TAA member Steven Barkan, a retired professor of sociology at the University of Maine, recently published an updated edition of his textbook, Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World, Brief Edition Version 4.0 (FlatWorld, 2025). This update includes a new “Critical Thinking About the Media” feature that discusses contemporary news or social media to stimulate analysis and class discussion and incorporates over 30 embedded hyperlinks to streaming videos to enrich online and hybrid courses. Congratulations, Steven!
Busy TAA People: Regina Lewis-Ward Authors New Political Science Textbook
TAA member Regina D. Lewis-Ward, an adjunct professor of political science at Georgia Military College, recently authored a new textbook, The Dynamics of American State & Local Governments, published by Kendall Hunt Publishing (2025). Regina’s tip for other authors is “pace yourself.” Congratulations, Regina!
James Morrison Awarded TAA Publication Grant
TAA member James V. Morrison, the Stodghill Professor Classics at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, has been awarded a Publication Grant from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association to cover image permission costs for his forthcoming academic book, Comedy in Literature and Popular Culture from Aristophanes to Saturday Night Live. The book will be published by Routledge in 2025.
“I was delighted to learn that I have received a $1,000 Publication Grant from TAA,” he said. “It is very generous of TAA to support this work of comparative literature and performance: the images are especially valuable for sections in the book discussing parody, satire, and caricature.”
Welcome to TAA’s Newest Column: Dear Dr. Noelle
By Noelle Sterne, PhD
Welcome to Dear Dr. Noelle!
Unashamedly, I have modeled this column on the popular “Dear Abby” advice column but aimed at us more evolved intellectuals. The column is for you graduate students, new academic doctors, and professors who have questions that burn in your minds even when you’re binging on a Netflix series.
Fair game: anything pertaining to a dissertation, article, monograph, or book: intellectual, expressional, procedural, psychological, emotional, relational, maddening.
TAA Launches New eBook on Academic Writing
TAA’s newest eBook, “Academic Journal Articles: Decoding Academic Writing,” contains helpful information tailored to the needs of scholarly journal article authors, from learning how to write for academic journals and organizing article content, to finding the right home for your journal.
TAA President’s Message: Seismic Changes, But TAA is Here to Help
Given all the seismic changes in higher education publishing, authors need TAA now more than ever. About 20 years ago, I began my authoring career with a small publisher called Morton Publishing when printed books were the norm. Most of those small publishers don’t exist anymore because they have been acquired by larger publishers.
Consider all the changes in educational publishing over the past two decades. As textbook prices soared, lower cost alternatives emerged. We evolved from printed books to eBooks to Open Educational Resources (OER). Now the major higher education publishers offer various subscription models with lower fees by the month or by the semester. Printed books are quickly being phased out to transition to the new standard of digital and interactive books. Lastly, Generative AI is now a common tool being used by publishers, students, and authors alike.