Mercer University Press, established in 1979, publishes books in history, philosophy, religion, and Southern studies. They have a staff of five and release 35-40 titles annually.
Mercer is the only Baptist-related institution with an active continuous full-time publishing program over the past thirty years. The reputation of the Press significantly enhances the academic environment of Mercer and carries the name of Mercer throughout the world.
History
Mercer University is a comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. It is a recognized leader in research and community service, and it ranks among the best universities in the South. Founded in 1833 in Penfield, Georgia, it is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state. Today, Mercer serves more than 9,000 students across a campus in Macon and a regional academic center in Savannah. Its 12 schools and colleges teach a wide range of subjects and are committed to academic freedom and the affirmation of faith as the basis for the University's vocation.
Since its establishment in 1979, Mercer University Press has published more than 1,600 books, with 35-40 titles released annually. It is the only Baptist-related institution with an active continuous full-time publishing program over the past thirty years.
The Press publishes in a variety of genres, including history, philosophy, religion, Southern studies and literary fiction. The Press seeks to serve a broad audience and to disseminate the results of scholarly investigation and literary excellence to readers worldwide.
One of Mercer's most recent endeavors in this area is a study entitled "Built on Their Backs: Slavery at Mercer University." The work of Summer Perritt, a Mercer University graduate student, is the first to attempt to understand Mercer's founding within the context of the slave economy.
With 28% of Mercer's current student body identifying as African Americans, a fuller accounting of Mercer's past is essential to its continued mission to prepare ministers who can inspire the church and the world to imagine, discover and create God's future. It is a story of courage, tenacity and devotion to principle.
Great universities generate new discoveries that add to the world's knowledge base and make an impact on lives. Mercer's array of academic programs and its culture that promotes collaboration make it a unique place to explore the possibilities for a better world.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of the human mind, its enduring questions, and how these questions influence our lives. In Mercer’s Philosophy program, you will be challenged to ask difficult and controversial questions, to examine and analyze them carefully, and to develop your own unique and distinctive philosophical perspective.
Mercer University Press is the University’s publishing arm, established in 1979. The Press publishes a variety of books devoted to a broad range of subject areas, including history, religion, literature, Southern culture, and philosophy.
The Philosophy Department at Mercer is committed to educating students in the fundamentals of logical reasoning, the history of the field of philosophy, and how philosophical literacy serves individuals and society as applied to contemporary moral, social, cultural, economic and political issues. Mercer’s Philosophy faculty and staff are committed to an engaged learning environment, one that encourages students to question what they believe, to ask their own questions and to learn how to express their thoughts clearly both orally and in writing.
Dr. Marc Jolley is a senior lecturer in the Philosophy department. His research focuses on the nature of a character and its importance in human experience, with a particular emphasis on American culture. He also teaches Great Books, and Introduction to Ethics.
Mercer University Press is an integral part of the Mercer University community and supports the University in its mission to achieve excellence and scholarly discipline in the fields of liberal learning, professional knowledge, and regional interest by making the results of scholarly investigation and literary excellence available to the worldwide community. The Press has published more than 1,600 titles since its establishment, releasing 35-40 titles annually. Founded on Baptist principles, Mercer University is one of the country’s most comprehensive centers for undergraduate, graduate and professional education. It has 12 schools and colleges, a University press, and a number of regional academic centers throughout the state.
Religion
Mercer University is one of the nation's premier research universities. The University focuses on the pursuit of excellence in education, combining scholarship, service and public engagement. It enrolls more than 8,200 students in 11 schools and colleges, including liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, health professions, business, engineering, education, theology, music and nursing. The University has major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah and regional academic centers across the state. It also has educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta.
Founded in 1833, Mercer is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. Its schools and colleges are located on major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah, and at four regional academic centers throughout the state. Its faculty members are recognized for their expertise in their fields. Mercer's reputation for academics in an engaged learning environment continues to grow.
The religion program at Mercer University invites you to take an active role in exploring the essential aspects of life. Its curriculum explores the various ways that religion influences every discipline, action, and thought process in this world.
Christian faith is the largest religion in the world, with about 2.2 billion people identifying themselves as Christians. While Christianity is growing at a modest rate, other world religions are also increasing in popularity. This book will help you learn more about other religious traditions and their relationship with the Bible, history, and theology.
The Mercer University Press publishes books in history, philosophy, religion, and Southern studies. This publisher's mission is to support the work of Mercer University in achieving excellence by making the results of scholarly investigation and literary excellence available worldwide.
Southern Studies
Mercer University Press publishes books on history, philosophy, religion, and Southern studies. The press's mission is to serve as an interdisciplinary publisher that encourages new interpretations of the past and present of the American South. Mercer University Press also produces an annual Southern Studies series that explores the region's cultural dimensions.
The South has a long and complex history that includes slavery, colonialism, civil rights, racism, and modernity. This is reflected in its literature and culture, which encompasses art, music, language, folklife, documentary studies, and race relations. Despite this diversity, scholars of the South have struggled to define the region as a whole and develop a methodology for studying it.
This field of research has become increasingly critical, particularly as the region struggles to deal with racial and social injustices. A number of scholarly works have addressed lynching and utopian socialism in the South, as well as African Americans' relationship to popular culture and their repression by white elites.
In addition, scholars have studied how the southern region conceived of time and space in the post-Civil War period. This concept, known as the chronotope, mythologized a Lost Cause and was a central theme in both white and black Southern histories. However, authors like Octavia Butler and Walker Percy have challenged this chronotope, arguing that it does not reflect the reality of the South.
Students at Mercer have launched research initiatives to study the University's connections to enslaved 19th century Black Georgians, as well as segregation after Mercer moved from Penfield to Macon. This effort was the result of a student-led push to join the Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium and a partnership with the King Center.
Literature
Mercer University Press is a small but highly respected publishing house that is primarily focused on Southern studies. It publishes authors from across the country and the world in genres including history, civil war history, African American studies, Appalachian studies, literature, religion, Biblical studies, philosophy, and fiction. Its reputation significantly enhances the academic environment of Mercer University and carries the name of Mercer and Macon, Georgia throughout the world.
Founded in 1979, Mercer University Press has published more than 1,200 books in the areas of history, philosophy, religion, Southern studies, and literary fiction. The press is proud to support the work of Mercer University and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences by making the results of scholarly research and literary excellence available to readers worldwide.
The Mercer University Press also publishes the prestigious Lamar Memorial Lectures series. The series celebrates the rich heritage of the South and encourages scholars to explore the value of Southern culture, history, and literature in today’s world.
Great Books is a long-standing program at Mercer that connects undergraduate students with classic texts and helps them interpret them through questions and discussion. The courses are offered in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and can count toward general education requirements or as an elective, as well as for the Integrative Curriculum (INT).
Dr. Charlotte Thomas, executive director of Mercer University’s Great Books program, is passionate about the importance of these classes. She said the core texts they cover are foundational in Western thought and are a part of Mercer’s overall mission to educate people for lifelong learning.
Faculty members in the Great Books program come from different disciplines within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, she said. They use active learning techniques to help students better understand the texts, which she says is important for their future success in graduate school and beyond. They participate in the Association of Core Texts and Courses, a global professional liberal arts organization that Dr. Thomas leads, giving Mercer a front-row seat to the field and providing opportunities for new collaborations.