Working Historians

History Speaker Series with Kristen Engel and Henrician Spectacle

In this episode, Kristen Engel discusses her experiences in a graduate program at the University of Connecticut and her dissertation research, which uses courtly spectacle to examine the portrayals of political and cultural ideals in the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII, which led to political and cultural transformations in early Tudor England. She teaches history at Southern New Hampshire University and is the editor-in-chief of “The Court Observer” for the Society for Court Studies.

Scotty Edler presents The Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid-19 (Part 2)

In this second episode on the Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid-19, Rob Denning, James Fennessy, and Scotty Edler discuss the long-term political, social, economic, and cultural consequences of the plague and the flu, and they attempt to use those precedents to predict the long-term effects of Covid-19 on our own future lives.

Scotty Edler presents The Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid 19 (Part 1)

During the next two episodes, Rob and James talk to Scotty Edler about his research into the causes and consequences of three major disease epidemics: the Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid-19. Here we discuss the historical contexts of each disease and the lessons learned from each outbreak.

Writing Local History: Joe Flickinger - High School Teacher and Local Historian

Joe Flickinger teaches high school history outside Cincinnati, Ohio, and is the Vice President of the Green Township Historical Association. In this episode, Rob, Jimmy, and Joe discuss how to research and write local history, with examples from Joe’s writings on the Bridgetown Cemetery, suburbanization in Colerain Township, and the bicentennial of Green Township.

 

Recommendations:

Joe Flickinger, A History of Bridgetown Cemetery: Quietly Serving Cincinnati’s Western Hills for over 50 Years (Berwyn Heights, MD: Heritage Books, 2021) - recommended by Rob

Alexis Coe, You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington (New York: Penguin Random House, 2020) - recommended by Joe Flickinger

Rachel Wolgemuth, Cemetery Tours and Programming: A Guide (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) - recommended by Joe Flickinger

Gideon Defoe, An Atlas of Extinct Countries: The Remarkable (and Occasionally Ridiculous) Stories of 48 Nations that Fell Off the Map (New York: Europa Editions, 2021) - recommended by Rob

All the Streets are Silent: The Convergence of Hip-Hop and Skateboarding, 1987-1997, Jeremy Elkins, dir. (2021) - recommended by Jimmy

Researching Irish Spies: Kate Schaefer - Historian and Adjunct Instructor, SNHU

Kate Schaefer teaches history at Southern New Hampshire University. In this episode, Kate discusses her research into female spies during the Irish Rebellion of 1916 and World War II. And then there is some chatter about the Sisters of Mercy and the CIA’s suggestions for disrupting Zoom meetings, kinda.

 

This episode’s recommendations:

Sarah Rose, D-Day Girls: The Spies who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped win World War II (Penguin Random House, 2020).  

Trevor Ristow, Waiting for Another War: A History of the Sisters of Mercy, Volume I: 1980-1985 (GWK, 2019).

Simple Sabotage Field Manual (Office of Strategic Services, 1944), available at Project Gutenberg.

Researching Puerto Rican History: Deirdre Lannon - Senior Lecturer, Texas State University

Deirdre Lannon teaches history at Texas State University. In this episode, Deirdre discusses her academic and professional background (including her time fronting a rockabilly band!) and her dissertation research topic, Ruth Reynolds and her role in the fight for Puerto Rican independence.

The Videogame Historian: Matthew Schandler - Adjunct Instructor

Dr. Matthew Schandler is an adjunct instructor in history at Southern New Hampshire University and other institutions. In this episode, we discuss Matt’s academic and professional background, with a focus on his work on the early days of the videogame industry.

This episode’s recommendations:

Nick Dyer-Witheford and Greg de Peuter, Games of Empire: Global Capitalism and Video Games (University of Minnesota Press, 2009), https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/games-of-empire

Historical videogames, good and bad. Some good, some really bad.

Constitution Day 2019: The Whiskey Rebellion, Native Americans, and the Fourth Amendment

In this episode commemorating Constitution Day, three scholars discuss the importance of the United States Constitution to their own academic work and the Constitution’s importance to American citizens. Christopher Kline, who teaches historical methods and American history in the graduate program, discusses the Whiskey Rebellion in the context of the early national era. Dr. Robert Irvine, a consultant for Parc Resources in Oregon who teaches American history in the graduate program at Southern New Hampshire University, discusses his work with Native American groups. Dr. Jeffrey Czarnec, Associate Dean for Social Sciences at SNHU who oversees the Criminal Justice program, discusses the importance of the Constitution, particularly the Fourth Amendment, to everyday police work.

Recommendations and Links:

Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell, The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation (New York: Hill and Wang, 2008)

Library of Congress Documents on Constitution Day

LauriAnn Deaver presents "The Mormon Response to the 1976 Teton Dam Collapse"

LauriAnn Deaver presents "The Mormon Response to the 1976 Teton Dam Collapse"

Gillian Glaes discusses African Political Activism in Post-Colonial France

Dr. Gillian Glaes presents African Political Activism in Post-Colonial France: State Surveillance and Social Welfare.