The latest media mentions, quotes, profiles, and writings from Division of the Humanities faculty, students, staff, and alumni. Visit us on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook for more updates.

What is 'recession pop' — and why is it making a comeback? New music from Kesha, Lady Gaga signals return to 'escapist pop bangers.'

Yahoo Entertainment
Paula Harper (music) was interviewed for this article on the resurgence of "recession pop"—the dance-floor anthems that offered escapist joy during the Great Recession and are now making a comeback. Harper explains how these songs served as “overcompensating counterpoints” to economic despair, offering “sonic bodily pleasure” in moments of uncertainty. 

How much influence did white supremacist groups have on Chicago housing?

WBEZ
Adrienne Brown (English Language and Literature) was interviewed for this article on how white supremacist groups influenced Chicago housing segregation. She explains that while extremist groups like the White Circle League played a role, segregation was also upheld by real estate boards, neighborhood associations, and banks that adapted discriminatory practices even after legal barriers fell. Brown emphasizes that these systemic issues not only shaped Chicago’s housing market but also the lives and works of Black thinkers like Richard Wright, Lorraine Hansberry, and Gwendolyn Brooks.

Found in Translation

Chicago Magazine
This review highlights Berlin, The Court Theatre’s latest production, as a bold and inventive adaptation of Jason Lutes’s graphic novel, capturing the political and emotional complexity of Weimar Germany through striking theatrical devices and continuous action. 

Examined Lives

The Nation
Review of Agnes Callard’s (Philosophy) recent book Open Socrates argues that while Callard makes a compelling case for Socratic conversation as central to the examined life, the book gives limited attention to how social and material conditions shape who can participate in such inquiry.