News & Events

The Print Culture Histories Beyond the Metropolis conference will take place March 15 and 16 at the E.B. and Bertha C. Ball Center.  For more details see www.bsu.edu/printcultureconference.

Philip Raisor, professor emeritus of English at Old Dominion University, will give a reading from his recently published edition of poetry, Swimming in the Shallow End (WordTech, 2012) on Wednesday, April 10, at 3:30 p.m. in BB 109 at Ball State University,  and at 7 p.m. in the Indiana Room at the Minnetrista Cultural Center.  Swimming in the Shallow End is a collection of poetry, written by Phil Raisor, a Muncie native, who has adapted his literature to the Middletown tradition of his home town.    Swimming in the Shallow End examines “the archetypal  American conflict between the desire to stay and the passion to go.”

Phil Raisor grew up in Muncie, received his B.A. and M.A. from Louisiana State University and his Ph.D. from Kent State University.  He is also the author of several other works, including Outside Shooter:  A Memoir (2003) and Tuned and Under Tension:  The Recent Poetry of W.D. Snodgrass ( 1998).  His writing has appeared numerous publications, including   The Writer’s Chronicle, Studies in English Literature, and Sewanee Review.  The readings at Ball State and at the Minnetrista Cultural Center are free and open to the public.  Phil was also a featured speaker at the Small Cities Conference in 2004, sponsored by the Center for Middletown Studies.

Beyond Nature’s Housekeepers: American Women in Environmental History

Nancy C. Unger, Professor of History, Santa Clara University will discuss her new book Beyond Nature’s Housekeepers:  American Women in Environmental History (Oxford University Press).  This illustrated talk reveals how women have played unique roles in shaping this nation’s environment.  Dr. Unger examines women’s environmental concerns and attitudes, and how their responses and activism intersect with the larger culture.  Topics to be explored include pioneers, the Save the Birds campaign, Camp Fire Girls, Girl Scouts, suburban homemakers, nuclear protestors, Rachel Carson, environmental justice activists…and more!  

The lecture will take place Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 7:30 pm in Bracken Library, room 104.  

Nancy C. Unger is Professor of History at Santa Clara University in California.  In addition to Beyond Nature’s Housekeepers: American Women in Environmental History, she is the author of the award winning biography Fighting Bob La Follette: The Righteous Reformer and dozens of articles and essays.  She believes that understanding the past is key to developing practical solutions to present day challenges.  Her op-eds are syndicated by the History News Service, appearing in newspapers nationwide including the Chicago Sun-Times, Miami Herald, San Francisco Chronicle, and Kansas City Star.  Her radio appearances include Wisconsin Public Radio, CBS, Talking History, and AIR AMERICA. Her television appearances include C-SPAN, and she has worked as a consultant for Bill Moyers at PBS.