AppleMark


SAMMY BASU


Department of Politics,
Willamette University,
900 State Street,
Salem, OR 97301, USA


O: (503) 370-6264,
H: (503) 364-8834,
F: (503) 370-6720,
E: sbasu@willamette.edu
W: www.willamette.edu/~sbasu/


ACADEMIC DEGREES

1988 – 93

Ph.D. in Politics, Princeton University, NJ, USA
Fields: Political Theory, Comparative Politics, Political Economy

Thesis: 'Self-Ownership and Friendship: the Liberal Individualism of La Boétie, Overton and Stirner'
Advisor: George Kateb
Nominated for the American Political Science Association Leo Strauss Award for the best Doctoral Dissertation in political philosophy

1988 – 90

M.A. in Politics, Princeton University, NJ, USA

 

1986 – 88

M.A. in Political Science, University of Calgary, AB, Canada

Thesis: 'Virtue through Reason: Praxis not Poiesis, in Aristotle, Machiavelli and Hobbes'
Advisor: Anthony Parel

1982 – 86

B.A. Honors in Political Science, University of Calgary, AB, Canada

Thesis: 'On Philosophy and History: Leo Strauss & Quentin Skinner'
Advisor: Anthony Parel


ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT

Sep 1999 – present



Sep 1993   May 1999

 

Associate Professor,

 

Assistant Professor, Willamette University, Dept of Politics

 

Courses Taught:
Interdisciplinary Studies 101: Oh Canada!
Politics 115: Individuality and Community
Politics 212: History of Western Political Philosophy
Politics 213: Writing Political Philosophy
Politics 303: Topics in Political Theory: various incl. 'cruelty,' death'
Politics 305: Modern Political Theory
Politics 311: Writing Political Humor
Politics 315: Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan and the Modern Age
Politics 390: Independent Studies in Political Theory: including 'democratic theory,' 'English political thought'
Politics 480: Senior Thesis Seminar
Humanities 497: Michel Montaigne's Essais
Foreign Studies: The Birth of Modern Democracy: Political Thought in Mid-17th C. England

Sep 1991 – Jan 1992

Teaching Assistant, Princeton University, Dept of Politics

Politics 325: Personal and Political Transformation, for Prof. Manfred Halpern,

Sep 1990 – Jan 1991

Teaching Assistant, Princeton University, Dept of Politics

Politics 303: Ancient and Medieval Political Theory, for Prof. George Kateb,

May 1987   Sep 1987

Research Assistant, University of Calgary, Dept of Political Science

Budget Project, for Prof. Mark O. Dickerson

 

PUBLICATIONS

2008.

“Review of Rudolf M. Dekker. Humour in the Dutch Culture of the Golden Age.” Humor, 21, 2, pp.221-225.

2008.

‘To try things  themselves’: Freedom of Expression in a Democratic Multicultural Polity.” In Campus Conversations: The Role of Freedom of Expression in a Multicultural and Democratic Society. (Ed.) Jenny Jopp. Salem, OR: Willamette University, pp.22-58.

2007.

‘A little discourse pro & con’: Levelling laughter and its Puritan criticism,” International Review of Social History. 52. Supplement S15, pp.95-113.

2005.

“Letting the Hydra Roam: Attending to Diverse Forms of Diversity in Liberal Arts Education,” Chapter Two in Teaching Inclusively. (Ed.) Mathew Ouellett.  Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press, pp.21-33.

2003.

and Linda Heuser. ‘Using Service-Learning in Death Education.’ Death Studies, 27, 10, pp.901-927.

2003.

“Guerillas in our midst.” Collegian, April 30, p.7.

2003.

“Technology: the Faculty Perspective.” The Scene: The University Magazine for Willamette Alumni, Spring, pp.18-19.

2002.

“Book review of Murphy, Andrew. Conscience and Community: Revisiting Toleration and Religious Dissent in Early Modern England and America.” History of Political Thought, 23, 4, pp.728-731.

2002.

‘The Wonder Years of IT-Based Liberal Arts Instruction: Notes from a Conference in 2000.’ Bits, Bytes & Nybbles, Fall, 1, pp.4-5.

2002.

‘‘We are in strange hands, and things are come to a strange passe’: Argument and Rhetoric Against Heresy in Thomas Edwards's Gangraena [1646],’ in Histories of Heresy in Early Modern Europe: For, Against, and Beyond Persecution and Toleration. (ed.) John Christian Laursen. New York: Palgrave, pp.11-32.

