Friends,
You know I like lists, so I'm going to share a few reasons you should come to the Progressive Scholarship Workshop tonight at 6:30 in Room 121.
1. Have you ever noticed how few events there are on climate change at YLS? We've got a lot going on about other areas of law and policy reform, but environmental issues are in a class of progressive legal topics that can sometimes get shunted amidst our plethora of other programming. What does that mean? You should come to the workshop TONIGHT, to hear one of environmental law's premier scholars--our very own Dean Kysar! It might be one of the few opportunities to discuss the questions his piece (attached) raises.
2. While Dean Kysar's paper seems to focus on environmentalism, it also raises a number of issues endemic to efforts at progressive legal reform. How do we frame the issues we care about, in academia and to the public? Even if you AREN'T interested in climate change--though you probably should be--this workshop has something for you. What does this mean? You should come to the workshop TONIGHT, because it's the perfect event to kick off a week of progressive legal events.
3. YOU MIGHT WANT TO WRITE A BOOK REVIEW! You might, really. And this is a great one, and tonight's workshop will be a unique opportunity to explore book review-writing with someone who's clearly mastered the art. What does this mean? You should come to the workshop TONIGHT, because you might get an idea for a review you'd like to write on your own.
4. The debate starts at 9. We start at 6:30 in Room 121. I *promise* to have you home/at GPSCY/at whatever OFA fundraiser you plan to attend with plenty of time to watch B & M duke it out. (The Mindy Project starts at 9:30, so you're good there too.) What does this mean? You should come to the workshop TONIGHT, because there's nothing else you'd rather be doing during that time.
5. I incorporate, by reference, my previous email:
Remember this? Remember how every constitutional society is a work in progress? In that spirit: Please join ACS -- and Deputy Dean Doug Kysar -- at this week's Progressive Scholarship Workshop, TONIGHT at 6:30 in SLB 121.
Attached please find the reading for this week's workshop, a book review by Dean Kysar titled “The Consultant’s Republic.” This is a piece that Professor Kysar published a couple of years ago on the state of the environmental movement, using a controversial book by William Nordhaus & Mchael Shellenberger as a framing device. Professor Kysar has never been able to present the piece and has always wanted to have an opportunity to discuss the issues it raises--we are excited that he has chosen to do so at PSW!
This week's workshop will be discussing not only the merits of Nordhaus & Shellenberger's interesting claims about environmentalism--and his critique of their alternative--but also how book reviews can be effective vehicles for advancing scholarly discussion on a particular topic. This is our second book review of the term, and in light of recent efforts by YLJ, YLPR, and YJIL to increase avenues for shorter-form student scholarship, Professor Kysar has kindly agreed to share some strategies that he’s found successful when writing book reviews.
Finally, by way of background, it’s worth noting that Nordhaus--who was on the shortlist for this year's Nobel in Economics but ultimately wasn't selected--is a vocal and controversial figure in the academic climate change community. See his much-discussed piece from March in the New York Review of Books here and the dialogue it sparked among his colleagues here and here.
What does this mean? Everyone--yes, everyone!-- should come to the workshop TONIGHT! Even though there will be no enchiladas. Sorry, y'all.
Cheers,
Anjali
VP for Scholarship, ACS@YLS
