Essays and Op-Eds
Below is a selection of the op-eds and essays by Dr. Sturtevant that have been published in print and online media. If you’re looking for a compelling essayist, particularly about the intersections of the Middle Ages and the modern day, get in touch:
As the fight over funding for President Trump’s wall has dragged on, the conversation has taken an odd turn. The president’s critics and Democratic opponents have been slamming his proposal for a wall on the border with Mexico as “medieval” for years. In September 2017, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) called it “a medieval solution to a modern problem. A ‘Game of Thrones’ idea for a world that is a lot closer to ‘Star Wars.’ ” In recent weeks, Democratic leaders such as Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) and Sen. Richard J. Durbin (Ill.) have joined the chorus slamming the idea as “medieval.”
Like many other gamers, last week I fired up “No Man’s Sky” again. It is a massively popular and hugely ambitious science-fiction game. In it, you explore a vast galaxy, discover new planets and species, and uncover the mysteries of the universe. Along the way, you encounter three sentient alien species: the scientific Korvax, the martial Vy’keen and the greedy Gek.
The Gek are, in essence, space Jews.
The following contains spoilers for “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Thanos, the uber-villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, finally arrived in “Avengers: Infinity War.” He made his intentions clear: The universe, he says, is overpopulated and its consumption of natural resources unsustainable. His solution? Kill 50 percent of the population in an entirely random lottery. A mass, but impartial, genocide.
Over the past 20 years, warnings from a variety of sources—from career counselors to administrators to government officials—have convinced many prospective college students (and their parents) that the only safe path to a well-paying job is through a STEM major. Members of the academy—including STEM faculty themselves—have repeatedly challenged assertions that majoring in the humanities is useless. And employers of STEM graduates say that they value skills cultivated in a wide-ranging curriculum.
At a town hall campaign stop in South Carolina, Jeb Bush recently singled out an interesting group for attack: psychology, philosophy and liberal arts majors. He said:
“When a student shows up, they [their college or university] ought to say, ‘Hey, that psych major deal, that philosophy major thing, that’s great, it’s important to have liberal arts … but realize, you’re going to be working a Chick-fil-A.’”
Barbecue to most Brits means cremating sausages and burgers directly over hot coals, usually under an umbrella.
To an American, particularly one from the southern United States, “barbecue” is a very specific word. It does not mean simply the act of cooking al fresco, but refers to a specific set of dishes, cooked in a very particular way and traditionally served at informal, social gatherings.
True barbecue – that is food cooked low and slow over smoke – was born at the intersection of Native American, African and European cultures.