1999.

 

‘‘Woe unto you that laugh now!’: Humor and Toleration in Overton and Shaftesbury,’ in J.C. Laursen (ed.), Religious Toleration: 'The Variety of Rites' from Cyrus to Defoe. New York: St. Martin's Press, pp.147-172.

1999.

Dialogic Ethics and the Virtue of Humor.’ Journal of Political Philosophy, 7, 4, pp.378-403.

1995.

‘Book review of Loyseau, Charles. A Treatise of Orders and Plain Dignities.’ History of Political Thought, 16, 2, pp.289-291.

1990.

‘‘In a Crazy Time the Crazy Come Out Well': Machiavelli and the Cosmology of His Day.’ History of Political Thought, 11, 2, pp.213-39.

 

PAPERS & INVITED PARTICIPATION

18-22 Nov 2009

Canada.net: Teaching American Students about Canada Using the Internet.’ ACSUS, San Diego, CA

 

Roundtable on Teaching Canada: Canadian Studies in the New Millennium, ACSUS, San Diego, CA

 

Roundtable on Teaching Canada: Canadian Studies in a Smaller Setting, ACSUS, San Diego, CA

 

 

16 Oct 2009

Creating new university courses on Canada,’ at ‘ICSI IMPACTS,’ ICSI Conference & Reunion, Seattle, WA

 

 

12-14 Jan 2009

Demonstrator Model,
Project Bamboo Technology in Humanities Workshop, Tucson, AZ

3 Nov 2008

Rabbit-Proof Fence Film Discussion

9 Oct 2008

The ironic speech situation: deliberative democracy and humor.’ Rhetorical Citizenship and Public Deliberation, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

30 Aug 2008

‘Cannibalism, the amusing difference, and thinking nakedly.’ American Political Science Association, Boston MA.

 

 

7-11 July 2008

‘Is Thomas Hobbes really a theorist of superiority humor?’
Poster: ‘Democracy, and the benign and malign effects of humor: the case of Weimar Germany’
International Society for Humor Studies, Alcalá de Henares, Spain

24-26 April 2008

Discussant for ‘Policy-making: Representation, Rights, and Foreign Relations’ Panel
Discussant for ‘North American Hemispheric Partnerships’ Panel
Discussant for ‘Evaluating Political Actors’ Panel
Western Social Science Association, Denver, CO.

 

 

1-3 June 2007

Invited Participant in ‘The Role of Comedy in a Free Society.’ Liberty Fund Colloquium, Montreal, QC, Canada.

13 April 2007

‘Support our Tropes: Deliberative Democracy and Ironic Speech.’ Western Social Science Association – Canadian Studies/Political Science, Calgary, AB, Canada.

13 April 2007

‘The Nature and Origins of the Australian Sense of Humor.’ Western Social Science Association – New Zealand and Australia Studies, Calgary, AB, Canada.

18-21 Jan 2007

Invited Participant in ‘Liberty, Commerce, and Character in Hume’s Essays.’ Liberty Fund Colloquium, Pasadena, CA.

 

21 Oct 2006

“Pitiful, funny, and surprising’: The Tale of Er as comic iconoclasm.’ Pacific Northwest Political Science Association, Bend, Or.

3 July 2006

‘‘The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy’: Puritan objections to humor.’ The 18th International ISHS Humor Conference. The Danish University of Education, Copenhagen, Denmark.

1 July 2006

‘The Ironic Speech Situation: discursive democracy, citizenship, and humor.’ Citizenship(s) – International Congress on Discourses and Practices. Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal.

25 Mar 2006

‘‘There never was a greater generation of scoffers at Religion’: Thomas Hobbes and the humor of the Leviathan.’ International Hobbes Association, American Philosophical Association - Pacific Division. Portland OR.

 

7 Oct 2005

‘Deliberative Democracy and Comic Voice.’ Social Theory, Politics and the Arts 2005, University of Oregon, Eugene OR.

19 Mar 2005

‘Stooping to Conquer’ or ‘Speaking mirth to power’: the status of political humor.’ Western Political Science Association, Oakland CA.

 

6 Nov 2004 

‘Stooping to Conquer’ or ‘Speaking mirth to power’: the status of political humor.’ Pacific Northwest Political Science Association, Portland OR.

