LEWISBURG, Pa. — The following are Bucknell University story ideas that may interest you in October.
HAUNTING OR HOAX? — Ghost stories and tales of hauntings are typically resurrected around Halloween. But are ghosts real, and what’s the difference between a ghost and a haunting? Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and certified parapsychologist Rich Robbins annually attempts to demystify the truth behind paranormal phenomena during a free, public talk entitled,“Ghosts and Hauntings: Decide for Yourself.” This year’s talk will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. in the Elaine Langone Center Commons area. He presents a critical interdisciplinary consideration of the theories of what ghosts and other related phenomena may be and a discussion of evidence for and against the existence of ghosts, including alleged ghost photos and examples of electronic voice phenomena. He will also introduce ghost hunting and identification of local “hot spots,” including Bucknell’s own Hunt Hall, which has been nicknamed “Haunt Hall” after numerous students and faculty reported witnessing inexplicable phenomena in the building for over 20 years. CONTACT: Robbins, 570-577-1301, rich.robbins@bucknell.edu
THE VOTE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE — Nearly 100 years after the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote, a new study led by Bucknell economics professor Esra Kose has found that children were more likely to stay in school as a result of women’s suffrage. Kose teamed up with economists from Dartmouth College and Southern Methodist University to digitize archival local school-enrollment and school-spending figures dating back to the early-20th century for around 500 U.S. cities with at least 10,000 residents, and analyzed that information alongside census statistics and other data. They analyzed the schooling outcomes of children who were 15 years or older by the time suffrage was granted to women, and compare them to children who were of schooling age or not yet born. In their study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, the researchers wrote that “children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who were exposed to women’s political empowerment during childhood experienced large increases in educational attainment, especially blacks and Southern whites.” They found overwhelming evidence that women’s suffrage led to a brighter future for students of disadvantaged backgrounds and an increase in labor-market productivity. CONTACT: Kose, 570-577-1034, ek016@bucknell.edu
UNIVERSITY PRESS TURNS 50 — The Bucknell University Press celebrates its 50th birthday this year and has been internationally distinguished in the humanities and social sciences since 1968. It publishes approximately 30 titles annually of scholars’ work from a dozen different countries and across the U.S., including work from the Bucknell campus. One of only 140 active university presses nationally, the Bucknell University Press maintains the strongest published list of 18th century studies. This past spring, it began a new partnership with Rutgers University Press, which took over printing, marketing and sales for Bucknell Press books. Greg Clingham, Bucknell University Press director, said that the new partnership provides Bucknell the opportunity to deliver their books to the broadest possible audience. It also brings authors benefits in the form of lower list prices and greater visibility because of its presence at conferences and in the global marketplace. CONTACT: Clingham, 570-577-1552, greg.clingham@bucknell.edu
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CONTACTS: Jill Britton, jsb044@bucknell.edu; Mike Ferlazzo, 570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu