Introducing the Critical Conversations Series

We are excited to launch The Critical Conversations series, a book series that collects essential essays from top scholars on timely topics, including water, biotechnology, gender diversity, gun culture, and more, originally published by the independent, nonprofit news organization The Conversation U.S. The books will each be guest-edited by prominent scholars. 

“These books were designed for a critical purpose: To give readers in-depth knowledge of important issues in society directly from those who know the subject best. Scholars have spent hours crafting these stories with The Conversation journalists to explore subjects from multiple perspectives in plain language,” says Martin LaMonica, the Critical Conversations Series Editor and Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters at The Conversation U.S.

The first Critical Conversations books will be published in May and June 2023.

• The Conversation on Gender Diversity (May 2023), edited by Johns Hopkins University scholar of transgender history and the history of sexualities Jules Gill-Peterson, looks at gender diversity in the twenty-first century and the intricate and intersecting challenges faced by trans and nonbinary people.
• The Conversation on Water (June 2023), edited by University of Arizona environmental policy scholar Andrea K. Gerlak, collects the work of thirty top scholars—from climate scientists, policy advocates, and hydrogeologists—in a compelling essay collection on the world’s water crises and the necessary steps to build a more sustainable and equitable water future for all.
• The Conversation on Biotechnology (June 2023), edited by Connecticut College professor of chemistry Marc Zimmer, features leading experts writing on foundational topics in biotechnology, from CRISPR gene sequencing to the ethics of GMOs and “designer babies.”
• The Conversation on Guns (November 2023), edited by Metro State University criminologist James Densley, is an exploration of the devastating gun violence in the United States—and possible ways to stop it. 

Ezra Rodriguez, Assistant Acquisitions Editor at Johns Hopkins University Press, says, “These books will give readers an introduction to the challenges and new inventions that shape our world today. It is my pleasure to partner with The Conversation U.S. in their mission to provide factual and accessible information to the public.”