Book Club

The Faculty Hub often sponsors a book club for faculty and other instructors to promote discussion about contemporary topics in teaching and scholarship. Post-discussion, the Faculty Hub collects what has been learned and produces recommendations or additional resources for the faculty at large. 

If you have a suggestion for an upcoming book club or would like to co-facilitate discussions, please let us know at facultyhub@richmond.edu. 

  • Previous

    Spring 2022

    Are you currently working on a scholarly book proposal or would like to learn more about the proposal process? Join us this spring for a reading group on The Book Proposal Book: A Guide for Scholarly Authors by Laura Portwood-Stacer. This faculty reading group will be co-facilitated by Stephen Hudson (Department of Music) and Kylie Korsnack (Faculty Hub).

    The first meeting of the group will take place on Wednesday, February 9 from 3 to 4:00 p.m. We plan to hold three discussion meetings between February 9 and March 30. There will also be optional opportunities for participants to workshop proposal drafts with one another throughout February and March. Participants will receive a copy of the book -- you’ll be asked to provide your address as part of the registration form. (You can also access an electronic copy of the book via Boatwright Library using the link above).

    If you are unable to attend the first meeting, but are interested in joining for a future session, please contact Kylie Korsnack (kkorsnac@richmond.edu).

    *Note: Participants can choose to join sessions virtually (via Zoom) or in-person at the Faculty Hub (3rd Floor, Boatwright Library). Those joining virtually will be sent a Zoom link prior to the session. Please register here!

    Fall 2020 - Spring 2021

    The book selection is Calling Bullsh*t: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World by Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West, and the discussion will be led by Faculty Hub Associates, Dr. Kristine Nolin and Dr. Kristine Grayson. 

    We encourage faculty from all schools and disciplines to join us to discuss data and information literacy and engaging our students on these topics. Three meetings for book club discussion will be scheduled during the first half of spring semester (between January 11 and February 26). Your book will be delivered before Thanksgiving and one organizational meeting will be scheduled for early December.  

    About Calling Bullsh*t from Penguin Random House: 

    Misinformation, disinformation, and fake news abound and it’s increasingly difficult to know what’s true. Our media environment has become hyperpartisan, but most of us don’t feel qualified to challenge the avalanche of new-school bullsh*t presented in the language of math, science, or statistics. In Calling Bullsh*t, Professors Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West give us a set of powerful tools to cut through the most intimidating data. 

    Spring 2020

    We explored how intentional utilization of technology can help students achieve course learning objectives. This exploration was guided by Intentional Tech by Derek Bruff of Vanderbilt University. 

    As part of this semester’s book club, we generated chapter summaries and a spreadsheet of all the technological applications found within the book. If you are looking for inspiration for new ways to enhance your course, these resources are a great place to start.