Prof gets `indecent' in new book
Special to The Observer
A new book by Robert Schmuhl, professor and chair of American studies at the University of Notre Dame, takes a critical look at the American penchant for going to extremes in the arts, popular culture, politics and social movements.
Published by Notre Dame Press, "Indecent Liberties" is a series of eight essays in which Schmuhl analyzes the dangers and consequences of carrying fundamental American freedoms too far. He argues for seeking public and private equilibrium because to do otherwise results in "indecent liberties" that endanger the nation's future.
Schmuhl considers historical examples — such as the hunting of buffalo in the West, Prohibition, and business ventures in the Gilded Age — but devotes most of his attention to contemporary affairs, including shock entertainment, the decline of privacy, and excessive media coverage of stories such as the O.J. Simpson trial and the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal.
"In `Indecent Liberties,' Robert Schmuhl wisely suggests that we remember the value of moderation," says E.J. Dionne, Jr., syndicated columnist and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "But, happily, he is immoderate when it comes to offering us intelligence, sharp insight, and independence of mind. At a time when so much commentary lives on polarization and exaggeration, Schmuhl is a national treasure. This book is a trove of some of his best thinking and writing."
A member of the Notre Dame faculty since 1980, Schmuhl has served since 1997 as director of the University's John W. Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics & Democracy. His teaching and research focus on American political life, journalism and contemporary affairs.
Schmuhl is the author or editor of nine books, including "Demanding Democracy" (1994), "Statecraft and Stagecraft: American Political Life in the Age of Personality" (1990 and 1992), and "Wounded Titans: American Presidents and the Perils of Power (1996). His edited volume, "The Responsibilities of Journalism," has been published in four foreign editions and translations since appearing in 1984.
Schmuhl's academic articles and reviews have been published in such journals as Critical Studies in Mass Communication, The Review of Politics, Style, National Forum, and Journalism Quarterly. He also has worked extensively in journalism, writing features, columns and reviews for dozens of newspapers and magazines, including The Washington Post, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Editor and Publisher, The Chicago Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Boston Globe.
Schmuhl received his bachelor's degree from Notre Dame in 1970 and his master's and doctoral degrees in English and American studies from Indiana University in 1978.
All News Stories for Friday, January 21, 2000