17 June 2004

‘Testing the 'Amusing Difference': Montaigne and the Ethics of his Comic Style.’ International Society for Humor Studies, Dijon, France.

 

18 Sept 2003 

‘Shock and Awe: or Machiavelli's theory of politics as comedy.’ Faculty Colloquium, Department of Political Science, U. of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

3 July 2003 

‘Departing the text: Machiavelli on politics and humor.’ Australasian Centre for Italian Studies Conference on ‘Italians and Their Others: Representations, identities and exchanges at home and abroad,’ University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

7 May 2003

‘Thucydides and War.’ Willamette U First-Year Seminar Workshop, Salem, OR.

5 Apr 2003 

‘Death on the Web: teaching a case-based ethics and public policy course using IT and the Internet.’ Wise Uses of Technology: Social Science & Language Arts Spring Faculty Conference, University of Portland, Portland, OR.

14 Jan 2003

‘The Laughter of Machiavelli: Humor and Power Politics.’ Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities, Waikiki, HI.

8 Jan 2003

With Catherine Collins, ‘Is There Room in Liberal Arts for Information Technology?: A Report on the On-going Efforts to Integrate Technology into the Required Freshman Program at Willamette University.’ Hawaii International Conference on Education, Waikiki, HI.

 

7 Dec 2002

‘Conversation with Senior Liberal Arts Faculty.’ American Council of Learned Societies. New York, NY.

18 Oct 2002

‘The Birth of the Modern Nation State and Crowd Control: Reading the Frontispiece of Hobbes Leviathan (1651).’ Pacific North Western Political Science Association, Bellevue, WA.

4 July 2002

‘Laughing at Miss Fortuna: Machiavelli and derision of state.’ International Society for Humor Studies, Forli, Italy.

 

15 Mar 2001 

‘Locke, Stock, and Barrel: The Illiberalism of Lockean Politics.’ Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, NV.

15 Mar 2001 

‘Sex, Lies, and Heresy: The Early-Modern Origins of the Liberal Public-Private Distinction.’ Western Political Science Association, Las Vegas, NV.

 

24-28 Jul 2000 

‘The Ridiculous in Plato's Republic, or a funny thing happened on the way back from the Piraeus: The Tale of Er.’ International Society for Humor Studies, Kansai University, Osaka, Japan.

27-8 Apr 2000 

Invited Participant in ‘Questioning Values, Defending Values.’ 10th Anniversary Symposium of the University Center for Human Values, Princeton University, Princeton NJ.

11 Apr 2000 

Roundtable Discussant with Arthur L. Caplan on ‘The Frontiers of Biomedicine.’ Willamette University, Salem OR.

24 Mar 2000

‘Just Talking, Talking Justice, and Talking in Jest: Plato's Republic and Dialogic Ethics.’ Western Political Science Association, San Jose, CA.

17 Mar 2000 

‘‘We are in strange hands, and things are come to a strange passe’: Thomas Edwards' Gangraena (1646) and related work.’ Histories of Heresy 1640-1800, William Clark Library, UCLA Center for 17th- & 18th-Century Studies, Los Angeles, CA.

 

20 Mar 1998 

Chair, Panel: ‘Gandhi's Legacy Examined.’ Western Political Science Association, Los Angeles, CA.

19 Mar 1998 

Winstanley and Dispossessed Individualism: Teaching Subjects in Seventeenth-Century England.’ Western Political Science Association, Los Angeles, CA.

8-11 Jan 1998 

Invited Participant in ‘Liberty and Toleration in the Thought of Locke and Bayle.’ Liberty Fund International Conference, Seattle, WA.

 

29 Aug 1997 

‘Trading Punches for Punch-Lines: Dialogic Ethics and the Virtue of Humor.’ American Political Science Association, Washington DC.

28 Aug 1997 

‘Thomas Hobbes and Civil War Radicalism.’ American Political Science Association, Washington DC.

13 May 1997 

‘Being Odd or Getting Even: Liberal Communitarianism and the English 'Revolution'.’ Political Science Colloquium, U. of Hawaii at Manoa, HI.

24 Apr 1997 

Invited Participant in ‘Early Theories and Practices of Toleration in Comparative Perspective.’ UC International Faculty Seminar, UC Riverside, CA.

13 Mar 1997 

‘Communitarian Politics and the Limitations of the Strange: lessons from the English 'Revolution'.’ Western Political Science Association, Tucson, AZ.

