The University of Scranton community welcomed Dr. Len Gougeon back to campus Feb. 19.

Dr. Gougeon, formerly a distinguished professor of American literature in the university’s English department, is an expert on the essential writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. He specializes in American literature as it relates to reformation movements.  

Faculty, staff and students gathered as Dr. Gougeon brought forth an insightful and thought-provoking presentation on the cultural and political conflicts between New England and Great Britain during the American Civil War and how they would define the incoming fight for civil rights and racial equality.

Dr. Gougeon cited several Great American Poets of the 19th century in his presentation, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, William Cullen Bryant, Oliver Wendell Holmes and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Dr. Gougeon presented a glaring distinction between the way the different regions distributed media and publications.  

The Northern states in America had more circulating newspapers and a higher literacy rate due to their emphasis on public education for all people. England had a more imperialistic approach to newspapers, maintaining that they spoke for and to the elite. This was rooted in fear that British commoners might demand equality of the elites. They were not ready to give this equality and continued to heavily criticize American democracy.

The consequences that emerge from the inaccessibility of credible news publications and the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation are hard to ignore.

Dr. Gougeon said sometimes the truth can be difficult for people to spot.

“We live in a fact-free world where people don’t distinguish or aren’t capable to distinguish what is true from what is not true,” Dr. Gougeon said.

With a modern shift to digital media, many trusted sources are often blocked by paywalls, leaving those in need of fast information to turn to social media. These sites often fail to regulate what users publish as factual information.  

This further drives a stake into the heart of rational debate.

“Rational people can disagree on positions, but they have to agree that this is what they are dealing with,” Dr. Gougeon said.

Dr. Gougeon’s upcoming book “Old England, New England, and the Civil War” will be released in May, providing greater literary depth on this culture clash for distinguished historians and curious readers alike.

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