Research

Research

How To Trust the News

How To Trust the News

, , Matt Dilworth, Research
In examining the current news environment, it can be disheartening to see the vast divide in political perspective that colors or slants vital reporting.  While partisan reporting allows consumers to feel more comfortable, having their own biases reinforced, it makes searching for the facts that inform opinions more difficult.  It also complicates finding common ground amongst differently aligned stakeholders. A deeply divided and partisan press has been a hallmark of American media since the beginning, when the Gazette of the United States (supported by Alexander Hamilton and unrepentantly Federalist) and the National Gazette (funded by Thomas Jefferson and rabidly anti-Federalist) were representative of the leading newspapers of the day.  Moreover, anyone could print up leaflets, broadsheets, or pamphlets with whatever … Continued
American protest music: a brief history

American protest music: a brief history

, , , Research
While Americans have always performed music, serious study of American musical forms only begins in the 20th century.  John Lomax, beginning as a graduate student at Harvard, was among the very first to take interest in traditional American music, and he began his work with “cowboy” songs, which detailed the lives of what he felt were “authentic” Americans and their experiences.  Although his viewpoint could comfortably be considered naïve today, his work, along with that of anthropologist Franz Boaz and, slightly later, poet Carl Sandburg, became the foundation for American folk music studies.  It is from folk music that the protest music movement stems.  The very first protest singer/songwriter was a Swedish immigrant, born Joel Hagglund in 1879.  After his … Continued
Social Justice, Fair Use, and MOM: Top 3 Takeaways from Open Education Conference 2020

Social Justice, Fair Use, and MOM: Top 3 Takeaways from Open Education Conference 2020

, , Research
This year’s 17th Open Education Conference in November convened virtually for the first time. Participants from all over the world met to focus on OER (Open Educational Resources). IU East Campus Librarian Beth South attended, to learn about topics such as collaborative OER projects, using OER to advance social justice initiatives, responding to Covid-19, and challenges of OER. Networking opportunities included virtual teatime, yoga, story circles, and a coordinated game night with rounds of trivia and a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. The February 2020 Campus Library blog “There’s an OER For That,” explained OER, the difference between OER and Open Access, and where OER resources can be found. In her role as an OER advocate, librarian, and faculty member, Beth … Continued
Phil Ochs and the legacy of singing journalism

Phil Ochs and the legacy of singing journalism

, , , Research
“In the heat of the summer/when the pavements were burning/the soul of a city was ravaged in the night/after the city sun was sinkin’.”                   – “In the Heat of the Summer” After the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, the city of Minneapolis erupted in protest, with police forces beating back protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets.  Related protests occurred in 140 other US cities, including Los Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta, New York and Las Vegas, resulting in violence, property damage and the deaths of at least four protestors.  The protests of summer 2020 eerily resembled the civil rights riots which swept much of the country during the mid-1960s.  Documentation of those riots was not left entirely … Continued
International Resources for International Education Week

International Resources for International Education Week

, , , Library Resources, Research
International Education Week (Nov. 16-20, 2020) is a joint initiative of the US Department of State and the US Department of Education designed to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. In honor of International Education Week, the IU East Library wants to highlight some of the databases available that support study abroad programs, international exchange, and cross cultural research. We have databases that focus specifically on a particular country or on travel and culture in general and they are organized as such below. Almost all these databases predominantly feature primary source resources, such as travel diaries, newspapers, photographs, brochures, government records, guidebooks, videos, and more. Worldwide Culture, Music, Food One of the best things about traveling is … Continued