Editorial Foreword

I am delighted to introduce this year’s edition of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Review (PPER), an interdisciplinary undergraduate journal that provides PPE students with an opportunity to publish their work. As the student Editor-in-Chief for the third volume of the PPER, I aspire for this edition of the journal to live up to its predecessors. This is my first time serving in this role, and I have learned so much throughout this enriching process.

The process began almost a year ago when we received more submissions than anticipated, which created a highly competitive selection process. The editors engaged in lengthy discussions over which papers should advance to the next round, and the decisions were not easily made. Ultimately, we selected five papers that encapsulated well the interdisciplinary nature of PPE and sparked further conversation among us.

This volume consists of five papers authored by students from Creighton University, Queen’s University Belfast, and Queen’s University Canada, and the journal’s home university, Virginia Tech. The volume includes a variety of topics: the evolution of the female role in horror films, ranked choice voting, the repeal of the British Corn Laws, epistemic vulnerability and tolerance, and the reconciliation of concerns for strong affirmative action. Over the past year, the journal’s editorial team, together with the authors, have worked to create a PPER edition that we can all take pride in. I hope the authors, especially, feel proud of their hard work, dedication, and the final product.

I enjoyed the editorial process far more than I anticipated, particularly the correspondence with the editors and the authors and the exploration of ideas back and forth. Helping the authors develop their draft papers into publishable work has been an incredibly rewarding experience, one that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my academic career.

I would like to extend my gratitude to my faculty advisor, Dr. Gil Hersch, for guiding me through the editorial and publishing process. I would also like to thank Dr. Michael Moehler for his passion for PPE and support of the journal’s continued growth. PPE at Virginia Tech has shaped my college experience since I walked into my first meeting of the PPE Reading Group as a clueless first-year student. The room was mostly filled with decorated professors and graduate students, yet they welcomed me and provided a space for my ideas.

It was in this setting that I realized that undergraduate students can, and should, be seen and taken seriously, which is the main reason I decided to step into this role. The undergraduate articles that you find in this volume deserve a place on the academic stage, and I am honored that their authors chose the PPER as their platform.

Delaney Moran