13 Mar 1997 

Chair, Panel: ‘Rousseau Revived.’ Western Political Science Assoc., Tucson, AZ.

 

16 Mar 1996 

‘A Funny Thing Didn't Happen on the Way to Liberalism: The Virtue of Humor,.’ Western Political Science Association, San Francisco, CA.

 

20 Oct 1995 

‘Life, Levity, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Liberalism and the Indispensability of Humor.’ Political Science/Philosophy Colloquia, U. of Wash., Seattle, WA.

14 Oct 1995

‘The Uses of Political Theory: Traveling Roads not Taken.’ Homecoming Weekend Mini-Session, Alumni Relations, Willamette U., Salem, OR.

6 Jun 1995 

‘Liberalism & the Propriety of Self-Ownership.’ Canadian Political Science Association, Montréal, QC, Canada.

 

13 Jun 1994 

‘Modernity, Liberalism, and their Late-Modern Critique: Max Stirner's Ego.’ Canadian Political Science Association, Calgary, AB, Canada.

12 Jun 1994

Discussant, Panel: ‘Postmodern(isms).’ Canadian Political Science Association, U. of Calgary, AB, Canada.

26 Feb 1994 

‘Science as Source in the History of Western Political Thought.’ Oregon Academy of Science, Corvallis, OR.

 

4 Sept 1993 

‘Self-Ownership and the Language of Liberal Individualism in Seventeenth-Century England.’ American Political Science Association, Washington DC.

 

13 Nov 1992 

‘The Rebellious Roots of Liberalism: Étienne de La Boétie on Tyranny.’ Northeastern Political Science Association, Providence, RI.

5 Sep 1992 

‘The Irrationality of the Tyrannical State: Étienne de La Boétie on Voluntary Servitude.’ American Political Science Association, Chicago, IL.

31 May 1992 

‘The Origins of Liberalism: the Place of Étienne de La Boétie.’ Canadian Political Science Association, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada.

 

8 Mar 1990 

‘A Plea for Toleration in Matters Historical: The Case of Niccolò Machiavelli.’ City U. of NY Political Science Conference: Historical Perspectives on Politics, New York, NY.


BOOK/ARTICLE MANUSCRIPT REVIEWS

 

American Political Science Review
Canadian Journal of Political Science

Comparative Studies in Society and History
Death Studies
Humor

Political Theory
Polity


GRANTS & AWARDS

2008 – 09

Government of Canada Canadian Studies Program Enhancement Grant: $6000

2008 – 09 

Sabbatical Leave: full release at 75% salary

2008 – 09

Willamette University Center for Ancient Studies & Archaeology Faculty Fellowship: $4000

 

2007 – 08

Government of Canada Canadian Studies Program Enhancement Grant: $4000

2006 – 07

Government of Canada Canadian Studies Program Enhancement Grant: $4000

2006

Jerry E. Hudson Award for Excellence in Teaching

 

2005

Willamette University W.M. Keck Foundation Grant for Professional Enhancement 

2005 

Willamette University Atkinson Fund Faculty Development (Research) Award: $2500

 

2002 – 03 

Department of Education PT3/Oregon Technology in Education Network (OTEN) Consortium sub-grant as Social Studies Lead Faculty Member: $3500 + $1000.

 

2001 – 02  

Willamette University Faculty Achievement Award for excellence in teaching and service.

2001 

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship Award:
"A Liberal Theory of Self-Ownership: Richard Overton and the English 'Revolution'": $24000

2000 – 01 

Sabbatical Leave: full release at 75% salary

2000 

Willamette University Hewlett Fund Information Technology Development Award: $1300

2000 

Willamette University Atkinson Fund Faculty Development (Research) Award: $2500

 

1999 – 00 

Willamette University Center for the Humanities Resident Fellow: 1/3rd release

1999 

Willamette University Atkinson Fund Faculty Development (Research) Award: $2500

1999 

Willamette University Hewlett Fund 'Mortality Cluster' Development Award: $1000

 

1998 

Oregon Campus Compact/Oregon Community Foundation Mini-Grant: Service Learning Course Development: $1500

1998 

Willamette University Mortar Board Professor of the Year

 

1997 

Willamette University Hewlett Fund 'Mortality Cluster' Development Award: $1500

 

1995 

Oregon Council of Humanities Summer Research Grant: $2000

1995 – 96 

Willamette University Atkinson Fund Faculty Development (Research) Award: $1500

 

