A Cultural History of Phobia: Don James McLaughlin and Rachel Walker Discuss Popular Science in Early America

Professor McLaughlin and Professor Walker wrote the dissertations that would later become books on the topic of popular science in early America as office neighbors in Philadelphia in 2015. They quickly became close friends and incisive readers of each other’s work. Professor Walker’s book, “Beauty and the Brain: The Science of Human Nature in Early America”, published in 2023, has received numerous accolades, including the Mary Kelley Book Prize in Gender and Women’s History from SHEAR in 2024. Join us for a discussion of early popular science and psychology as we celebrate Professor McLaughlin’s 2025 book, “Phobia and American Literature, 1705-1937: A Therapeutic History.”