Humanities

Known to millions as Grammar Girl, successful author and podcaster Mignon Coughlin Fogarty got her start as a UW English major. 

"Americans spend more than half a billion dollars annually on 150 million units of imported Christmas lights. U.S. News & World Report ranks the best Christmas light displays. And ABC’s reality TV show “The Great Christmas Light Fight” recently premiered its 10th season. Christmas lights, in short, are not only ubiquitous but also central to American culture. But that has not always been the case. The man credited with popularizing Christmas lights in the early 20th century, Albert Sadacca, had never celebrated Christmas. In fact, he was a Jew from the Muslim world," writes Devin Naar, associate professor of history and Jewish studies at the UW.

Public Art is a tough genre, which might explain why most of it is so perfunctory, but a tour of Seattle's light rail stations unearths some striking artwork. School of Art + Art History + Design Assistant Professor Whitney and alum Mary Ann Peters are quoted. 

This week, the Imagining Trans Futures cross-disciplinary research cluster is hosting an academic symposium to bring together scholars, artists, and leaders in the transgender and Asian American communities.

As a UW senior, Ricardo Ruiz (2020) met Professor Frances McCue. Their connection led to his first book of poetry, published this year.

"UW professors and alumni are at the forefront of the arts, culture, philosophy and literature. They attract speakers and performers who contribute to the vibrancy of this culturally diverse community."

The 1998 drama graduate receives the nation's highest poetry honor.

Federalism, queer history, the impact of the Russian Revolution on Jewish communities, and the evolution of Filipinx American studies are among the subjects of recent and upcoming books by UW faculty.

A new book co-edited by Scott Radnitz, associate professor in the University of Washington Jackson School of International Studies, features original papers on the roots and implications of the politics surrounding real and imagined fifth columns.

Celebrate Pride Month and the history, progress and power of the LGBTQIA+ community through a collection of works by College of Arts & Sciences faculty, students and alumni.

While studying the impact of the digital revolution on texts, students created digital editions using print publications in UW Special Collections.

Michelle Liu, teaching professor of English, explains her thoughts on teaching "To Kill a Mockingbird" in the present day.