “To a certain degree, ‘trauma’ has be-
come a buzzword in popular culture,” he said. “A working definition of trauma is an event or condition that is physically or emotionally harmful, causes significant distress and suffering, and overwhelms individuals, families, or community coping resources. “Trauma can occur from a single event, a series of events, or an ongoing, pervasive, environmental cause—living in a home where abuse takes place, or in a community affected by long-term poverty or racial injustice. What’s more, two people can experience trauma in different ways; it may be apparent in one person, hardly at all in another. “So it’s incumbent upon social workers
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I hope that you, too, continue hearing the voices of your mentors, long after you’ve left the Heights, like the bell atop Gasson tolling across the distance of your lives. – assoc. prof. michael serazio (communication), page 3
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March 25, 2021
Around Campus
Months Later, a BC Finale Delayed Is Finally Realized Like many Boston College student arts groups, the BC Flute Ensemble saw its performance schedule end abruptly last spring with the COVID-19 lockdown—an immense letdown to graduating seniors like Alyson Wong, who had looked forward to capping her satisfying stint as a member of the group (also known as the Flute Choir) with one last performance. “We had already decided on our repertoire for our final concerts and had a piece specifically featuring us three seniors,” said Wong, a Needham, Mass., native. “It was disappointing not being able to do that and enjoy the culmination of four years of playing together in this group.” But Wong, along with fellow 2020 grads Cassandra Pearson and Maryana Dulmaska, got a measure of redemption recently when they joined the ensemble and its director, Judy Grant, to put together a performance for the World’s Largest Flute Choir Showcase, sponsored by The Flute Society of Washington as part of its annual MidAtlantic Flute Convention. BC was among more than 50 ensembles from across the United States to take part in the showcase, which was presented via the Flute Society of Washington’s YouTube page. With each member playing remotely, the BC Flute Choir recorded an approximately
Members of the Boston College Flute Choir in their pre-recorded performance for the World’s Largest Flute Choir Showcase held last month.
15-minute set that included Pachelbel’s famous “Canon in D” and Boismortier’s “Concerto in A Minor.” Grant said being one of only seven collegiate flute ensembles chosen for the Flute Choir Showcase, and having Wong, Pearson, and Dulmaska involved made the experience even more rewarding. “The confidence and leadership of the returning alumni was very helpful for the freshmen and other new members of the
flute ensemble. The alums are wonderful role models as players and as people. To bring this group together was definitely a silver lining to the pandemic.” Aside from its remote video performances of holiday music last semester, the showcase was the BC Flute Choir’s first virtual recording project of more complex classical music, Grant noted. “It was a leap of faith, it was hard work, and it was also fun. Although nothing can replace the magic of
in-person music making, we were grateful to make music together in this capacity. It was absolutely rewarding on so many levels, and brought much joy to this challenging year. The BC Flute Ensemble players did a superb job, my hat is off to them.” “Being able to take part in the showcase definitely provided some closure and satisfaction,” said Wong, now working as a lab coordinator in BC’s Psychology and Neuroscience Department. “It provided us with the opportunity to play together one last time and was an absolutely wonderful and enjoyable experience.” Not having played her flute for nearly a year, Wong found the preparation for the showcase challenging, especially since the showcase required a performance-quality level. The group had little time to prepare and do their recordings, she added, “but everything came together very nicely in the end.” “The showcase video warms my heart because it represents how important music is in a time like this,” said Pearson, a Chatham, NY, native now working at the Berkshire Music School. “Even if we are worlds apart, music still has the power to bring us together.” —Sean Smith
Getting Out and About Astronomical spring came last Saturday, and with the prospect of warm days in the offing, several Boston College departments and offices have collaborated to organize campus programming for students looking to spend more time outdoors and in the company of others. The events and activities—all of which, administrators note, are held in compliance with COVID-19 protocols that include social distancing, mask-wearing, and limited capacity—are the work of the Office of Student Involvement in partnership with BC Dining Services, Campus Recreation, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College, and the Campus Activities Board, among others. Last week, students were invited to sample “Turks and CaiStokes,” an immersive, walk-through multi-media exhibition held on Stokes Lawn that featured sophisticated visual technology, participatory art, and electronic music. The showcase was presented by GBM6 (GrooveBostonMissionSix), which produced a similar camASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Jack Dunn SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
pus event, “Project Lucidity,” last fall and “Winterfest” in December, a more laidback affair with fire pits, comfortable chairs and what the company described as “a cozy ambience.” “The social, recreational, and formational aspects of campus life have always been an important part of the BC experience,” said Associate Vice President for Student Engagement and Formation Tom Mogan, “and we’re very happy to work with our partners in exploring ways to promote student engagement.” Tonight through Sunday, Stokes will once again be the site for another GBM6 creation, “Equinox,” which will be along the lines of “Winterfest.” On April 1, BC will debut “Baldwin’s Backyard,” an open area between the Margot Connell Recreation Center and Pine Tree Reserve that will feature Adirondack chairs and firepits, where students can congregate between 8 p.m. and midnight and enjoy trivia games, s’mores, and other programming.
CONTRIBUTING STAFF
Sean Smith
Other scheduled programming includes the annual BC Arts Festival, which takes place April 29-May 1. (Some events and activities were not yet confirmed at press time.) In addition, Mogan noted that this spring O’Connell House—a student union located on Upper Campus—will be avail-
Christine Balquist Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan
Chronicle
PHOTOGRAPHERS
www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu
Patricia Delaney EDITOR
Students attending “Turks and CaiStokes,” one of several events organized by University departments and offices to promote student engagement. photo by justin knight
Lee Pellegrini Peter Julian
able for small groups (up to six people) of students to reserve for recreation, such as ping-pong or video games. The building will be staffed by graduate students, who will confirm reservations and ensure that visitors are in compliance with COVID protocols. —University Communications
The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (617)552-3350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135. A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.
