Author and City University of New York Professor to give lecture on the "War at Home," a look at how the war is affecting domestic politics

Author and City University of New York Professor to give lecture on the "War at Home," a look at how the war is affecting domestic politics

"The War at Home" is the topic of a free lecture Frances Fox Piven, Ph.D. will present on Monday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Fairfield University School of Nursing Auditorium. Dr. Piven, distinguished professor of Political Science and Sociology at the Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York is the author of "The War at Home, The Domestic Costs of Bush's Militarism."

In "War at Home," Dr. Piven poses the provocative question: what are the domestic politics of America's ongoing war in the Middle East? In her book, Dr. Piven argues the overwhelming attention paid to the United States' posture abroad has turned many eyes away from the internal causes and consequences of the Bush administration's military adventures. Dr. Piven dissects the way war has propped up America's rulers at home. She concludes that the war is easing political tensions on the right, advancing regressive social and economic agendas, and extracting wealth, not only from foreign peoples, but middle-and-low income Americans.

Dr. Piven is an internationally recognized social scientist who has made an indelible impact on the study and activism of American Politics. Piven received her Ph. D. from the University of Chicago in 1962. She has published a great deal in the field of politics, and her special interests lie in social welfare movements, political movements, and electoral politics.

She has received several awards including the American Sociological Association Career Award for the Practice of Sociology (2000), the Mary Lepper Award of the Womens' Caucus of the American Political Science Association (1998) and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Political Sociology Section of the American Sociology Association. In addition, Dr. Piven has engaged as a political activist on behalf of America's poor throughout her career.

Besides her recent book entitled "The War at Home," Dr. Piven has written "Why Americans Still Don't Vote, And Politicians Like it That Way" (Beacon Press 2000), "The Breaking of the American Social Compact" (New Press 1997), "Regulating the Poor" (Vintage 1993), "The New Class War" (Pantheon 1982) and "Poor Peoples' Movements" (Pantheon 1977).

"I am thrilled to have Dr. Piven speak at Fairfield University on such a timely and controversial subject as the domestic impact of the Iraq War," said Dr. Jocelyn Boryczka, a Fairfield University politics professor. "Her talk will undoubtedly contribute to our understanding and discussions about such issues here on campus."

The departments of Peace & Justice Studies, Politics, History, Communication, and Sociology & Anthropology, as well as the Women's Studies Program, Campus Ministry, and the College Democrats will sponsor the lecture. The lecture is free and open to the public. For additional information, please contact Dr. Jocelyn Boryczka at (203) 254-4000 ext. 2858.

Posted On: 04-11-2005 10:04 AM

Volume: 37 Number: 231