We’re sad to share this news on the loss of Bill Chambliss from GW’s Sociology department. Bill offered many Honors courses over many years and took on UHP students in his research but probably made the largest impact mentoring UHP students in their own research. Our hearts and minds are with Bill’s family and friends.
Indeed, last spring at the UHP research symposium, Bill commented to our program director on the pride he felt in his Honors students and the pleasure he took in the way they challenged him. We are so very grateful to have had him on the Honors faculty.
Included below is a message from the GW Sociology Department:
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I am sorry to report that the Department of Sociology and the entire GW community have lost a dear friend and colleague. Bill Chambliss, Professor of Sociology at GW for over 25 years, died on February 21, 2014.
Bill was a towering figure in sociology whose work transformed the scholarly worlds of social theory, the sociology of law, and criminology. Widely known internationally as a leading conflict theorist, Bill was always quick to point out that he was a sociologist whose interests included criminology. Among his “associates” were leading and petty crime figures, officials who enabled their behavior, and the victims of predatory policies and practices. As his longtime friend and fellow sociologist Richard Applebaum stated, “Bill repeatedly went to the streets. He hung out with such notorious organized crime chiefs as Meyer Lansky as well as low-level drug dealers and petty criminals in Seattle; poppy growers, heroin traffickers, and CIA chiefs in Thailand’s Golden Triangle; pirates of many stripes, whenever he could find them.” His research examined the elites of many segments of society. But his sympathies and messages were always for those who were often criminalized primarily because they happened to be poor. As Applebaum observed, Bill “loved to be among those who were on the receiving end of an exploitive social system shaped by race and class.”
In a career spanning over 50 years he produced almost two dozen books, countless articles (frequently reprinted in readers for decades), and popular pieces. Bill received his PhD at the University of Indiana in 1962, held faculty positions at several universities and was in constant demand as an invited lecturer at universities on almost every continent. He came to GW in 1986. Among the many awards he won were the following: he was elected President of the American Society of Criminology in 1998, he was President of the Society for the Study of Social Problems in 1993, he received Lifetime achievement awards from the American Sociological Association Sections on Criminology in 1985 and the Sociology of Law in 2009, and from the American Society of Criminology he won the society’s Major Achievement Award in 1995 and the Edwin H. Sutherland Award in 2001. In 2012 the Society for the Study of Social Problems created the William J. Chambliss Lifetime Achievement Award and he was the first recipient. Bill’s life was filled with scholarly achievement and joy, both of which he shared with all around him.
At his side during his last few days were his wife Pernille, his sons Jeff and James and daughter Lauren, and his grandchildren. He will be missed greatly by his family and many friends. As the outpouring of messages I received within 24 hours of his passing confirmed, Bill was loved by his many students, colleagues, and dear friends around the country. Bill truly “spoke truth to power” before that phrase became a cliché. His voice has been stilled. But his influence will long live on.
Greg Squires
Chair, Department of Sociology
Tag: AY1314
Freshmen Small Group Advising [Sign up!]
It’s time again for small group meetings! Freshmen will meet with Catherine and Mark to go over the pressing matters of these hectic times.
The topics:
- Registration and Course Selection
- Remaining Honors requirements (Trust us, you need to hear this!)
- Declaring your major
- Study Abroad
Register online for the most convenient time, but hurry, spots are limited and this is mandatory!
Small groups meet the week of March 3rd (next week!). Specific days and times are available at the online registration page. Sign up now!
Seniors: Verify Special Honors
If you’re pursuing Special Honors in your degree in lieu of an Honors Senior Thesis, make sure to fill out the Special Honors Verification Form by March 28th, 2014. Don’t delay!
If you’re not sure if you need to, here’s how to find out:
- Are you a senior?
- Are you graduating this spring?
- Are you pursuing Special Honors in your degree in lieu of taking HONR 4198?
If you answered yes to all of the above questions, congrats! You need to submit a Special Honors Verification Form(PDF) to the UHP by 5pm on Friday, March 28th, 2014. You’ll be able to see the change in your DegreeMap before the end of April.
The form requires a signature from your school’s advisor (not Catherine or Mark), so it’s better to do this sooner rather than later.
Study Abroad Advice from SPA!
This Friday, February 21st, join your SPA at 2pm in the townhouse Club Room for a study abroad panel. SPA who have been abroad in exotic locales all over the world will be on hand to share their experiences and answer any questions that you have about studying abroad, including:
Should I study abroad?
How do I figure out the right program for me?
Can I study abroad as an Honors Program student?
How will I fit going abroad into my four-year plan?
Come see your SPA on this Friday for answers all to these questions and more!
Lunch with the Director
Maria Frawley, Director of the University Honors Program will meet with students over lunch for a direct conversation about the University Honors Program. Bring your questions, concerns, and great ideas for the program! But sign up fast, because seats are limited!
