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Strong evidence was found in the 2004 and 2008 AmericasBarometer surveys carried out by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) that Honduras was unusually vulnerable to political instability, says Vanderbilt political scientist Mitchell Seligson. He is the co-author of "Predicting Coups? Democratic Vulnerabilities, The AmericasBarometer and The 2009 Honduran Crisis," part of the Insights Series published by LAPOP. Read More

Vanderbilt sociologists Jennifer Lena and Richard Peterson analyzed 60 samples of American music and found that each one --over time -- took on forms that were roughly comparable during their developmental sequences. The professors call these four distinct genre types Avant-garde, Scene-based, Industry-based and Traditionalist. "Classification as Culture: Types and Trajectories of Music Genres" has been published in the American Sociological Review. Read More

Black Power\'s complex relationship with liberalism during the civil rights era and the surprisiing consequences of that interaction are explored in Devin Fergus\' book Liberalism, Black Power, and the Making of American Politics, 1965-1980. Read More

Listen to historian Gary Macy speaking on the role of women in the Catholic Church. Read More

Assistant Professor of Theology John Thatamanil values the benefits of learning about a variety of religious faiths in a non-judgmental way after his own experience of studying Hinduism. It proved to be an excellent way to connect to his Indian roots. Thatamanil, a native of India, grew up in a Christian family. He discovered that his own beliefs were strengthened and improved through his research of other faiths. Read More

Two wars, an international economic crisis, continuing terrorist incidents...these are among the many foreign policy challenges facing President Barack Obama. Professor of History Thomas Schwartz discussed issues surrounding troubled areas such as Iraq, the Middle East and others in a lecture to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The course is called "Perspectives on America." The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers non-credit courses to all interested adult learners. For more information, call 615-322-5569. Read More

Anyone who's ever dreamed of walking the red carpet at the Oscars for an award-winning screenplay might want to check out a book by William M. Akers before proceeding too far along. The Vanderbilt senior lecturer in theater is the author of "Your Screenplay Sucks: 100 Ways to Make It Great." Read More

Listen to podcasts from the Writing Studio's symposium on Writing and Discipline and the Undergraduate Writing Symposium. Read More

Vanderbilt Summer Academy is one of several programs offered by the university to meet the intellectual and cognitive needs of highly gifted youth while sampling college life. The university\'s Programs for Talented Youth have expanded in recent years to inform parents and educators of these learners as well. Read More

Listen to Stacey Floyd-Thomas and students at community breakfast. Read More

Connie Vinita Dowell, a Vanderbilt University graduate with three decades of experience working in academic libraries, includiing two senior leadership positions, is the university\'s new dean of libraries. Read More

Listen to a podcast of Cal Turner, chairman of the Turner Family Foundation, former CEO, chairman and president of Dollar General Corporation and member of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust, speaking Feb. 26. Read More

Marshall Breeding, director for innovative technologies and research at the Heard Library, recently spent three weeks in Argentina helping libraries there develop strategies to revamp their automation systems. Breeding received a prestigious Fulbright Senior Specialist grant to carry out this project. Read More

While many people associate the word "pork" with lawmakers wasteful spending for pet projects, new Vanderbilt political science research demonstrates the importance of cabinet secretaries and their political beliefs in the distribution of lucrative federal grants. Read More

Listen to Patrick O'Keeffe reading in Buttrick Hall as part of the Gertrude Vanderbilt and Harold S. Vanderbilt Visiting Writers Program at Vanderbilt. Read More

Gary Gerstle\'s award-winning book American Crucible: Race and Nationhood in the Twentieth Century was recently cited on NPR\'s Fresh Air as one of the "Best Books for a Transformative New Year." Read More

Deadlines are fast approaching for Vanderbilt Summer Academy, a unique learning experience for highly talented middle and senior high students. Each course is taught by stellar Vanderbilt faculty and scholars and participants also have time to meet other students with similar intellectual interests, take an enjoyable elective class and enjoy the university\'s outstanding residential facilities. Read More

Associate Professor of Communication Studies Vanessa Beasley says presidential inaugural addresses generally celebrate a smooth transition of power, use rhetoric to bring people together and lay out general principles for the new administration. Beasley, who has written a book that looks at inaugural addresses since the late 1800s, says there are high expectations for Obama\'s address on Jan. 20. Read More

Associate Professor of Psychology David Zald is the lead researcher for a study exploring why novelty-seekers are more at risk for drug abuse and other unsafe behaviors. The researchers found that novelty-seeking individuals have fewer autoreceptors in their brain to regulate the neurotransmitter dopamine. Read More

Vanderbilt Professor of History Thomas Schwartz and a group of alumni who recently toured Vietnam and Cambodia found tremendous growth, including traffic jams, in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The 15-day journey from Hanoi to Siem Reap was sponsored by the Vanderbilt Alumni Association. Read More