C21 Scholars to Storytellers

Scholars are frequently called upon to share their expertise with a diverse range of publics outside academia’s confines – from policymakers to civic organizations to the media. A critical part of this public engagement – and the place where it often begins – is the publication of a book with a “trade press” (i.e., a commercial, non-university/academic publisher, with a powerful marketing and publicity apparatus). Not all academics have a desire to do this kind of work. However, for those who do want to engage with the “public sphere,” there is often confusion about where to begin, and a lack of resources to help with the process. Worse, there are sometimes institutional disincentives, in the form of tenure clocks, skepticism from colleagues, or the pressure to produce “real scholarship” that advances the field.

This “Scholars to Storytellers” workshop with John Ghazvinian is designed for scholars interested in better understanding the process of finding new opportunities, writing in a more accessible register, and other skills related to making the transition into writing for the general public.

This event is free and open to UWM faculty, staff, and graduate students. Space is limited. Prior registration is required.

Register Here: https://uwm.edu/c21/event/scholars-storytellers/

This event is supported by the College of Letters & Science, Office of the Dean.

About the Presenter:
John Ghazvinian is an author, historian, and former journalist, specializing in the history of US-Iran relations. His latest book, America and Iran: A History, 1720 to the Present (Knopf, 2021) — a comprehensive survey of the bilateral relationship, based on years of archival research in both countries — was named by the New York Times as one of “100 Notable Books of 2021.” He is also the author of Untapped: The Scramble for Africa’s Oil (Harcourt, 2007), as well as coeditor of American and Muslim Worlds before 1900 (Bloomsbury, 2020). He has written for such publications as Newsweek, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, the Sunday Times and the Huffington Post, and has taught modern Middle East history at a number of colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area.

He is also passionate about public scholarship, making expertise accessible and helping academics become more comfortable writing for general audiences. He is the founding director of Scholars to Storytellers — an initiative aimed at coaching senior scholars to reach wider readerships for their work.