Chronicle
March 25, 2021
BC Alpha Sigma Nu Honors Serazio BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER
Michael Serazio, an associate professor in the Communication Department, was named the 2021 “Teacher of the Year” by the Boston College chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit institutions of higher education. Each year, students in ASN select the BC professor whom they believe embodies the Alpha Sigma Nu tenets of scholarship, loyalty, and service. Serazio’s honor was announced during the March 21 Alpha Sigma Nu student virtual induction ceremony, at which 93 BC juniors who have exhibited the honor society’s values were also recognized. He was one of 20 professors nominated for the award. “Professor Serazio’s curriculum continually references current events and phenomena and examines their human, social implications,” said Margaret DiPatri ’22 in her formal nomination for Serazio as Teacher of the Year. “For example, in his Sports, Media, and Culture class, we would often discuss the racial-justice implications of the topic we were learning about, whether that be football positions, treatment of journalists, or political protest in sports. Although we’re learning about the media, an institution that doesn’t always feel human, he brings humanity into class and isn’t afraid to ask tough questions and encourage debate and discussion. “He truly cares about and listens to his students in a way that stands out from any other professor I’ve had,” added DiPatri. “During the pandemic, he has continually offered his support and adjusted the class around students’ needs. He emphasizes that his class should be a distraction from the stress of the world and something that brings us joy. When we chant ‘team human’ at the end of class, it truly makes a
Assoc. Prof. Michael Serazio (Communication). “He brings humanity into class and isn’t afraid to ask tough questions and encourage debate and discussion,” according to the student who nominated him for Teacher of the Year. photo by lee pellegrini
difference in my day and reminds me that he is a professor who truly does a service to his students by genuinely caring for their well-being and happiness.” A native of San Diego, Serazio focuses his research and teaching on media production, advertising, popular culture, political communication, and new media. His latest book is The Power of Sports: Media and Spectacle in American Culture, an analysis of how sports culture explains and reflects contemporary American life—from journalism to politics to commercialism to gender. Offering remarks during the virtual ceremony, Serazio, who began teaching at BC in 2015 after five years at Fairfield University, said he was “deeply, profoundly
humbled by this honor – for three reasons. First of all, given the incredible talent and dedication of my colleagues across campus, I feel lucky to even share chalkboard space with them, much less be recognized in this fashion. Secondly, any success that I’ve been fortunate to have in the classroom is surely a product of the role models that I had as mentors over the years, and paying that forward seems like the least I can do. “And, thirdly, I should really be sharing this with you because it’s more a testament to the brilliant, diverse, hard-working, and good-hearted young people who fill out my class rosters, of which these Alpha Sigma Nu inductees represent the highest ideal.” Serazio serves on the journalism program steering committee and the Church in the 21st Century’s advisory committee, and previously was an editorial board member for the National Seminar of Jesuit Higher Education, which publishes Conversations magazine. Serazio received a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication, and holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of San Francisco and an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University. “I can still hear the voices of [my] mentors,” said Serazio, “less for the details of the lessons that they taught and more for the wisdom that they radiated, and the orientation toward the world that they modeled: curiosity, playfulness, integrity. I hope that you, too, continue hearing the voices of your mentors, long after you’ve left the Heights, like the bell atop Gasson tolling across the distance of your lives.” Founded in 1915, Alpha Sigma Nu encourages its members to pursue a lifelong quest of intellectual development, deepening Ignatian spirituality, service to others, and a commitment to the core principles of Jesuit education.
Diversity & Inclusion Summit Set for May 26 The sixth annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit will be held virtually on May 26, offering an opportunity for faculty and staff to learn about promoting and sustaining an inclusive environment as well as personal and organizational actionable strategies for change. Registration for “Catalysts for Change,” which is sponsored by the Office for Institutional Diversity, begins April 5. “Over this past year, the confluence of twin pandemics, global COVID-19 and systemic racism, has served to remind us of the work that still needs to be done individually and organizationally,” said OID Executive Director Patricia Lowe. “As catalysts for change, we are committed to promoting and sustaining an inclusive environment that motivates us to be fully engaged in our community, enabling us to bring our whole selves in contributing to a just and equitable Boston College community.”
