St. Lawrence in the News – Feb. 8, 2021
This regular roundup features a selection of recent mentions of St. Lawrence University and its students, faculty, and staff in regional, national, and international media outlets.
Assistant Professor of Government James Sieja had an opinion piece published by RealClearPolitics on Sunday, Feb. 7, where he shared his perspective that the process by which Democrats and Republicans are approaching the second Trump impeachment is unconstitutional.
“Perhaps they are thinking about the next election or their political legacies, but Democrats and some Republicans intent on impeaching and convicting former President Donald Trump are not reading the Constitution correctly,” wrote Sieja, who studies the federal court system and regularly instructs introductory classes in American government, American legal systems, the presidency, and constitutional law.
Michael W. and Virginia R. Ranger Professor of Government Alan Draper cautions readers to resist the temptation of dismissing economic focused members of the Trump coalition as the ‘other’ as the nation enters into a new presidency in a recent opinion piece he penned that was published by USA TODAY on Thursday, Feb. 4.
Draper's work covers American political development, labor history, and the civil rights movement. He is a two-time U.S. Fulbright Scholar Award recipient and has published op-eds in the New York Times, USA TODAY, and other newspapers, and has authored and co-authored several publications.
“Electoral coalitions in the United States are composed of diverse groups. It is dangerous to lose sight of this in the ominous pictures of those who waved Trump flags and wore MAGA hats as they stormed the Capitol,” writes Draper. “But there are other parts of the Trump coalition who rationally voted their self-interest. These pocketbook Trump voters can’t be dismissed as delusive authoritarians. They are voters who will reward whoever rewards them. They are transactional, not paranoid, open to inducements that politicians normally offer.”
Associate Professor of Sociology and Department Chair Stephen Barnard, whose research focuses on issues relating to media, culture, technology, and social change, was recently featured in two media outlets discussing his thoughts on the social media implications following the insurrection at the Capitol in January.
In an interview with North Country Public Radio on Monday, Feb. 1, Barnard encouraged social media users to be more skeptical of what they are seeing online.
“I would say get back to the basics. I think the premise that everyone but the people you already agree with are lying to you is a very dangerous premise to hold. If we step back and we were to hear somebody else make that claim, we would be–or at least should be–very skeptical about that.”
In an opinion piece published by NorthJersey.com on Wednesday, Jan. 13, Barnard writes, “Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube all face similar challenges. They have placed bans or other restrictions on some of the most dangerous accounts, but have continued delivering similar content to audiences across the world. They know they have to do better.”
Barnard is an instructor for courses in St. Lawrence University’s First-Year Program and offers a community-based learning class that works with incarcerated people and administrators at a local county jail.
Assistant Professor of Economics Ryan Hickey was quoted in an article published by local television affiliate WWNY-TV on Friday, Jan. 29, about the GameStop stock battle.
Hickey’s research focuses on stock price movements and efficiencies, and he has instructed courses in macroeconomics, microeconomics, and international trade. With an increase of investments in video game retailer GameStop, share prices are inflated and it is costing wealthy investors billions of dollars. Hickey said, “It’s not at all surprising to me that this kind of thing eventually happened as we gave retail individual investors more access to markets.”
St. Lawrence’s Black Laurentian Initiative recently united artists, musicians, and poets in a virtual event to honor andreflect on the life of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which was then featured by local television affiliate WWNY-TV on Monday, Jan. 18.
“Part of that work is telling ourselves the truth, facing our truths, facing ourselves,” said University Chaplain Shaun Whitehead during the event. “Only then can the healing and the unity folks are calling for be realized. As a nation, we have a hard time facing our full and real history. The denial of racism and indigenous genocide has contributed to the issues that we face today.”
The Black Laurentian Initiative is a coalition of St. Lawrence students committed to advocating for changes that improve the collective place of all Black, Indigenous, and people of color at St. Lawrence.
Chemical Hygiene/Environmental Compliance Officer Suna Stone-McMasters ’90 spent more than 40 hours volunteering to ensure the health and safety of so many in the North Country by providing N-95 mask fit testing for local United Helpers workers. NorthCountryNow.com featured Stone-McMasters in a story published on Thursday, Jan. 14.
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