1994 – 95 

Willamette University Merit Award for Superior Teaching

 

1992 – 93 

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

1992 – 93 

Graduate Fellow, Rockefeller College, Princeton University

 

1991 – 92 

Princeton University Center for Human Values Prize Fellowship

 

1988 – 92 

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Award

1988 – 89 

Program in Political Philosophy Merit Award, Princeton University

1986 – 88 

Ralph Steinhauer Award of Distinction


UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE & SELECT COMMUNITY SERVICE

2007 – 08

Chair, Dept of Politics, WU

2007 – 08

Writing Committee

2007 – 08

Diversity Advisor

2005 – 07 

Chair, Academic Programs Committee, WU

2004 – 05

2005 Award Committee, American Political Science Association Leo Strauss prize for the best dissertation in the field of political philosophy

2004 – 05

Chair, Dept of Politics, WU

2004 – 05

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships Political Science peer review panel

2002 – 04

Member of the Multicultural Center Advisory Board of Chemeketa Community College, Salem OR

2001 – 03

Chair, Dept of Politics, WU

2001 – 05 

Academic Programs Committee, WU

1999 – 00 

Chair, WU College of Liberal Arts Long-Range Planning Committee

1999 – 00 

Academic Programs Committee, WU

1997 – 99 

General Education Implementation Committee, WU

1995 – 96 

Student Activities Committee, WU

1994 – 96 

Working Group on General Education, WU


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

12-14 Jan 2009

Project Bamboo Technology in Humanities Workshop, Tucson, AZ

16-18 Oct 2008

Project Bamboo Technology in Humanities Workshop, San Francisco, CA

27 Aug 2008

Canada and the US, APSA Short Course, Boston MA

21-26 July 2008

CONNECT Canadian Studies Seminar, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

15-17 May 2008

Project Bamboo Technology in Humanities Workshop, Chicago, IL

10-22 July, 2007

International Canadian Studies Institute, Alberta, Canada.

22 May 2007

Digital Asset Management, WITS Workshop, Willamette University.

21 May 2007

‘Project Management in a Liberal Arts College,’ NITLE Workshop, Willamette University.

15 May 2007

Film Study Workshop, Willamette University.

7-10 Feb 2006

Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE), Portland, OR.

9-11 Jan 2006

National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education iGIS Workshop, Willamette University, Salem OR.

1-5 Aug 2005

Final Cut Pro: Intermediate and Advanced Video Editing, Pacific NorthWest College of Art, Portland OR.

25-29 July 2005

Digital Video and Filmmaking for Teachers, Pacific NorthWest College of Art, Portland OR.

25-30 Jun 2005

‘Digital Video.’ National Institute for Technology and Liberal Education (NITLE), ACS Tech Center, Southwestern University, Georgetown TX.

26-29 Jan 2005 

WU Team Participant in AAC&U’s 2005 Annual Meeting, “Liberal Education and the New Academy: Raising Expectations, Keeping Promises,” San Francisco CA.

18-21 May 2004 

WITS Faculty Multimedia Camp, Willamette University, Salem OR.

July-Dec 2003

Visiting Faculty Academic Director, WU Study Abroad Program at University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

5 Apr 2003 

“Wise Uses of Technology: Social Science & Language Arts Spring Faculty Conference,” U. of Portland, Portland OR.

8 Jan 2003 

“Hawaii International Conference on Education,” Waikiki, HI.

28 Sept 2002  

"Wise Uses of Technology in the Classroom," George Fox University, Tigard OR.

21 Sept 2002  

"Uses of PDA's in the classroom," U.of Portland, Portland OR.

2-21 Jun 2001 

WU Team Participant in "Worldviews Travel Program," Greece.

13-23 Jul 2000 

WU Team Participant in "Boundaries and Borderlands III," Association of American Colleges and Universities' Curriculum and Faculty Development Project, Brown University, Providence RI.

5-7 May 2000 

"New Information Technologies and Liberal Education," Center for Collaborative Learning and Communication, Furman University, Greenville SC.

17-21 Jun 1998 

4th Annual National Gathering of the Invisible College (formerly Campus Compact Project on Integrating Service in Academic Study), Portland State University, Portland OR.

Sep-Dec 1997 

Visiting Faculty Academic Director, American Heritage Association, Independent Liberal Arts Colleges Association, London, UK