Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Viola Amherd Becomes President Of The Swiss Confederation

Swiss American Historical Society Review

The Swiss American Historical Society maintains ties with the Embassy of Switzerland and many of our members have an interest in both Swiss and American politics.

Annual Reports Of The Swiss American Historical Society, Thomas Quinn Marabello

Swiss American Historical Society Review

• Meeting began just after 9:30 AM Central Time.

• Officers present: Fred Gillespie, President; Tom Marabello, Vice President; Ernie Thurston, Treasurer & Membership Secretary; Richard Hacken, Webmaster

• Welcomed by Beth Zurbuchen, President and Board Chair John Etter, Swiss Center of North America, our hosts.

• John Etter said SAHS and the Swiss Center are connected by a desire to connect Swiss culture, heritage and rich history!

• Meeting began with President Fred Gillespie – proved naysayers wrong that people wouldn’t come to a non-East Coast location for the annual meeting.

• Should SAHS raise dues? Dues were last …

Introduction: Hugh Macdiarmid At 100, Scott Lyall

Studies in Scottish Literature

Explains the background for this special issue, Hugh MacDiarmid at 100, in the Scottish Revival Network’s conference in August 2022, which marked the centenary of Hugh MacDiarmid’s first appearance in print under that name in The Scottish Chapbook in August 1922, and then, before summarizing the themes of each essay, discusses ways in which MacDiarmid’s legacy and reputation have become central to the Scottish literary canon but somewhat marginal to canonical modernism,

‘To “Meddle Wi’ The Thistle”’: C. M. Grieve’S Scottish Chapbook, The Little Magazine, And The Dilemmas Of Scottish Modernism, Scott Lyall

Studies in Scottish Literature

Examines C. M. Grieve’s (Hugh MacDiarmid’s) most important journal enterprise, The Scottish Chapbook, which critics have assumed marks the beginning of a modernist Scottish renaissance. Against this view, this article argues that the range of contributions to the Chapbook were generally not modernist in their formal characteristics, many recalling the Victorian or fin-de-siècle periods. While the Chapbook’s brief lifespan (1922–23) was typical for modernist little magazines, the dilemmas encountered by Grieve’s periodical – restricted finances, lack of avant-garde contributors – are explained here as a side-effect of ‘localist modernism’, a concept defined by Eric B. White.

Linguistic Islands: Archipelagic Perspectives In Hugh Macdiarmid’S ‘Vision Of World Language’, Fiona Paterson

Studies in Scottish Literature

Examines the impact of an archipelagic perspective upon Hugh MacDiarmid’s ‘vision of world language’ as set forth in the 1955 poem In Memoriam James Joyce. Informed by his travels to Scottish islands, documented in The Islands of Scotland (1939), and his engagements with Norn in Shetland, MacDiarmid’s vision is both expansive and particular, characterised by its decentralised plurality, and driven by an attempt to capture both simultaneity and progressivism.

Introduction: Denis Saurat On ‘“The Scottish Renaissance” Group’, Scott Lyall

Studies in Scottish Literature

Provides the biographical context and publication history for Denis Saurat’s essay ‘Le groupe de “la Renaissance Écossaise”’, which included Saurat’s French translation of some MacDiarmid poems, describes the essay’s importance in the history of the Scottish Literary Renaissance, explains some shortcomings in Saurat’s perspectives on the ‘renaissance’ and MacDiarmid’s work.

Motherhood Through The Lens Of Medieval Japanese Ghosts, Melina Olivas

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper examines the relationship between late-Heian and early-Kamakura Japanese motherhood and Buddhist gaki or hungry ghosts. It highlights the physical, emotional, and spiritual burdens faced by mothers, emphasizing their role in the cycle of rebirth. Drawing from the diaries of aristocratic women, the paper illuminates the emotional and societal challenges faced by women in a patriarchal society. It highlights how women were often seen as more likely to be reborn as gaki due to gendered stereotypes and how motherhood was revered while simultaneously being tarnished.

