Liberal Arts In Print – May 2026
The following are publications that have been published from April to May 2026.
Feeding the World as if People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields
Written by Andrew Flachs, associate professor of anthropology (The University of Arizona Press)
This book reimagines what agriculture should value—not just yield and profit, but people, communities, and ecosystems. Drawing on more than a decade of anthropological research across South India, Eastern Europe and North America, Flachs explores how small farmers are already building more sustainable and humane food systems. Blending personal inspiration with global insight, the book challenges conventional ideas about efficiency and productivity, instead highlighting the social and ecological relationships that truly sustain us. It’s a thoughtful, accessible read for anyone interested in where their food comes from and how it could be grown differently.
Financial Inclusion: How an Idea Became a Global Agenda
Authored by Tyler Girard, assistant professor of political science (Stanford University Press)
Explore the rapid global push to bring billions of people into formal financial systems in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Tracing the rise of the “financial inclusion agenda,” Girard explores how access to banking, credit and digital payments became a central goal of global economic governance. Drawing on interviews and primary research across multiple countries, the book reveals how this agenda has been shaped, adapted and contested in different contexts. Through the concept of “participatory ambiguity,” Girard offers a fresh perspective on how ideas gain global traction and what that process reveals about power, technology and decision-making in an increasingly connected world.
Teaching the Arthurian Tradition
Co-edited by Dorsey Armstrong, professor of English (Modern Language Association)
This volume explores the enduring legacy of King Arthur, tracing the legend from medieval texts to modern adaptations across literature, music and global storytelling traditions. Featuring essays on works from Geoffrey of Monmouth to Tolkien and beyond, it offers fresh perspectives on leadership, identity and community while highlighting innovative ways to teach Arthurian literature through discussions of race, gender, disability and digital media.