Check out this collection of 8 of the most interesting university press blog posts for this month. We aim to keep you informed, engaged, and part of the ongoing scholarly conversations.
1. The Rise and Fall of the European Super League
The Rise and fall of the European Super League: when the American challenge backfires by David Ellwood speaks about the long history of America’s influence on the politics of innovation in Europe and how the case of the planned football Super League stands out. This is not because of the project as such, but simply because, of all the variety of responses Europe has produced when faced with the latest American novelty, none has provoked enthusiasm and rejection—above all rejection—with such extraordinary intensity, unity, and speed. (Oxford University Press) blog.oup.com
2. Nature’s Wars
Andrew Travers is an Emeritus Scientist at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC LMB) and a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. He discusses the beauty and complexity of DNA in the latest article Nature’s Wars. Read on to know more about his research here: (University of Cambridge) cambridgeblog.org
3. History informs the Present
Olivia Treynor, in her inaugural Columbia University Press Blog post, has picked up from where previous bloggers have left, providing weekly thoughts on and highlights of posts from other university press blogs. She discusses how history informs the present as she looks at topics from the evolution of literature to the 1918 pandemic to presidential photography. She has chosen topics which will intrigue the readers and force them to rethink the contributions of history in modern life and literature. Read the article here: (Columbia University Press) cupblog.org
4. Changing the relationship between libraries and university presses with Direct to Open
Direct to open is D2O is a collective model that relies on the support of libraries worldwide to publish new monographs open access as of 2022. Participating libraries not only contribute to the common good of opening up more knowledge for the world, they also receive the benefit of access the backfile monograph collection of around 2,300 books. They receive this benefit whether the model is successfully funded or not. Libraries just have to commit to support before the deadline. Read the article here: (MIT press) mitpress.mit.edu
5. Who was Euclid?
Euclid of Alexandria was a mathematician and the author of the Elements of Geometry. Utterer of apocryphal quips including the famous put-down to Ptolemy I: ‘there is no royal road to geometry’. Who was he? What did he look like? Benjamin Wardhaugh takes us through the life and works of the genius, of whom very little is known. Wardhaugh’s previous works include Gunpowder and Geometry: The Life of Charles Hutton, Pit Boy, Mathematician, and Scientific Rebel and How to Read Historical Mathematics (Princeton). Read the article here: (Princeton Press) press.princeton.edu
6. Exploitation in the name of economic recovery: A systematic disgrace in India
The Covid-19 pandemic has had devastating effects, and most nations throughout the world have been forced to impose measures like social distancing and quarantining with the aim of curbing the immediate danger. However, such measures have had inconsistent effects on different sections of the population in India. On the one hand, some sectors like education and information technology have survived and even thrived through remote working mechanisms. However, with the threat of a third wave looming, it is time to look back at how we have treated the nation’s essential workforce. Read the article here: transformingsociety.co.uk
7. The Aeneid
Translated from the original Aeneid by Vergil by Sarah Ruden, with an introduction by Susanna Braund, The Aeneid tells the story of the foundation of Rome by colonists from the East, refugees from the city of Troy in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) after it was sacked by the Greeks at the end of the ten-year Trojan War, an event to which scholars traditionally assign the date 1184 BCE. Following divine instructions, the Trojan refugees along with their native gods are led by the prince Aeneas here and there throughout the Mediterranean, seeking the right place to settle. Read the article here: (Yale University) blog.yalebooks.com
8. Thirteen new French History Books
A consolidated reading list by the OUP Press has been shared in the lead to the Bastille Day celebrations. This list contains some of the latest French history titles, for the readers to explore, share and enjoy. Good news is free access has been granted to selected chapters, for a limited time. So let’s get started! Read the article here: (Oxford University Press) blog.oup.com