Keynote speeches by two senior University administrators highlight this year’s summit: BC Law Dean Vincent Rougeau and Vice President for Institutional Research and Planning Mara Hermano. Rougeau—who will be leaving BC Law this summer after 10 years to become president of the College of the Holy Cross—is a national expert on Catholic social teaching and the role of moral and religious values in law-making and public policy. The author of Christians in the American Empire: Faith and Citizenship in the New World Order, Rougeau focuses his research and writing on the relationship between religious identity and citizenship in highly mobile and increasingly multicultural democratic societies. He is the inaugural director of the Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America, current president of the American Association of Law Schools, and a senior fellow at the Centre for Theology
and Community in London. Hermano has led the Institutional Research and Planning division since 2019, providing information, analysis, and consulting services to enhance decision-making and planning at Boston College. A native of the Philippines who is fluent in English, Spanish, and Tagalog, she is co-editor of The Art of Critical Making: Rhode Island School of Design on Creative Practice and At Home with Filipino Art and Artists, and editor of Spanish Artists from the Fourth to the Twentieth Century: A Critical Dictionary and Lamesa: The Filipino Table. Hermano is a member of the Commission on Accreditation of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and speaks nationally on critical issues in art and design education. For more information, and to register for the Diversity and Inclusion Summit, go to bc.edu/diversity-summit. —Christine Balquist
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Ring Is Named Interim Law Dean Boston College Law School Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty Diane Ring will serve as interim dean of the Law School, Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley has announced. Ring will assume the post in June, succeeding Vincent Rougeau, who will become president of the College of the Holy Cross. Quigley made the an- photo: chris soldt/mts nouncement in a letter last week to the BC Law community. Ring, the Dr. Thomas F. Carney Distinguished Scholar, joined the Law School in 2005. She has been associate dean of faculty since 2018; she also served as associate dean for academic affairs from 2010 to 2012. An acclaimed specialist in taxation and corporate law, Ring has held consulting and leadership roles with the United Nations, the American Bar Association, and several other organizations. “I am grateful for Diane’s commitment to the Law School, and I look forward to working closely with her over the coming academic year,” wrote Quigley. Quigley praised Rougeau, who became BC Law dean in 2011, for his work at BC Law and across the University, including his service as inaugural director of the Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America. “Vince has been a remarkable leader and a valued colleague for so many of us across campus. His tenure has been marked by investment in the Law School’s faculty, an expansion of international partnerships, and a commitment to building a stronger sense of community for students, faculty, staff, and alumni.” Quigley added that he expects to hire an executive search firm by the summer and announce members of a search committee for the new dean by early fall. “The committee’s work will span the next academic year and we will hope to be able to wrap up a successful search by spring 2022,” said Quigley, who noted that there will be opportunities for community input during the fall semester. —University Communications
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for graduate programs for the 2021-2022 academic year, including Boston College Law ($60,700), and the full-time MBA program in the Carroll School of Management ($56,760). Boston College is ranked 42nd in the “Best Value Schools” category among national universities by US News & World Report, and placed 19th in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s most recent ranking of the top 50 “Best Values” among American private universities. In 2020, Boston College was 26th out of 958 schools in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s listing of “Colleges That Are the Most Generous to the Financially Neediest Students.” —University Communications
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Book Traces 50-Year Story of the BC Campus School BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER
There is much to celebrate at the half-century mark of the Campus School at Boston College: the education of some 2,500 special needs students in a “culture of care,” based on the philosophy that all are capable of learning; ground-breaking adaptive technology developed by BC faculty members to support its curriculum; the establishment of a thriving undergraduate volunteer program, and other hallmarks. The vibrant story of the Campus School, which opened in 1970 with 20 students, is documented in a new history book to commemorate its 50th anniversary. Its treatment by principal authors Phil DiMattia and Don Ricciato—both former directors who have been associated with the school since its beginnings—is both
A number of achievements during the Campus School’s evolution are highlighted in the book, such as the building of an inclusive playground and the establishment of programs including Best Buddies, Creative Kids, Campus School Volunteers of Boston College, and Supported Employment. Also documented is the school’s collaboration with faculty and engagement in research. A prime example is the EagleEyes Project—an award-winning initiative of the Carroll School of Management, Computer Science Department, and Campus School—which enables individuals with severe physical disabilities, most of whom cannot speak and can move only their eyes or heads, to access computers. The project has been significant in facilitating the “hidden curriculum,” which fosters increased self-esteem and empowerment through
Campus School Story authors Phil DiMattia, left, and Don Ricciato
heartfelt and illuminative. Among the first of its kind in Massachusetts, the school, situated in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Campion Hall, educates students ages three to 21 with multiple disabilities, including complex health care needs. “For 50 years, the Campus School has provided equal education opportunities to students whose special needs could not be met in public school programs,” the authors said. “Today, the program’s highly specialized services tailored to individual student needs enable all its students, who have severe and multiple disabilities, to develop to their full potential.” At nearly 300 pages, The Boston College Campus School Story, 1970–2020, takes a deep dive into the school’s genesis, vision, and evolution, and highlights the work of the Campus School in its golden anniversary. It is a school for “some of society’s most needy and disadvantaged members,” the authors write. Since its inception, the Campus School has worked collaboratively with families and school districts so that students receive responsive educational and related services. School staff utilize a transdisciplinary collaborative approach and strive to ensure that all students have active and meaningful participation in all aspects of the program, they note. Students have access to the curriculum in a communication-rich environment, to attain skills necessary to lead engaged, enriched lives.
photos by lee pellegrini
personal expression. The history includes many testimonials from parents of students, staff members, student volunteers past and present, and teachers. These “poignant reflections capture what is special about the Campus School and its impact on their lives,” according to the authors. “The number of BC undergraduates whose student formation was impacted by their involvement is incalculable. They often cite that their experience was life altering.” When asked what was most meaningful to them about this project, DiMattia and Ricciato responded: “The opportunity to reflect on the important and noble work of the Campus School staff members over the decades that has made a difference in the lives of students and their families, as well as the commitment of Boston College in supporting the mission of the program. Additionally, the benefit of the involvement of the many undergraduate volunteers and the collaboration with faculty and staff, from departments across campus, was a truly unique aspect of the program.” Contributors to the book include John Eichorn, who chaired the then-School of Education’s special education division and, with DiMattia, was the school’s principal founder; Rev. Charles F. Donovan S.J., then-dean of the School of Education; and now-retired Lynch School professor Penny Hauser-Cram. Published independently, the book is available on Amazon in paperback and electronic versions: bit.ly/campusschool-history.
