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Grace Easterly Selected as 2024-25 CWAR Institute Fellow

Grace Easterly has been selected as a 2024-2025 fellow at the Cold War Archives Research Institute.Grace Easterly, graduate student

The Cold War Archives Research Institute at the Wilson Center has two objectives: “to stimulate original scholarship on the interplay between soft and hard power in the cold and hot wars between 1945 and 1991; and to demonstrate the power of cooperative scholarship through innovative archival practices”. This highly competitive fellowship seeks to train graduate level students in archival research methodologies, and hone the CWAR fellows “critical research skills in historical and archival methodologies, further their own research agendas in Cold War history, improve their communication and presentation skills, and develop a network of supportive professional contacts”.

Congratulations to Grace Easterly on this impressive achievement!

Manisha Sinha Speaks at Congressional Dialogue Series

On September 25, Prof. Manisha Sinha visited Washington D.C., where she discussed her new book, The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic: Reconstruction, 1860-1920, as part of the Congressional Dialogue series. Speaking before an audience of more than two hundred Members of Congress, Prof. Sinha discussed the relevance of Reconstruction to contemporary politics, and to the issues Americans face today.

Historians Mahoney and Horrocks on American Girl Dolls

History Ph.D.’s Mary Mahoney ’18 and Allison Horrocks ’16 explore American Girl dolls through Allison Horrocks, 2016 History Ph.Dlenses of history and pop culture in their podcast “The Dolls of Our Lives,” and their recent book, The Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can’t Quit American Girl.

Their work has garnered significant attention and interest.  It has been featured in UConn Today, “In New BooMary Margaret Mahoney, History Department, UConnk, History Ph.D.s Explore ‘Why We Can’t Quit American Girl,’” where they discuss their podcast, their book, and weigh-in on which American Girl’s they think would earn history Ph.D.’s.

Prof. Sinha Signs Brief in Colorado Ballot Case

Manisha Sinha, professor of history

Prof. Manisha Sinha is one of twenty-five Civil War and Reconstruction historians who signed an amicus brief in support of Colorado’s attempt to remove Donald Trump from the ballot under the 14th Amendment, which bars insurrection participants from running for office. A summary of the brief’s main arguments is featured in the Guardian article, “US historians sign brief to support Colorado’s removal of Trump from ballot.”

Find the whole brief here.

A second brief from historians regarding the case cites Prof. Sinha’s upcoming book, The Rise and Fall of the Second American, 1860-1920

Frank Costigliola on George Kennan, with Kai Bird November 9th

University of Connecticut Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of History, Frank Costigliola will discuss his most recent book, Kennan: A Life between Worlds, with the Executive Director of the Leon Levy Center Kai Bird. The hybrid event will occur Thursday, November 9th, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in-person at the CUNY Graduate Center’s Segal Theatre and online via Zoom.

Register here.

Prof. Manisha Sinha, new president-elect of SHEAR

Manisha Sinha, professor of historyAfter a recent election, Professor Manisha Sinha is now the president-elect of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic (SHEAR).

Established in 1977, the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic (SHEAR) is an association of scholars dedicated to exploring the events and the meaning of United States history between 1776 and 1861. SHEAR’s mission is to foster the study of the early republican period among professional historians, students, and the general public. It upholds the highest intellectual standards of the historical profession and encourages the broad diffusion of historical insights through all appropriate channels, including schools, museums, libraries, electronic media, public programming, archives, and publications. SHEAR cherishes a democratic ethos in scholarship and cultivates close, respectful, and productive exchanges between serious scholars at every level of experience and recognition. SHEAR membership is open to all; most members are professional historians employed in colleges, universities, museums, and historical parks and agencies, as well as independent scholars and graduate students.

Elected to the Nominating Committee for 2024-2026 were two department alumni: Antwain K. Hunter, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (MA ‘09) and Jessica C. Linker, Northeastern University (PhD ’17).

Congratulations to everyone!

Graduate Students Spotlight

Join us in congratulating our past and present UConn History graduate students on their wonderful achievements!

 

Graduate student Constance Holden has been awarded the 2023-2025 UConn Greenhouse Studios Graduate Assistantship to Support Diversity in Digital Humanities.

Constance Holden, graduate student

Former graduate student and current New England Air Museum Curator Nick Hurley (MA ’15) has been named the 2023 U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH) Scholar in Residence.  This program is a professional development opportunity established in 2021 for Army National Guard and Reserve officers possessing advanced degrees in history. Participants spend one year on the rotating faculty of the Department of History at the United States Military Academy at West Point and another as a member of the CMH staff in Washington, D.C.

Britney Murphy has accepted a position as Assistant Professor of History and African-American Studies at the University of Alabama – Birmingham.
Britney Murphy, graduate student
Nicole Breault has accepted a position as Assistant Professor of History at the University of Texas El Paso.