Lori Marso is the Doris Zemurray Stone Professor of Modern Literary and Historical Studies, and professor of political science. She is also director of Africana Studies. She is a political theorist who writes books about feminist thinkers (like the author of "The Second Sex," Simone de Beauvoir) and is currently writing a book about discomforting feelings stirred by feminist films. She started teaching at Union in 1997. With Tom Lobe (who also teaches in the Department of Political Science), Marso lives near campus in the Stockade area of Schenectady, and they also have an apartment in New York City. The couple have two grown children who live in Brooklyn, and three small dogs. Guaka and Mole are already huge celebrities on Union’s campus, “but a little puppy named Taki, whom we adopted during the pandemic, is poised to steal the limelight,” Marso says.

FIRST APP YOU LOOK AT IN THE MORNING: Instagram, so I can see my daughter’s daily updates on the plot of her two “devil” kittens, Diablo and Beezlebub, to take over her apartment

ONE BOOK YOU HAVE READ MULTIPLE TIMES: Plato’s "Republic," which my Intro to Political Theory students lament having had to read carefully, just one time, slowly, over 10 weeks

BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED: Don’t turn down any offers you haven’t yet received

FAVORITE SPOT ON CAMPUS: Jackson’s Garden, on a bench when the weather is lovely, and a comfy chair in the area of the Starbucks kiosk when it’s cold or raining

GO-TO BREAKFAST: Very strong coffee with cream

NETFLIX or AMAZON: Both please, and also Hulu, Criterion, Sundance and HBO

FAVORITE PODCAST: 2 Dope Queens

ONE SKILL YOU WISH YOU HAD: Prosecute and send to jail members of the current White House administration

ANOTHER SUBJECT YOU WISH YOU COULD TEACH: American literature

BEST EXCUSE YOU EVER HEARD FOR A LATE ASSIGNMENT: My mom called and took up all the time I had set aside for writing (I love this one because aren’t moms blamed for absolutely everything?)