March 25, 2021
A logo is “arguably the most prominent representation of a brand, wherever that brand operates,” according to Henrik Hagtvedt. “To design and deploy a logo haphazardly is a questionable practice.” photo by gary wayne gilbert
A Long Look at Logos They’ve become an indispensible tool for influencing consumers, says Carroll School’s Hagtvedt BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER
In new research based in part on opinions from 17,000 consumers, Carroll School of Management Associate Professor of Marketing Henrik Hagtvedt and colleague Tanvi Gupta found that compact logos can encourage favorable brand evaluations by signaling product safety. The findings reveal that typography—specifically tracking, or the spacing between letters in a word—can influence consumers’ interpretations of brand logos. Further, the interpretation is influenced by cultural factors, the researchers reported in a recent edition of the Journal of Consumer Research. In addition to the survey data, the results were confirmed in experiments, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public health guidance on social or physical distancing put a new emphasis on space, Hagtvedt said. “We found fairly consistent patterns in these responses, even during the pandemic, when some brands were experimenting with placing the letters of logos farther apart to emulate a social distancing signal,” he said. The researchers analyzed data from 17,000 consumers rating 629 brands. Hagtvedt and Gupta, a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management Udaipur, found compact logos, where tight tracking leaves less space, encouraged favorable brand attitudes when compared to loose logos, where loose tracking creates a more spacious appearance. According to consumers, compact logos signaled that the brand was reliable, secure, and trustworthy. Logos are central to the ways brands communicate with consumers. Logos that appear physically robust imply a brand’s products are safe to use, Hagtvedt said. Compact logos were shown to send a message to consumers implying their products were sturdy and secure. This is particularly the case with textual logos, where consumers show sensitivity to the spacing between letters. Tight lettering equates to sturdiness in the minds of most consumers, whereas too much space may imply vulnerability, Hagtvedt said. Cultural influences are also at play, according to the new report, titled “Safe Together, Vulnerable Apart: How Inter-
stitial Space in Text Logos Impacts Brand Attitudes in Tight versus Loose Cultures.” Drawing on the work of anthropologists, the researchers focused on two groups of consumers: those considered culturally “tight” or “loose.” Tight cultures are a function of adapting to threats, such as violence or natural disasters. Individuals from this group are likely to favor the appearance of tight structure. In the U.S., studies have shown southern states tend to display cultural tightness, while states in the West and Northeast reveal looser structure. Factors such as religion, organization, or industry, can influence cultural tightness. Gupta and Hagtvedt report that consumers tended to favor compact logos over spacious ones, regardless of cultural tightness, under ordinary circumstances. However, when the experiments involved contexts with potential safety concerns (such as products related to pharmaceuticals or mobile financial services), only culturally tight consumers responded more favorably to the compact logos. The researchers suspect that the latter findings stem from culturally loose individuals associating space with freedom or autonomy, and being especially sensitive to that signal when safety is threatened. Among these individuals, the restrictive associations of compact logos can balance out the positive security signal. The findings add to the understanding of how people draw meaning from visual communications, a key insight for brand managers and businesses of all sizes, said Hagtvedt. At the same time, they provide practical tips to organizations and individuals seeking to signal safety, depending on the context as well as the relevant culture. Developing better quantitative standards can help organizations better assess how their designs may be perceived, rather than going on “gut” intuition about what makes a successful logo. “It is important to know what kind of signal a logo sends,” said Hagtvedt. “Businesses spend millions on not just designing their logos, but on using their logos in brand communications. It is arguably the most prominent representation of a brand, wherever that brand operates. It has an enormous influence on consumers. To design and deploy a logo haphazardly is a questionable practice.”
Chronicle
March 25, 2021
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A Culture That’s Too Out of Touch When it comes to personal contact, Kearney feels COVID made a bad situation worse BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
A lot has been lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the earliest causalities were handshakes and hugs, as people were told to maintain physical distance in order to stay safe—and the effect has been profound, according to Richard Kearney, holder of the Charles Seelig Chair of Philosophy. “The more touch is impossible, the more one wants it and appreciates how vital it is to our being,” he said. Kearney had been thinking about the hunger for touch even before the pandemic, and his new book, Touch: Recovering Our Most Vital Sense, offers a timely, clarion call to reemphasize the importance of touch, an essential essence of our humanness and conduit for well-being. According to Kearney, we are living in a digital age, an age of excarnation (flesh becoming image) that delivers connectivity but not necessarily closeness. In Touch, he cites studies from AARP and Cigna Health that show an epidemic of loneliness, particularly among millennials and Generation Z. And while Kearney is not advocating for a rollback of technological advances, as a philosopher and public intellectual, he asks, “What do we lose when our culture goes 90 percent digital? What does it mean for human communication at the level of person to person?” These are questions Kearney discusses with his students in Philosophy of Imagination and Plato and Desire classes. “Skin is our largest organ,” said Kearney. “And tactile communication—to touch and be touched—is absolutely fundamental and so important to our physical and mental well-being. But we have forgotten how important touch is. And prepandemic, we took touch for granted.” Kearney notes that touch differs from the other senses due to its reciprocity nature, or double sensation. “You can see without being seen, and hear without being heard, but you cannot touch without being touched,” he said. In Touch, Kearney traces the idea of the primacy of touch to Aristotle who said it was the most philosophical of our senses and leads to vulnerability, sensitivity, and empathy and to a more ethical human being. Plato argued for the primacy of sight over touch, notes Kearney, an optocentric perspective that ultimately prevailed in Western thought. Likewise, in the United States, writes Kearney, the Hippocratic method of medicine has sidelined the Asclepian approach, with pharmaceuticals and diagnostics seen as superior to tactile and natural methods. But touch is central to healing, Kearney said, noting that tender touch alleviates anxiety, lowers blood pressure, bolsters immunity, and aids sleep and digestion. In
the book, Kearney explores the powerful role of touch in healing, palliative care, trauma recovery, and therapy. Touch is also a family affair for Kearney: His wife Anne and daughters Simone and Sarah provided illustrations for the book, and he cites the role of touch in the work of his brothers, Michael, a palliative care specialist, and Peter, a cardiac surgeon. Kearney’s thoughts on touch go beyond human to human contact. He writes about the therapeutic powers of touching animals, such as dogs, horses, and dolphins. He also extends the notion of touch to planet Earth itself, whether it is the benefits of gardening or the need for humans to be better in touch with nature.
