One of the best ways that I know to develop my writing skills is to write literature reviews. In order to think critically about significant cultural works, whether they take the form of a play or a non-fiction autobiography, I take the time to interact with as diverse of an array of opinions and points of view as I can. As such, I have undertaken quite an extensive reading list since the beginning of this summer, and hope to continue to do so as my work schedule permits. By clicking on one of the links below, you can read some of my thoughts about pieces I have read, or maybe even find the next book you want to dive into.
The Treason of the Intellectuals
Julien Benda’s 1927 book “The Treason of the Intellectuals” is an important work in the liberal tradition that argues that academic philosophers should seek truth rather than align their views with their identity. Benda criticizes French authors who embraced a German worldview that stripped men of their morality and encouraged them to embrace their identity…
The State of Taiwan
Taiwan represents an enigmatic case study in the International Relations sphere, since it is an incredibly small yet wealthy territory that is unrecognized as sovereign by its neighbor China and its informal ally the United States. This unique position has made Taiwan an important focal point in both Chinese and American calculations within the East…
On Julius Caesar
In this response paper, I will analyze the strategic political calculations of Marcus Brutus in William Shakespeare’s canonical work Julius Caesar. In his very first line in Act I Scene II, Marcus Brutus foreshadows Caesar’s impending fate by warning “A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.” By echoing the rantings of a seemingly…
American Political Theorist 