The Stained Portrait Of The Victor Of Verdun: Philippe PéTain's Controversial Legacy, Hamza Elshakankiri

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

The paper analyzes the public image of Marshal Philippe Petain during a critical point in French history—the year 1940. Beginning with Petain’s fame as the “Victor of Verdun” to his controversial role as the leader of Vichy France, the paper examines how Petain’s public image transformed from glowing into a tainted portrait.

Review Of Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt And The Roots Of The Middle East Conflict, Chase Busby

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

No abstract provided.

The Last True Roman: The Influence Of Justinian The Great On Early Medieval Byzantium, 527-1025, Reece P. Pockat

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper deals with the long-term impacts of the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian the Great within the realms of military, political, and religious affairs. By utilizing the writings of the Byzantine historian Procopius, a contemporary of Justinian, as well as the writings of modern historians, the goal of the paper is to show the extent to which Justinian's influence is felt throughout the Early Middle Ages, defined in this essay as the period from 467 to 1100.

Mathematical Relationships, David Sheskin

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

A digital collage depicting the mathematics of interpersonal relationships.

Automorphisms: New Cars For 2024, Jane P. Sheldon

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This review of new cars for 2024 demonstrates total variation.

Hypatia's Math: A Play, Daniel S. Helman

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Hypatia of Alexandria was the most famous woman mathematician of antiquity, and her story is as relevant now as it was in her day. This play tells her story. While the events in the play are based closely on extant historical texts, inspiring excerpts from classical works by Porphyry, Plotinus, Aristotle and Plato are woven into the action to further the plot and add to the classical mood. Dance and music, including an Homeric hymn, add to the artistic texture.

Persistence: A Romance In Many Dimensions, Tony Bedenikovic

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This is a short poem which is inspired by Edwin Abbott's Flatland. The poem follows the narrator through a typical day with a focus on the individual's persistence in the face of nature's brawn and magnitude.

The Free Numbers, Jessica Greenbaum

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

The Point At Infinity, Josh Hiller

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

A poem about the longing for parallel lines to meet.

Pied Beauty, Pamela Vale

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This is a shape poem about the beauty of mathematics formed with the lines containing the number of words corresponding to the digits in pi (to 26 places).

The Conviction Of Miss Prediction, Dane C. Joseph

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Miss Prediction is questioned in a court of law over her involvement in the mischaracterization of linear models when they were inappropriate.

Variations On A Meme: Thoughts And Responses To Isaac Elishakoff’S “Differential Equations Of Love And Love Of Differential Equations", Jonathan Kinsman

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This folder contains reflections and three poems written in response to Isaac Elishakoff’s JHM article “Differential Equations of Love and Love of Differential Equations" (July 2019).

A Personal And Multicultural Journey Through The World Of Games (With A Little Math) Or Book Review: Around The World In Eighty Games, By Marcus Du Sautoy, Karl-Dieter Crisman

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Author and number theorist Marcus Du Sautoy has written a book about games, including a light dose of mathematics. In it, he journeys through far more than (his choice of) eighty of “the world’s greatest games”, laying out a charming voyage through many lands. Despite some reservations, this reviewer finds that Around the World in Eighty Games is well-written and quite fascinating, largely due to its idiosyncratic, personal nature.

Quik Church, Route 3.141592, Sarah Voss

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The following set of poems are from one of ten sections in a collection of poetry called Quik Church: Short Poems that Travel Far. Each section illustrates one of many “streets” which individuals often take on their spiritual journey through life, e.g., the Old Gods Path, Nature Trail, Memory Skyway, Mystic Avenue, Pastoral Lane, and so on. This one, Route 3.141592, is the route of mathematics and the science that depends on mathematics.

Hockey Card Statistics Are Stagnant And Stale, Egan J. Chernoff

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The purchase of a coffee at a Canadian institution, Tim Hortons, turned into an informal investigation into hockey card statistics. Turns out, hockey card statistics are stagnant and stale. This was disappointing to see because the game of hockey has changed, the statistics used to keep track of the game have changed. Even the cards have changed. Well, not the back of the cards, which do not well enough paint a statistical picture of the hockey player photographed on the front of the card.

