By Shirley A. Mullen and Ann Boyd

Shirley Mullen: Claiming the Courageous Middle

“If you have two choices, go with the one that’s going to ask you to become a larger person, not the one you think you are capable of doing in that moment. That would be my advice to women…. Do the thing that you don’t think you can do right now and ask God to make you adequate for that.”  — Shirley Mullen

Author and Houghton University president emerita Shirley Mullen joins us on the podcast to talk about making space for nuanced conversation and political engagement in a polarized society. 

What does it look like to inhabit a middle space in the midst of a polarized society? Author and academic Dr. Shirley Mullen joins us on the podcast to discuss her vibrant work on the task of creating space for the exploration of complex perspectives. In our conversation, Shirley describes a path toward a more nuanced view of those black-and-white issues that permeate our social and political discourse. She shares her own personal experience of staking out middle spaces and offers suggestions for those of us in academia who feel exhausted by the sensation of not fitting in on any side. And if you listen to the end of the credits, you’ll hear an excerpt from our conversation where Shirley talks about how the experience of women in academia differs depending on marital status.

So jump right in! We're so glad you're here.

You can listen on iTunes or at The Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.

Further resources for this interview:

 

Photo by Ambreen Hasan on StockSnap

Tags:
About the Author

Shirley A. Mullen (PhD, University of Wales; PhD, University of Minnesota) served as president of Houghton College for fifteen years before retiring in 2021. She spent four decades in the work of faith-based liberal arts education as a professor, residence life director, chief academic officer, and president. As president emerita for Houghton University, Mullen continues to speak, write, and consult as part of her ongoing commitment to encourage and invest in the next generation of leaders through mentoring and serving on the boards of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Jericho Road Community Health Center, the National Association of Evangelicals, Fuller Theological Seminary, and the 1st Amendment Partnership.

Ann is the Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast host and the interim editor for The Well. She has worked for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship since 1997, exploring her interests in community, spiritual formation, and writing. Ann has a BM in Music Education from Northwestern University and lives in Chicago, Illinois with one husband, two spunky teenage daughters, and three snuggly cats. You’ll often find Ann baking sweet treats in the kitchen while listening to a podcast or audiobook.

Comment via Facebook