Story Ideas from Grinnell College
Middle East, Economic Trends, Constitutional Issues, and more
1. BILL FERGUSONAssociate Professor of Economics641-269-3132[email protected]
o Recent Fiscal Policy
Prior to the tragic events of Sept. 11, there was a tax rebate. Then, following Sept. 11, there was a need for spending to strengthen the economy. Now we are in a recession and the possibility of another tax cut to help stimulate the economy.What does this fiscal policy mean for the future?
2. LESLEY WRIGHTDirector, Faulconer Gallery, Bucksbaum Center for the Arts641-269-4642[email protected]
MIKE CRALLMarketing and Public Relations DirectorDes Moines Art Center(515)-271-0338[email protected]
Economic downturn affecting Iowa tourism?Attendance at many museums and galleries has dropped since the events of Sept. 11. In fact, attendance at many of the museums in the New York City area that depend on tourism has dropped from 25 to 30 percent, some as high as 60 percent (Nov. 30, "Museums in N.Y. Beg For Visitors," Washington Post). Has this propensity to stay home affected museums and galleries in Iowa?
3. RUSSELL K. OSGOODPresident of Grinnell CollegeProfessor of History and Political Science641-269-3000[email protected]
o United States legal history and Constitutional law
A noted scholar on the legal history of the United States, as well as Constitutional law, Russell Osgood can help make sense of the current debate on protecting U.S. citizens at the potential cost of our civil liberties.
Osgood came to Grinnell College from the Cornell Law School, where he was named Allen R. Tessler Dean of the Law School in 1988. His scholarly work includes books and articles in the areas of American legal history, employee benefits, pension law, and income taxation.
4. HAROLD KASIMOWProfessor of Religious Studies641-269-3180[email protected]
o Pope John Paul II and Inter-religious dialogue
Professor Kasimow is a noted scholar with a unique research relationship with Pope John Paul II and his vision of interfaith dialogue. Kasimow's research includes inter-religious dialogue between members of the major western religions and those of the Jewish and Islamic faiths.
Note: A holocaust survivor, Kasimow was saved by a Catholic priest as German forces entered his town in World War II. His family is the only Jewish family from the village whose members survived the holocaust.
5. SARAH PURCELLAssistant Professor of History641-269-3091[email protected]
o Military History
Author of Sealed with Blood: War, Sacrifice, and Memory in Revolutionary America, Sarah Purcell is uniquely qualified to discuss war and conflict on the American society. Her research interests include the American Revolution, popular culture and political culture, gender history, and military history.
Sarah Purcell is very qualified to discuss the United States during wartime and the perceptions of its citizens towards war. With the country involved in what has been described as a "different war," she can help place this current conflict in an historical perspective.
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