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In the mid-1990s as the world-wide web became seemingly
ubiquitous, computer technology's pedagogical potential garnered
tremendous attention. As someone who taught a large introductory
course, I was interested in how the web and other multimedia could
be leveraged to present material to a generation growing as comfortable
with sitting in front of a computer screen as in front of an open
book. My inclination was to move beyond using the web only in ancillary
support of traditional textbooks and offer students a free-standing
product—a webbook. The most dedicated support for this project
came from Roby Harrington of Norton's College book division. Roby
had a vision of a new series of course materials that would move
the study of international relations away from the large 600-page
encyclopedic presentation that had become common. He saw Lenses
of Analysis as an innovation that could fit within Norton's
new Series in International
Relations.
Roby's support was remarkable because we did not have a tried
and true guide to publishing on the web. Lenses presented
a challenge for both Norton as a publisher and myself as a writer.
The project developed through many iterations as we experimented
with animation, audio-visual mixes and how to hyperlink so that
students found support, rather than distraction. Sarah Caldwell
and Robert Whiteside provided critical support in the early stages
of this project. They were supportive of Lenses even when
its structure was unsettled and Rob deserves credit for his commitment.
As we moved forward, the New Media division at Norton became an
integral part of the project and I thank Yaching Yu, in particular,
for her creativity in bringing Lenses to the web. Most significant,
however, was Avery Johnson's effort, who thought creatively about
editing text in a manner that fit the web's cadence and pitch, while
settling on a structure that made Lenses accessible and interesting
for students. She had a tremendously positive influence on this
project.
Lenses, however, would never have been completed had it
not been for the patience and support of my wife Kathryn and daughter
Margot. The refrain, "daddy's got to work tonight, so let us
leave him alone," became common as I managed this project alongside
my faculty responsibilities at the University of Cincinnati. Their
sacrifices of time and attention can not be understated. I hope
I have justified some of their sacrifice with a product that assists
students engage more productively in the study of international
relations.
Richard J. Harknett
West Chester, Ohio, December 2001
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