{"id":283,"date":"2017-10-13T20:40:24","date_gmt":"2017-10-13T20:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/160-english\/facultystaff\/jamesdawes\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T16:35:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T16:35:55","slug":"jamesdawes","status":"publish","type":"profile","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/facultystaff\/jamesdawes\/","title":{"rendered":"James Dawes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Novel-Human-Rights-James-Dawes\/dp\/067498644X\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=the+novel+of+human+rights+james+dawes&amp;qid=1616096831&amp;sr=8-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" style=\"margin-right: 8px;margin-left: -8px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2017\/10\/the-novel-of-human-rights.jpg\" alt=\"The Novel of Human Rights by James Dawes\" width=\"165\" height=\"251\" \/>\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Evil-Men-James-Dawes\/dp\/0674072650\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1365793455&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=evil+men\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 8px;margin-left: -8px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2013\/04\/evilmen.png\" alt=\"Evil Men by James Dawes\" width=\"159\" height=\"240\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/That-World-May-Know-Atrocity\/dp\/0674026233\/ref=la_B001ITTSW8_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1365793543&amp;sr=1-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" style=\"margin-right: 8px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2013\/04\/thattheworld.png\" alt=\"That the World May Know by James Dawes\" width=\"184\" height=\"236\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english\/facultystaff\/jamesdawes\/language-of-war\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2003\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2017\/10\/Language-of-War-204x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"169\" height=\"248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2017\/10\/Language-of-War-204x300.jpg 204w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2017\/10\/Language-of-War-696x1024.jpg 696w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2017\/10\/Language-of-War-768x1129.jpg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/601\/2017\/10\/Language-of-War.jpg 1020w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 169px) 100vw, 169px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>James Dawes teaches narrative across the disciplines. His areas of research expertise include human rights, artificial intelligence, and the ethics of storytelling in fields ranging from creative writing to video game design. He is the author of several books, including <em><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hup.harvard.edu\/books\/9780674416796\">Evil Men<\/a><\/em>, winner of the International Human Rights Book Award, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hup.harvard.edu\/books\/9780674026230\"><em>That the World May Know: Bearing Witness to Atrocity,<\/em><\/a>\u00a0Independent Publisher Book Award Finalist. He has written for or appeared as the feature guest on media outlets ranging from National Public Radio, the BBC, and Bulgarian National Radio to the <em>Boston Globe<\/em>, the\u00a0<em>Chronicle of Higher Education<\/em>, and CNN.com. He was a\u00a0Junior Fellow at the Society of Fellows, Harvard University. He received his\u00a0Ph.D. in English Literature from Harvard University and\u00a0his M. Phil. from Cambridge University.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In the News<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/from-besting-tetris-ai-to-epic-speedruns-inside-gamings-most-thrilling-feats-220620\">From besting Tetris AI to epic speedruns \u2013 inside gaming\u2019s most thrilling feats &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nThe Conversation (January 2024)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/baldurs-gate-3-became-the-surprise-hit-of-2023-by-upending-conventional-wisdom-about-what-gives-video-games-broad-appeal-217074\">\u2018Baldur\u2019s Gate 3\u2019 became the surprise hit of 2023 by upending conventional wisdom about what gives video games broad appeal &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nThe Conversation (November 30, 2023)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/article36.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/War-criminality.pdf\">Autonomous weapons a solution to war crimes? &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nArticle 36, A discussion paper (June 2022)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.openglobalrights.org\/it-is-time-to-make-ecocide-an-international-crime\/#:~:text=There%2C%20a%20new%20international%20crime,a%20legal%20definition%20of%20ecocide\">It is time to make ecocide an international crime &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nOpen Global Rights (January 12, 2022)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/un-fails-to-agree-on-killer-robot-ban-as-nations-pour-billions-into-autonomous-weapons-research-173616\">UN fails to agree on \u2018killer robot\u2019 ban as nations pour billions in Autonomous weapons research &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nThe Conversation, Reprinted by over two dozen other news outlets. (December 20, 2021)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2021\/12\/16\/world-can-halt-an-arms-race-over-killer-robots-why-is-biden-administration-standing-way\/\">The world can halt an arms race over killer robots. Why is the Biden administration standing in the way? &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\n<em>The Washington Post<\/em>, Opinion section (December 16, 2021)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/an-autonomous-robot-may-have-already-killed-people-heres-how-the-weapons-could-be-more-destabilizing-than-nukes-168049\">An autonomous robot may have already killed people &#8211; here&#8217;s how the weapons could be more destabilizing than nukes &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nThe Conversation (September 29, 2021)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41562-017-0182-6.epdf?author_access_token=lO8AQhg2g_DSeRXErK0fENRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0N1_GNWPX0ZHRQGcr7bEkw12q77IyTqENQVVaIHilBicVZF1AXUrpQwkhXPGCtiW3NSQUWYewPmnOi1-vBo9ujS8EfLHGw1ExUBm3zAA1UFgg%3D%3D\">The case for and against autonomous weapons systems &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nNature Human Behaviour (August 21, 2017)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.opendemocracy.net\/james-dawes\/to-understand-perpetrators-we-must-care-about-them\">To understand perpetrators we must care about them &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nopenDemocracy (March. 