imagination and incarnate action.” The primacy of touch is also a key component to hospitality or opening oneself up to another—the subject of a second new book from Kearney. Radical Hospitality: From Thought to Action is co-authored by Kearney and Melissa Fitzpatrick, who received a Ph.D. in philosophy from BC in 2019 and now serves as an assistant professor of the practice in the Carroll School of Management Portico program. In their book, Kearney and Fitzpatrick show how radical hospitality happens by crossing borders, literal or figurative, and opening oneself in narrative exchange to someone else, a stranger or perhaps even an enemy. According to the authors, amidst
Seelig Professor of Philosophy Richard Kearney: “The more touch is impossible, the more one wants it and appreciates how vital it is to our being.” photo by lee pellegrini
“The pandemic, along with the ecological crisis of climate change, is a double wake-up call for the need for touch,” he said. In his conclusion, Kearney calls for mutually enhancing symbiosis, an interconnectedness of the digital and the tactile that calls for striking the right balance between the two, not choosing one over the other. “Ultimately, it is a matter of both/and [not either/or]. It is clear that to live fully in tomorrow’s world we will need both virtual
the fears, dogmas, and demands for certainty and security that push us toward hostility, we also desire to wager with the unknown, leap into the unanticipated, and celebrate the new. In an era of border anxiety and increased refugees and migrants, Radical Hospitality seeks to cultivate a willingness to be open and welcoming to new voices and new understandings. In the first part of the book, Kearney explores the four faces of hospitality: lin-
Snapshot Coming soon
As winter wound down, the University’s new science facility on Middle Campus continued to take shape. The 150,000-square-foot building, which will house the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, will open later this year.
guistic, narrative, confessional, and carnal. In the second part of the book, Fitzpatrick examines the line between theory and practice and the relationship between hospitality and moral psychology. In particular, she considers the philosophies of Kant, Levinas, and Arendt, and draws upon her own experiences in the Mississippi Delta and on the U.S.-Mexico border. Radical Hospitality is a product of the Guestbook Project that Kearney launched at Boston College in 2009: an international initiative that uses digital storytelling and narrative exchanges as ways to heal divisions and build peace and reconciliation. Kearney believes that when people from opposing sides exchange stories it can lead to empathy, unity, and mutual understanding. Kearney, who teaches a summer course called BC in Croatia: Peace and Hospitality at the Borders of Europe, has been involved in peace initiatives in Northern Ireland. His model of narrative exchanges as a means to bring about peace has been championed by leaders, most notably President of Ireland Michael Higgins, who cited Kearney and his “hospitality of narratives” in a recent op-ed in The Guardian and in a national address late last year. Radical Hospitality will be formally launched at the Guestbook Project’s April 24 symposium on “Digital Peace Pedagogy: The Risk of Narrative Exchange.” For more information, go to guestbookproject.org. Yet another recent Kearney-related publication is Imagination Now: A Richard Kearney Reader, a compendium of his most seminal works over the past three decades. Edited by M.E. Littlejohn, Imagination Now offers a selection of Kearney’s writing on philosophy of the imagination, hermeneutics, philosophy of religion, ethics, psychology, practical philosophy, and politics. The volume concludes with a dialogue with Kearney, who reflects on his journey and brings his thinking to bear on pressing concerns of the current day.
PHOTOS BY LEE PELLEGRINI
Chronicle
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March 25, 2021
School Seeks Leadership Role in Addressing Trauma Continued from page 1
to have the skills necessary for recognizing trauma, as well as the extent and cause of the trauma. We believe the TII will give BCSSW students the tools they need to do this, and thus be able to effectively intervene.” There are other, more personal benefits for students in a trauma-informed program, said BCSSW Assistant Dean for Field Practice Susan Coleman. “Social workers come into the helping role for a number of reasons, but for many it’s because they themselves have experienced trauma or loss, and they want to ‘give back’ in some way. In fact, social workers are two to three times more likely to have had Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), so while this gives them a strong empathetic quality for helping others with trauma, it means they may be vulnerable to reliving their past trauma. “But any social worker, ACE or not, can find themselves developing secondary trauma from their work. Hopefully, they are able to find ways to manage the stress. With the TII, we’re saying, ‘Let’s give these students the means to deal with trauma right now, even as they’re learning to become social workers.’” Assistant Professor of the Practice Kathleen Flinton, who joined the BCSSW faculty last July, has an extensive, two decadeslong background in treating trauma which she employs in structuring the BCSSW curriculum to reflect the TII objectives: for example, integrating trauma-related content into existing courses or creating new ones that are geared to trauma-informed practice. She notes that the trauma curriculum is anchored in the Health and Mental Health department but is open to all students through the BCSSW trauma certificate program, and covers both clinical and macro specializations, as well as BCSSW’s other fields of practice, such as Children, Youth, and Families, Global Practice, or Older Adults and Families. Self-care, according to Flinton, is an integral part of the curriculum. “We talk about the importance of being aware of your health, how you respond to workrelated experiences, the things you can do to stay present. We realize some students have known trauma in their own lives, so we walk a fine line: We don’t try to elicit their experiences, but we let them know we understand.” As part of the TII, Coleman and her colleagues have utilized a trauma-informed perspective in redesigning the matching, advising, and supervision of the approximately 500 students who are in M.S.W. field placements every year. This entails, she said, “being aware of what students may be bringing with them in their fieldwork, and helping them cope as necessary.” But BCSSW’s vision of field placement, and its role in social work education, has a Jesuit orientation, she added. “Social work is not just about professional skills: You’re bringing your ‘self ’ into the job. That’s at the heart of formation, along the lines of the questions [Theology Professor] Michael Himes asks students
Scott Easton and Susan Coleman are the co-founders of the Boston College School of Social Work’s Trauma Integration Initiative. photos by lee pellegrini and peter julian
to consider in thinking about their vocations: What brings me joy? What am I good at? What does the world need me to be? We ask our students not only to think about their gifts but their whole self, and how it may shape their vocation as a social worker.” Easton oversees the TII’s research component, which includes seeking or clarifying linkages between faculty members whose areas of interest have relevance to trauma, such as neuroscience, immigration issues, or parenthood. The TII also intends
to foster faculty collaborations on scholarly publications, development of research proposals, and other activities. Last fall, BCSSW faculty, students, and alumni presented research on trauma’s impact on social workers at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting. Sally Doherty, a Needham, Mass., native in her final year at BCSSW, appreciates that the TII enables students to recognize “that trauma is multi-layered and has a multifaceted impact,” and has found useful its emphasis on “the ecology of trauma”—
the impact of structural violence and oppression and social determinants of health. “I am confident that I am prepared to process any potential impact that dealing with trauma could have on my personal well-being,” said Doherty. “The TII has provided me with tools to ensure that I am practicing self-care as I take on this work with a focus on trauma.” Hilary Dobel, also in her final year, feels the TII has helped her to understand the mental and physical effects of trauma, “as well as the language for talking about those effects with someone who might be suffering.” Learning about socioeconomic conditions and injustices that contribute to trauma “rather than looking at a person’s suffering in a vacuum” also has been a valuable experience. “I learned that, as a clinician, just hearing about someone else’s trauma can have a profound effect on your own mental health,” said Dobel. “You have to be aware of that possibility in order to care for yourself and to be able to keep doing this work. The TII has also been incredibly helpful for my intellectual and emotional understanding of how these processes can occur— what can make a clinical interaction risky for me as well as the person I’m working with, and what recovery can look like.”
