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While Black women continue to be underrepresented in the United States’ political system, a dramatic rise in their recent involvement indicates a growing force in the shifting political landscape. In a new book to be released June 2023, political science professor SHARON D. WRIGHT AUSTIN unpacks the power unleashed in “political Black girl magic.” Austin looks deeper at the wave of Black female mayors elected to office in the past few years, highlighting the unique obstacles these leaders face in their quests to advance social causes.

In his first children’s book, EVAN FERL(BA ’07, JD ’10) captures a day in the life of a beloved family member: his grey-and-white cat, Max. Ferl is inspired by the secret life of Max, chronicling the imagined adventures the feline gets into when the family leaves him home alone. With a series of playful illustrations, Ferl captures the humor of pets by confronting the age-old question: What do they do when we’re not around? Ferl partnered with UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine to donate all proceeds and match funds in support of their commitment to advancing arts in health research, education and practice.

With a shifting climate and escalating geopolitical tensions, the challenges of international migration are intensifying — offering a valuable opportunity to closely trace the roots and development of immigration law. Racial biases were written into the early migration policies of states worldwide, and continue to perpetuate prejudices today, according to political scientist ANDREW S. ROSENBERG. Although the Anglo-European world attempted to rid their immigration laws of openly discriminatory language by the 1980s, Rosenberg posits that these racial inequalities, remnants of colonialism, persist today.

Florida Museum Courtesy Research Scientist ANN S. CORDELL(BA ’76, MA ’83, BS ’93) and JEFFREY M. MITCHEM(BA ’77, PhD ’89) offer a fresh look at Florida’s pre-Columbian historical periods. Through the compelling contributions of leading archeologists, this volume includes topics like pottery design and production, social interaction in mound-building societies and early 19th century Seminole settlements. With novel ways of looking at older data and compelling new information, Cordell and Mitchem provide new insight into Florida’s history and development.

Professor of Political Science LESLIE E. ANDERSON’s volume confronts political scientist Robert Putnam’s thesis that “democracy requires high levels of social capital.” In the new Spanish language translation of her book, originally published in 2016, she compares the similarities between American and Argentinean institutional structures. She closely examines
the advantages and faults of their government. Through this scope, she works to understand how the Argentine state’s actions respond to citizens and its role in lifting the country.

During France’s rise to prominence in the production of furniture and fashion, the fairy tales of authors Marie-Catherine d’ Aulnoy and Henriette-Julie de Murat provided a sense of pride and escapism. Professor of French and Francophone Studies RORI BLOOM examines the positive feminine influence this genre had on the arts in Old Regime France. Bloom chronicles the authors’ ability to spin usual rags-to-riches fairy tale magic into a more intentional acknowledgment of the skillful artistic practice that enables raw materials to be transformed into elaborate works of art.

UF Director of African American Studies and Associate Professor of History DAVID A. CANTON contributes to a conversation about the city of Philadelphia and its development as a hub for Black political activism. The new book charts the rise of Philadelphia’s Black political identity, chronicling from the Great Migration onward over the next century. Canton’s chapter, “Building Black Philadelphia,” follows the city’s transition from a solidly Republican metropolis to a Democratic one in the early 1930s, cataloging the political power struggles and racial discrimination that predicated the shift.

Misfit teenager Zeke plans to suffer through yet another long, hot summer in her small town of Coalfield, Tennessee — that is, until she crosses paths with newcomer Frankie. Energized by Frankie’s creativity, Zeke suddenly finds herself at the center of an escalating artistic movement that changes her life forever. KEVIN WILSON (MFA’04) weaves a quirky, complex coming-of-age novel with a twist — by fast-forwarding 20 years to give glimpses of Frankie and Zeke’s adult lives, Wilson explores the power of the past and the repercussions of actions made long ago.

In his first children’s book, alumnus JAMES ADKINS(BA ’21) teams up with international illustrator Elissa Yoko to introduce Deeno the Dino. Deeno has always looked and felt different from the rest of his friends. With sharp teeth and a mighty roar, he feels too “scary” to fit in with the others. When his friends don’t want to play with him anymore, Deeno struggles to feel good about himself. The search for a new friend sets Deeno on a path to finding the inner strength to embrace his differences.

Political science professor MICHAEL P. MCDONALD examines the effects of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Through the chaos and confusion, McDonald sorts through the challenges voters faced in the awakening of an international pandemic to the refusal of President Donald Trump to acknowledge his loss. Through a blend of storytelling and analysis, McDonald invites readers to comb through the effects of a complex time for voters, politicians and the government itself.

Political Science alumnus MICHAEL D. COHEN(BS ’92,
MA ’94, PhD, ’96) explores how technology and its speed have revolutionized elections and motivated voters in the United States. Through
academic research and interviews, Cohen investigates aspects of campaign planning and management, including the methods experts use to win voters’ affections. From political parties to campaign planning and fundraising, Modern Political Campaigns gives a peek into the behind-
the-scenes realities of political campaign operations leading up to election days.

Associate Professor of Vietnamese Language and Linguistics ANDREA HOA PHAM plunges into the history of the sounds and rhymes that form the present Cantonese language. She deciphers the mysterious origins of the peculiar phonemic inventory of the Quang Nam dialect, which diverges from those of immediate neighbors and shares traits with more geographically removed dialects. Through extensive linguistic research and an ethnographic account, readers can explore how the language’s two most fundamental dialects developed, taking a step closer to understanding the rich history of Vietnam.