History

Dean Vesperman, History, co-authored the chapter "Local Historical Maps and Geography as Social Inquiry: Critical Interrogatories for Social Justice" in "Dismantling Spaces of Silence in Social Science Education," which was accepted for publication by Information Age Publishing. Maps are ubiquitous objects in the social sciences, and as historical artifacts provide a visual-textual way of human evolution of thought about spaces, places, and the human-spatial relationships. Engaging in historical inquiry that places local interests, and local geography, at the center of its work gives scholars a tangible mechanism for challenging normative assumptions about space, and to critically engage “the familiar in unusual ways, and the unusual in familiar ways” (Stout, 2007). But to be in critical engagement with a map as a historical text means illuminating–and even resisting–the dominant social, historical, and cultural practices in which the map was created. Confronting the places of local histories, and the silences that reside in between them, enable us to advocate for historical inquiry that is both justice-oriented and inclusive of legion human experiences.

Submitted on: Nov. 7

Tiffany Trimmer, History, was named a member of the Public Programming Committee for the Oral History Association on Nov. 4. Trimmer, director of UWL's Oral History Program (OHP, est. 1968), was appointed to the Public Programming Committee for the Oral History Association. This committee plans workshops and events that support the scholarship, ethical decision-making, and training needs of the organization's international membership.

Submitted on: Nov. 7

Penelope Hardy, History, was elected vice president of Research and Publications for H-Net. H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online is an international consortium of scholars and teachers that creates and coordinates networks of over 230,000 subscribers in more than 200 countries, with the common objective of advancing teaching and research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. During her two-year term, Hardy will be responsible for formulating policies and overseeing projects for H-Net publications.

Submitted on: Nov. 1

Ariel Beaujot, History, presented "We are still here: a story of resistance to colonization in the City we now call la Crosse " for Monday Mornings at Main Oct. 14 at the La Crosse Public Library. This talk given for Indigenous People's Day incorporated the stories told about and by Ho Chunks from the 'Hear, Here' project. The talk went over the standard narrative of Indigenous history: pre-contact, early settler colonialist relations, government sponsored removals, Indian Boarding Schools, and stereotypical imagery and statuary.

Submitted on: Oct. 16

Andrew Howard, History, received the Critical Language Scholarship Refresh program award from US Department of State. This award will provide continued instruction in Urdu virtually with instructors based in Lucknow, India, with the American Institute of Indian Studies. This instruction will support Howard's research for his current book project on a failed British railroad construction that would have connected Kashmir with British territory in India. It will also help further enrich his teaching of world history for students here at UWL.

Submitted on: Oct. 10