22, 2017)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/radionational\/programs\/theminefield\/graphic-violence-when-is-ethical-to-look\/6354280\">Graphic Violence: When Is It Ethical to look? &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nAustralian Broadcasting Corporation RN (Apr. 9, 2015)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/religion\/articles\/2014\/09\/05\/4081825.htm\">Are We Prepared to Bear the Moral Paradox of Evil? &#8211; James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nAustralian Broadcasting Corporation (Sept. 5, 2014)<\/li>\n<li>Can We Forgive War Criminals? &#8211; James Dawes<br \/>\nTTBOOK interview &#8211; Wisconsin Public Radio (Sept. 13, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/articles.washingtonpost.com\/2013-08-09\/opinions\/41227737_1_war-criminals-war-crimes-second-sino-japanese-war\">\u2018Evil Men\u2019 by James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nThe Washington Post (Aug. 9, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/chronicle.com\/article\/Understanding-Evil\/140025\/\">Understanding Evil<\/a><br \/>\nThe Chronicle of Higher Education (July 1, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/thecurrent\/episode\/2013\/06\/06\/evil-men-james-dawes\/\">Evil Men: James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nCBC Radio&#8217;s <em>The Current<\/em> (June 6, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brooklynrail.org\/2013\/06\/books\/speaking-of-evil\">Speaking of Evil<\/a><br \/>\nThe Brooklyn Rail (June 3, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/harvardpress.typepad.com\/hup_publicity\/2013\/06\/james-dawes-on-empathy.html\">Is Empathy Bad?<\/a><br \/>\nHarvard University Press Blog (June 3, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newstalk.ie\/player\/listen_back\/8\/1529\/31st_May_2013_-_Moncrieff_Part_2\">Appearance on Moncrieff<\/a><br \/>\nNewstalk Ireland (May 31, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.timeshighereducation.co.uk\/books\/evil-men-by-james-dawes\/2004132.article\">Evil Men by James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nTimes Higher Education (May 30, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2013\/05\/15\/opinion\/dawes-syria-video\/index.html?hpt=op_t1\">Why a man eats another man\u2019s heart<\/a><br \/>\nCNN Opinion (May 15, 2013)<\/li>\n<li>Any good from evil?<br \/>\nWNYC Radio &#8211; The Brian Lehrer Show (May 13, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.minnpost.com\/books\/2013\/05\/james-dawes-describes-complexity-war-criminals-evil-men\">James Dawes describes the complexity of war criminals in &#8216;Evil Men\u2019<\/a><br \/>\n<em>MinnPost<\/em> (May 1, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/minnesota.publicradio.org\/display\/web\/2013\/04\/30\/daily-circuit-dawes\">Book pick: &#8216;Evil Men&#8217; by James Dawes<\/a><br \/>\nMinnesota Public Radio (April 30, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/ideas\/2013\/04\/27\/conversations-with-evil-men\/xxMikxrBBRBUTWnhaTodwK\/story.html\">&#8220;Conversations with evil men&#8221;<\/a><br \/>\nThis article about the book <em>Evil Men<\/em> appeared in the <em>Boston Globe<\/em> (April 28, 2013)<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/lifestyle\/books\/article\/1218246\/book-review-evil-men-james-dawes\">Book Review: Evil Men<\/a><br \/>\n<em>South China Morning Post<\/em> (April 21, 2013)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/amazon.com\/author\/jamesdawes\">Amazon author page<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Presentations<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GQwFUjJCPHA\">Big Questions: What happened to human rights?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=C7dIOxbEfn4\">MacTalks video: What&#8217;s It All About<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Write Well series video: Every Sentence is a Sandwich<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Digital Student Projects<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Unediting Dickinson<\/li>\n<li><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/rrostad.tumblr.com\/\">alt lit: The Modern Gothic<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Areas of Study<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>American literature<\/li>\n<li>Countercultures<\/li>\n<li>Human rights<\/li>\n<li>Literary and language theory<\/li>\n<li>Violence and trauma<\/li>\n<li>Literature and Philosophy<\/li>\n<li>Artificial Intelligence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>\u00a0Fall 2025 Courses\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ENGL 125-F1 Studies in Literature: Writing Against the Machine (FYC)<\/li>\n<li>ENGL 150-03 Introduction to Creative Writing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Spring 2026 Courses<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>ENGL 137-01: Novel<br \/>\nENGL 294-01: Emily Dickinson and Taylor Swift<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"more\" href=\"https:\/\/works.bepress.com\/james_dawes\/\">Selected Works in Macalester&#8217;s Digital Commons<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"videoWrapper video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GQwFUjJCPHA?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":733,"template":"","class_list":["post-283","profile","type-profile","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile\/283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/profile"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":53,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile\/283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2957,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile\/283\/revisions\/2957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/english-and-creative-writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}