The Limits Of Data Science, David E. Drew

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Data science can contribute valuable predictions in diverse fields. But I write to express some concerns and red flags. I suggest that data science is being oversold. This article contains three questions that I believe data science must address as this new discipline matures. Is data science significantly different from statistics? This is a question that has haunted the field since the term first was introduced. By creating algorithms based on current societal decision rules that may be biased, even bigoted, does data science lock in and exacerbate inequality? Scholars have identified a continuum from data to information to knowledge …

The Professional Journey Of A Female Mathematician: From India To The United States, Bhamini M. P. Nayar

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This article chronicles the journey of an immigrant female mathematician in the United States. The chronicle encompasses early training, encouragements received, road-blocks encountered and the background while growing up which shaped the core of her being. The loving, supportive and educative background she received early in life provided the strength to withstand the hurdles thrown in the path of her career advancement. These hurdles are not unique to the author; many immigrant professionals face similar situations. The purpose of the article is to bring awareness to these challenges such professionals face and how they still persevere with discipline and focus.

Polygon Quadrature And Dodecagonal Tessellation With Pattern Blocks, Gunhan Caglayan, Ben Kamau

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The age-old challenge of polygon quadrature involves converting a polygon into a square of equal area. In this educational resource, we utilize pattern blocks, commonly employed instructional aids in K-12 education across the United States, to visually demonstrate the transformation of different equilateral and regular pattern block polygons into squares. This is achieved through the application of the area conservation principle and geometric congruence/similarity reasoning.

Benefits Of Risk-Taking In Teaching Mathematics, Mehmet Kirmizi, Abigail Quansah, Zafer Buber

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this paper, we, a group of graduate students in mathematics education, discuss some of the metacognitive benefits of the non-traditional teaching methods we observed employed by one of our professors. This professor’s methods challenge the common belief that well-managed class time is key for positive learning outcomes. Instead, he orients his teaching to share the exploration and sense-making phases of doing mathematics. The goal of his teaching is to share the idea that learning mathematics is a process of “refining our mathematical thinking”. We argue that this approach to teaching helps students see that mathematics is a human endeavor, …

Does Chatgpt Know Calculus?, Kris H. Green

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Academics and educators across the world are grappling with how OpenAI’s new software, ChatGPT, will impact teaching and learning. This essay explores ChatGPT’s response to a typical calculus problem as a way of illustrating its functionality and limitations.

Seating Groups And 'What A Coincidence!': Mathematics In The Making And How It Gets Presented, Peter J. Rowlett

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Mathematics is often presented as a neatly polished finished product, yet its development is messy and often full of mis-steps that could have been avoided with hindsight. An experience with a puzzle illustrates this conflict. The puzzle asks for the probability that a group of four and a group of two are seated adjacently within a hundred seats, and is solved using combinatorics techniques.

Logical Or Epistemological? A Study On Kepler’S 3m Cosmological Model, Po-Hung Liu

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Kepler published Mysterium Cosmographicum in 1597 constructing his cosmo- logical model based on the five regular polyhedra. Such a creative but weird idea was almost consistent with empirical evidence. Furthermore, following the Pythagorean belief about the connection between music and astronomy, Kepler delved into looking for what things having to do with the planetary movements have the harmonic consonances. This article claims that Kepler’s model is a 3M (mathematical, musical, and metaphysical) model and demonstrates how it had been constructed. Furthermore, I explore the reasons behind Kepler’s departure from the 3M model and his subsequent consideration of a non-circular orbit, …

On Parallels Between Words And Music, Will Turner

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

A generalised song is a means of drawing parallels between words and music. The parallels are encoded in a mathematical structure, which is interpreted in a verbal structure and a musical structure. Here we develop a number of new techniques for drawing such parallels, in giving two examples of generalised songs, `Relation', and `Merge/Split'.

The first five partials of a note played on a piano are roughly 0,12,19,24,28 semitones above the fundamental.`Relation' is a generalised song, whose musical part is played on a piano, constructed from the mathematical relation 4.28 = 3.12 + 4.19.

`Merge/Split' is a generalised song whose …