Lunch with the Director: Friday, February 28th at 12pm in the Honors Clubroom in Foggy Bottom (714 21st).
Sign up now! (Students only, please.)
Heaven and Earth with Catherine
If you think you’ve seen Catherine Chandler geek out talking about Sherlock, you haven’t seen anything yet!
Join your faithful Program Officer on an adventure in art and history at the National Gallery with a personal tour of the special exhibition “Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections.” Icons, textiles, architecture, sculpture, jewelry and reliquaries will come to life as you explore this oft-neglected millenium of Western civilization.
Catherine earned her Master’s in art history at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU and pursued further graduate work at Bryn Mawr, studying late antique, early Christian, Byzantine and medieval art. This exhibition is the first on Byzantine art ever hosted by the National Gallery and presents a rare opportunity to take in this empire between worlds – classical and medieval, eastern and western.
Saturday, February 22, meet at the Honors Townhouse (714 21st Street) at 1pm before hopping onto Metro to Smithsonian station.
To join the tour, contact Catherine directly at cbrady@gwu.edu.
The Tallest Tree in the Forest [Profs on the Town]
This post is written by UHP students Rachel Roberts and Tigan Woolson.
On Thursday, February 6, 2014, Professor Vann’s Arts and Humanities class, Alienation and Appropriation: The Political Power of Art in the Abrahamic Religions from the Holy Land to al-Andalus and Beyond, went to the Arena Stage to see The Tallest Tree in the Forest.
This one-man show presents the life of Paul Robeson, a Black singer, actor, and activist. Robeson’s life and work are an awe-inspiring testament to a man committed to his cause before he had a movement to support him. His story is not well-known to the general American public due to the backlash he received for his outspoken participation in the race and labor movements in the US and abroad, and for his alleged Communist affiliation. Author and star Daniel Beaty opens the second act with an insightful monologue about the nature of “comfortable black history” attributed to Jamal Joseph, a film professor at Columbia. The music that was included in the show, all performed live, added a dimensionality that only improved the already impressive and powerful performance.
The Tallest Tree in the Forest explored the concept of what makes a hero, his legacy, and how the conceptual idea of a hero has developed according to previously existing archetypes, one of the focuses of the course. Robeson’s life, which seems to adhere to our expectations of a civil rights hero, was not viewed as heroic however due to his political affiliations and race, and the fact that the results of his efforts would take years after his death to manifest, after he had been mostly written out of history. The double standard that is held for individuals according to their race, religion, and political affiliations is underscored throughout the play. The play is structured as an old man’s recounting of a life filled with victories, loses and regrets, celebrating Robeson while acknowledging his shortcomings as a man and as an activist. This exploration of an unsung hero provided an interesting contrast to the heroes that the class has been studying, who by the very nature of us studying their narratives centuries later, though multiple interpretations, are classically heroes. There are certainly traits that all typical heroes adhere to, however, one can only see these persons as heroes should we already believe they are capable of being considered as heroes, and when they can be directly, visibly attached to major victories. Paul Robeson however, due to his race, labor dialogue, and alleged political affiliations, was prevented from entering history as a hero, but rather established the basis for a national perception of later civil rights leaders that have been canonized in the mainstream.
Should I Join That Honors Society? [Throwback]
Have you started receiving invitations to different honors societies? It’s that time of year when many of you may start wondering whether these groups are worth joining. If you’re unsure, our advice from 2012 may be worth a look.
The long and short is that most of the answers you’ll have to find out for yourself. But, there are a few tips you should know, like the different ways you can receive “honors” and the questions you should ask before joining any society — like if there’s a chapter at GW, or if you have friends who are already members.
Check out the article for more tips and leave your best advice in the comments here.
Apply to be an Honors Student Peer Advisor!
Student Peer Advisors (SPA) are dedicated to serving the UHP community by actively engaging with current and prospective UHP students, planning events, and representing the UHP as a whole. If you’re interested in helping others succeed and improving your Honors Program, apply now to become a SPA! SPA members help fellow students with course selection, time management and extracurriculars, four year planning, study abroad options as well as provide a student perspective of the UHP to prospective students and parents.
Interested? Apply now to become a Student Peer Advisor. The application deadline is March 3. For questions regarding the application, please contact Catherine Chandler at cbrady@gwu.edu. Decisions will be announced by March 21.
Interns needed for online course design
Professor Emeritus of Botany Terry Hufford seeks interns to help construct a flexible, modular, online biology course for middle school teachers in Washington, DC. Prof. Hufford is looking for students interested in various aspects of biology, education and media. Specific projects would include but are not limited to planning curriculum and modules of content; using video and animation content to render the content engaging and interactive; and using software such as Blackboard to support instructors’ needs.
Interested students should contact Prof. Hufford at tlh@gwu.edu.