‘Mr. Mayor’ Is Now ‘Mr. Secretary’ Continued from page 1
ient economy, and fight for workers in his hometown,” including advocating for a $15 minimum wage and paid family leave, according to the nomination announcement from the Biden team. “The world ‘labor’ means everything to me,” Walsh said in accepting the nomination, adding that he looks forward to working with the president to “deliver good jobs with dignity, security, prosperity, and purpose to all American families.” During his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in early February, Walsh said he shared the commitment of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to the health and safety of working people, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, and cited his record of support for policies promoting worker protection, equal access to good jobs, and continuing education and job training. “Millions of American families right now need them,” said Walsh, who prior to becoming mayor served as a leader in organized labor and a state representative. “I’ve spent my entire career at different levels, fighting for them.” During his career, he said, he also sought to advance economic development and promote policies to close gender wage gaps and increase racial equity. “I believe everyone, including veterans, LGBTQ Americans, immigrants, and people with disabilities must have full access to eco-
nomic opportunities and fair treatment in the workplace,” he said. “Secretary Walsh embodies the passion and determination that are central to the mission of Woods College,” said Dean Karen Muncaster. “We are proud to have such a distinguished public servant among our graduates, and one who so exemplifies the ideals of BC’s Jesuit mission of service to others. “The fact that he has faced challenges during his journey really resonates with our students,” she said. “His story is inspiring for other working adults who want to advance their education, their lives, and the lives of others.” The son of Irish immigrants, Walsh is a lifelong resident of Dorchester, Boston’s largest neighborhood. No stranger to life’s difficulties, he battled cancer as a child, and speaks openly about his recovery from alcoholism as a young adult. Overcoming these challenges himself gave rise to a strong desire to help others, and led to his advocacy for the homeless and those struggling with substance abuse, and, in particular, for access to education, which he hails as the gateway to opportunity. Walsh, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Woods College at age 42, attributes the fulfillment of his dream of becoming a college graduate not only to personal tenacity but also to the encouragement of family, friends, colleagues, and supportive faculty and administrators. Though
he calls the Woods College “an amazing place to learn,” he freely owns that the road to his degree, which he pursued while working full time as a legislator in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, wasn’t an easy one. He shared his experience with graduating students of the Woods College when he received the school’s Distinguished Alumni Award at a ceremony in 2014. “I know how hard it was for you to get here tonight,” he told them, acknowledging the challenge of balancing classes and coursework with work, family, and other responsibilities, and recalling how he would at times arrive at campus and sit in his car weighing whether or not to go to class, thinking of other commitments vying for his attention. “Sometimes school just wasn’t my first priority.” But when he passed Conte Forum while walking to class, he said, he never imagined he’d one day return to the venue for his inauguration ceremony—or that his Woods College diploma would then hang in the mayor’s office at Boston City Hall. “It takes perseverance to get to where you are,” he said. “You have changed your lives, and now you can change the lives of your families, your communities, and your society. “It’s never too late to follow your dream.”
Chronicle
March 25, 2021
WELCOME ADDITIONS
BC in the Media
An Introduction to New Faculty at Boston College Qiong Ma
Assistant Professor of Physics, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: University of Science and Technology of China (B.S.); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D.) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Experimental condensed matter physics; topological and correlated materials; 2D materials and devices; nanofabrication; electronic transport, optical and optoelectronic measurements of quantum materials.
Talk about the general focus of your research and the particular challenges of working with quantum materials.
“My research focuses on discovering new electronic phases in quantum materials. For example, a quantum material with fixed chemistry could behave as an insulator, metal, superconductor, or magnet depending on the charge carrier density, symmetry, electron-electron interactions, and other material parameters. The challenge lies in how we can precisely and continuously control those parameters to realize a complete phase diagram.”
Cherlie Magny-Normilus Research Scholar, Connell School of Nursing DEGREES: Curry College (B.S.); Regis College (M.S.); University of Massachusetts-Lowell (Ph.D.); Yale University (Postdoctoral Fellowship) WHAT SHE STUDIES: Health promotion behavior across the lifespan; perceptual aspects of self-management; chronic disease self-management; type 2 diabetes; immigrant health; health disparities research. WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Examining Diversity in Nursing and Health Care
You have received a NIH/National Institute of Nursing Research grant for the project “Self-Management and Glycemic Control
in Adult Haitian Immigrants with Type 2 Diabetes.” What’s your interest in chronic disease in general and Haitian immigrants specifically?
“My personal and professional life trajectory led me from Haiti to the United States. During this journey, numerous experiences have given me first-hand knowledge of health care disparities. The morbidity and mortality I have witnessed from chronic illness fuel my passion for focusing on preventive efforts while empowering patients with tools for engagement in the short and longterm. I decided to pursue nursing both as a clinician and later as a researcher to become an effective health care change agent. During my time as a staff nurse, I learned to care for patients and families of different ethnicities at the time of diagnosis with type 2 diabetes, and later, I provided advanced practice nursing care for the management of diabetes-related complications. Through these encounters, I observed the impact barriers such as lack of resources (financial, health care access, and perceived and active discrimination) had on disease and health outcomes in the Haitian immigrant community. So now, through support from the K99/R00 grant, I am working on characterizing self-management behaviors, barriers to type 2 diabetes self-management activities, and glycemic targets to develop novel interventions for adult Haitian immigrants.”
Tuomas Tomunen
Assistant Professor of Finance, Carroll School of Management DEGREES: Aalto University (B.Sc., M.Sc.); Columbia Business School (M.Phil., Ph.D.) WHAT HE STUDIES: Asset pricing; financial intermediaries; insurance; climate finance; the role of financial markets in mitigating the effects of climate change on society. WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Investments
What if, instead of giving up candy or screen time for Lent, teenagers gave up things like negative self-thoughts, self-harm and comparison? Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences senior Michael Lyons posed the question in an essay written for a journalism course and published by America magazine.
by Bloomberg News.
Attempts by people farther down the list to get ahead of those deemed higher priority are not only unethical but may also undermine trust in the vaccine rollout, wrote Prof. Katharine Young (Law) in a piece for The Conversation.
Debbie Hogan, a faculty member in the Woods College of Advancing Studies M.S. in Sports Administration program and assistant director of the BC School of Social Work doctoral program, was among experts weighing in for WalletHub.com on the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament prognostication mix.
O’Neill Professor of American Politics R. Shep Melnick, author of The Transformation of Title IX, offered comments to The New York Times regarding news that the Biden administration will examine regulations put in place by former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. A year after churches locked down, Assoc. Prof. Hosffman Ospino (STM) reflected in a piece for National Catholic Reporter on how he has “returned” to Mass celebrated outdoors, even in winter. Assoc. Prof. Robert Murphy (Economics) appeared on GBH’s “Morning Edition” to discuss what the latest jobs report may signal about economic recovery. After people visualize themselves in a balloon, they tend to make more far-sighted financial decisions, according to research by Assoc. Prof. Min Zhao (CSOM), cited
Prof. John Baldovin, S.J. (STM), spoke with National Catholic Reporter about a new instruction from the Vatican’s Secretariat of State banning the practice of individual Masses inside St. Peter’s Basilica and placing limits on the use of the Latin rite.
The disparity between the reception to President Barack Obama’s 2009 stimulus plan and President Biden’s is the result of several seismic shifts in American politics, according to Assoc. Prof. David Hopkins (Political Science), interviewed by The Washington Post. Lynch School of Education and Human Development Research Professor Philip Altbach wrote a piece for University World News on why Latin America needs worldclass universities. Monan Professor of Theology Lisa Sowle Cahill was among Catholic leaders and ethicists who spoke with The Washington Post on statements by U.S. Catholic bishops about the morality of taking the coronavirus vaccines.
—Ed Hayward, Kathleen Sullivan
EASTER SCHEDULE
photos by lee pellegrini and peter julian
Grant Is New Men’s BB Coach William V. Campbell Director of Athletics Pat Kraft last week named Earl Grant as The Clement and Elizabeth Izzi Family Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Boston College. Grant brings an impressive track record to BC, having turned the College of Charleston men’s basketball program into a consistent championship contender in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Grant led the Cougars to a top-four finish in the CAA in each of the last five seasons, including the 2018 regular season and conference tournament championship. Under Grant’s leadership, the College of Charleston was one of only 21 NCAA Division I schools to have players drafted in both the 2019 and 2020 NBA drafts. A finalist for the 2019 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award—presented annually to a coach who not only achieves success on the basketball court, but who also displays moral integrity off the court—Grant guided the Cougars to three 20-win campaigns and a 67-22 home-court winning record over the previous six years and produced
7
A reminder about the University schedule for Easter Weekend: •Classes will end at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 1. •The University will be closed on Good Friday, April 2. •Classes will resume on the morning of Easter Monday, April 5.
Jobs
Earl Grant
photo by anthony garro
12 all-conference honorees. Known as a top recruiter, Grant has shown impressive credentials in both identifying and developing top-flight talent. No stranger to the Atlantic Coast Conference, he spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Clemson under Brad Brownell, where he made a positive impact on the Tiger men’s basketball program, both in recruiting and with player development. Grant is the 13th head coach in BC men’s basketball history. —Boston College Athletics
The following are among the recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/jobs.
