Monthly Digest: April 2024

This is the eighteenth monthly digest. For those new to Liberating Narratives, I send a general update at the end of each month.

This month features a few reflections and snapshots from Ho Chi Minh City.

Some Reflections

Sorry for the delay in getting the end-of-the-month digest published. April was a hectic month with family affairs. My wife and I regularly learn that everything with an infant takes longer than anticipated, including her ability to adjust to jet lag! I apologize for the posts in April arriving a few days late.

At the same time, traveling with our daughter Jaya continues to be an incredible opportunity. She is meeting people all over the world, and she gets to have unique experiences. I know she won’t remember then, but they leave an imprint on her. It’s beautiful watching her interact with other children.

Like many folks, I’ve been following the news of campus protests. It’s been interesting comparing the ways different media cover the protests. I also have a few former students who have been including posts on their Instagram accounts. The differences between television news, newspapers, and social media couldn’t be more stark. It’s an important reminder that as teachers, students, parents, and colleagues get their “news” from different sources. We need to be mindful of the different perspectives. I also appreciated this op-ed from David M. Perry and Matthew Gabriele, two medieval historians who connected the current protests to the medieval origins of the university.