Assistant Director, Graduate Program Operations, Carroll School of Management
Associate Director, Career Advising & Programming
Director, Graduate Enrollment Digital Strategy
Manager, Recruitment and Operations
Research Economist, Center for Retirement Research
Academic & Student Services Assistant Development Assistant, Participatory Giving Director, Financial Aid Director, Sponsored Programs Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing Speech/Language Pathologist Learning Designer Senior Fiscal & Grant Administrator
Assistant Director, Strategic Sourcing
Academic Support Assistant, Carroll School of Management Associate Director, Prospect Management DevOps Systems Administrator Dean, Connell School of Nursing Engineering Projects Manager Post-doctoral Research Fellow (multiple positions)
Chronicle
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March 25, 2021
BURNS LECTURE, MARCH 31
Ireland and the Struggle Against Modernity BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR
Jimmy Gralton (1886-1945) might seem a quirky, and dubious, footnote in Irish history. A Leitrim native who twice emigrated to and returned from the United States, Gralton was an ardent Communist and combatant in the struggle for independence against Britain, and later turned a hall he built on his property into a hub of political activism and a venue for jazz, arousing the wrath of Catholic priests and local authorities who denounced him for being a Communist. In 1933, he became the only Irishman ever to be deported from Ireland. But Fearghal McGarry, the Burns Library Visiting Scholar in Irish Studies at Boston College this semester, sees Gralton’s story as reflecting the tensions that wracked the stillyoung Irish nation as it sought to establish itself. According to McGarry, it wasn’t just Gralton’s radicalism that troubled the civic and religious leadership, but his promotion of activities—such as listening to jazz or going to dance halls—they believed to be immoral. McGarry will explain the larger significance of Gralton’s story next week when he presents “Communism, Sex, and All That Jazz: The Struggle Against Modernity in Interwar Ireland” as part of the Burns Lecture series. His talk will be livestreamed on March 31 at 2 p.m. via YouTube [youtube.com/ watch?v=_8aruUK8B5o]. “Between the world wars in Ireland, there was a lot of anxiety about modern culture, modern trends, as represented by Communism, jazz, and cinema,” said McGarry, a professor of modern Irish history at Queen’s University Belfast. “What’s interesting is, you have all the clerical and nationalist denunciations of these things, but a lot of them are very popular with ordinary men and women: The cinemas are full, people love dancing, and so on. “There’s a lot of hostility to these modern influences beyond Ireland: For example, Nazi Germany depicts jazz in anti-Semitic, racist terms, while in the Soviet Union it’s denounced as a symbol of decadent capitalism. But in Ireland, a lot of these concerns are expressed in terms of Catholicism, and in the desire to protect Gaelic culture. So in a weird way, there’s almost a positive element to this repressive, censorial atmosphere, because it’s about the idea of constructing an Irish identity.” McGarry is the latest in a long line of distinguished academics, writers, artists, journalists, librarians, and notable public figures whose significant contributions to Irish cultural and intellectual life have earned them the position of Burns Scholar. Appointees teach courses, offer public lectures, and use the University’s John J. Burns Library in their ongoing research, writing, and creative endeavors related to Irish history, art, and culture. A member of the Royal Irish Academy, the Dublin-area native has written or edited 11 volumes on Irish history. His earlier work, including studies of Ireland and the Spanish Civil War, explored Ireland in an interwarEuropean context. His recent research, pre-
Burns Scholar Fearghal McGarry: “It’s important to note how events outside Ireland during that period [1916-22] shaped what happened in Ireland, but also how events in Ireland resonated elsewhere.” photo by lee pellegrini
sented in publications including The Rising and The Abbey Rebels of 1916: A Lost Revolution, focuses on the Irish revolution and the cultural and political revival from which it emerged. McGarry needed little in the way of introduction to Boston College when he arrived to begin his Burns Scholar appointment. He’s done research at the Burns Library and spoken at the University several times, including at the 2016 conference organized by BC’s Irish Studies Program to commemorate the centenary of the Irish Easter Week Rising. McGarry also has worked with Boston College Ireland on Century Ireland, an online historical newspaper that details events in Irish life from a century ago. “I had a big ambition to come here,” he said. “The Burns Scholar chair is a very prestigious, sought-after honor in Ireland. The facilities at BC are outstanding, particularly the resources at the Burns Library. But it also gives you a lot of space and time to advance your research and write your book, and there’s the opportunity to teach as well, which is fun.” McGarry’s class, Modernity and Tradition in Interwar Ireland—open to undergraduate and graduate students—along with the theme of his forthcoming lecture, reflect his longstanding interest in using a more expansive research lens on the Irish Revolution, which encompasses the 1916 rising and subsequent war for independence from Britain, as well as the 1922 Irish civil war. As McGarry notes, perspectives about this crucial period in Irish history have shifted in recent decades. In past generations, including his schoolboy days, the focus was on the heroism and sacrifice of Irish rebels such as Padraic Pearse, and Ireland’s eventual success in winning independence. Over time, there has been an increased desire for a more thorough, diverse, and nuanced reading of the Irish revolution, including the important role women played and the range of radical ideologies among those involved. McGarry, for his part, explored a trove of nearly 2,000 previously unreleased witness
statements in writing The Rising, which he describes as “a social history from below”— recollections of rank-and-file revolutionaries. For Abbey Rebels, he relates the stories of seven unlikely rebels, all connected with Dublin’s famed Abbey Theatre, including actors, a carpenter, an usherette, and the composer of Ireland’s national anthem. “This rising was a revolutionary movement,” said McGarry. “There were socialists, labor activists, feminists, and others whose vision of Ireland was quite different than that
of the nationalists and conservatives. The revolution ended with the civil war, when the government felt compelled to enforce its legitimacy, which involved a close relationship with the Catholic Church and promoting a narrow cultural vision without radical experimentalism.” But McGarry sees a need to look beyond Ireland to get a better grasp of Irish history. “It’s important to note how events outside Ireland during that period shaped what happened in Ireland, but also how events in Ireland resonated elsewhere. The Irish revolution took place at a time when the age of empires was ending and a new world was starting to take shape. So this meant there was far more attention being paid to Ireland than before. For example, when Terence MacSwiney—playwright, author, and lord mayor of Cork—was arrested and imprisoned by the British for sedition, he went on a hunger strike and died after 74 days. This caused international outrage, especially in America, which became a key pillar of Irish support.” This transnational and global context of the Irish revolution is at the heart of “A Global History of Irish Revolution 19161923,” a project on which McGarry is collaborating with BC Irish Studies Program Interim Director Robert Savage and faculty at Edinburgh University. The project features museum exhibitions, educational resources, and special publications, and will culminate with an international conference held at Boston College planned for this September.
BC Scenes Staging area
PHOTO BY LEE PELLEGRINI
Last month, Robsham Theater was the venue for “IDK [What This Is],” written by Maggie Kearnan ’14 and directed by Professor of Theatre Scott T. Cummings. As a COVID precaution, the play, which centers on six friends who agree to participate in a social engineering experiment, was performed with multiple plexiglass safe spaces for each actor (in the photo is Katie Van Riper ’21).