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History | Student News

Kobe University Professor Tosh Minohara to give public lecture

Tosh MinoharaTosh Minohara is a Professor of U.S.-Japan Relations at the Graduate School of Law and Politics, Kobe University, Japan. He is a frequent commentator for NHK, National Geographic, BBC and National Public Radio and has appeared in numerous television programs worldwide.

On April 4 at 6:00 p.m. in CUE 203, he will give a public lecture titled “The Geostrategic Shift in East Asia: Emergency of a Regional Pax Sinica?”

A power shift is now taking place in East Asia. A new political order is gradually emerging as relative U.S. dominance wanes in the region, and in its place an increasingly assertive and confident China is appearing; and China is ever more eager to extend its sphere of influence. How will the rising “Pax Sinica” impact “Pax Americana” in the region? This talk will explore what the shift in U.S.-Japan-Asia strategic relationship means for the future of East Asia.

This lecture is sponsored by the Department of History, Asia Program, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Japanese Prime Minister.

 

“Public Dams, Private Power” presentation April 5 at noon

Casey CaterDr. Casey Cater (Kennesaw State University, GA) will deliver a public presentation: “Public Dams, Private Power: The Fight for Clarks Hill, 1946-1957.”  This will be of particular interest to environmental, US West, and 20th century historians.  The talk will be on Tuesday, April 5 at noon in the CUB auditorium on the Pullman campus.  For more information, see the flyer.

This presentation is sponsored by the Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Berry Family Faculty Excellence Fellows, the Columbia Chair in the History of the American West, and the Sherman and Mabel Smith Pettyjohn Memorial Lectureship.

History PhD recipient, Beth Erdey, curates “Nuunimnix” exhibit in Spokane

2013 - ErdeyTabitha “Beth” Erdey earned her PhD in Public History in 2013.  Her thesis title is Wildly Contentious: The Battle for North Central Idaho’s Roads, Rivers, and Wilderness, and her advisor was Dr. Rob McCoy.  She is now an archivist for the Nez Perce National Historical Park in Spalding, Idaho, managed by the National Park Service.

Nuunimnix is an exhibition in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Nez Perce National Historical Park, one of 19 parks in the Northwest. The exhibition is at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington until June 12. Bob Chenoweth, Museum Curator and Beth wrote the book within which are numerous photos and stories of the Nez Perce Tribe and is the basis for the exhibition.

 

2016 Western History Assn Graduate Caucus Newsletter

Western History AssnThe Western History Association Graduate Student Caucus (WHAGSC), invites interested graduate students to join the caucus. Students are encouraged to apply for the various opportunities through the Western History Association that have a major deadline of April 1, 2016.  The Indian Student Conference Travel Award is open to both undergraduate and graduate students (whether they are presenting at the WHA conference or not) who identify as Native American.

The Annual Western History Association conference is September 28, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Applications for WHA Graduate Awards are due April 1.

For more information, see the WHAGSC Spring Newsletter 2016 with Web sites.

 

 

Ai Wang (PhD 2014), accepted position at Winona State University

2013- Ai WangThe WSU Department of History is pleased to announce that Ai Wang, who received her PhD in East Asian History, has accepted a tenure-track position at Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota.  Her dissertation “City of the River: The Hai River and the Construction of Tianjin, 1897-1948″  was under the supervision of Professors David Pietz (now at the University of Arizona), Jeff Sanders and Heather Streets-Salter (now at Northeastern University, Boston).

Congratulations, Dr. Wang!

“The Filth of Progress” presentation

Dearinger photo Dr. Ryan Dearinger of Eastern Oregon University will be giving a public presentation on his recently published book The Filth of Progress (UC Press, 2015) on Wednesday, March 23 at 5 p.m. in the CUB Jr. Ballroom 210. Dr. Dearinger’s work tells the story of the immigrants and Americans—the Irish, Chinese, Mormons, and native-born citizens—whose labor created the West’s infrastructure and turned the nation’s dream of a continental empire into a reality, but whose stories are generally left out of the triumphal narrative of westward expansion. This event is sponsored by the Sherman and Mable Smith Pettyjohn Memorial Fund and the Berry Family Faculty Excellence Fellows. See the Filth of Progress flyer for more information.

“North American Indian History Precontact to Present”

Native American on horsebackDr. Orlan Svingen’s course, History 308, will be taught online this summer.  It is among core courses for the online American Indian Studies minor/certificate program at WSU.  The Washington State K-12 curriculum – which covers treaties, sovereignty, court rulings and other topics that tribes and neighboring communities address every day – is available online for free to school districts. Dr. Svingen’s course provides further exploration of these central topics along with updated tools for both new and veteran teachers of history and social sciences.  For more information, see the link to WSU News.

Chris Allan, PhD 2010 – Gold, Steel & Ice

Gold Steel & Ice - 1Chris Allan received his PhD in Public History from WSU in 2010.  Dr. Allan is currently a Research Historian with the National Park Service in Alaska.  His book entitled  “Gold, Steel & Ice – A History of Mining Machines in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve” was published in November 2015.  A copy is housed in the main office of the Department of History – WSU.  The book examines one of the three parks that was expanded in size when President Jimmy Carter signed the Antiquities Act in 1980 to preserve the land as a National Monument.  Chris specifically targets the mining machinery used in the Yukon-Charley Rivers area dating back to the 1890s.  More information about the book can be found here.  Photos and sketches included in the book are found  at this site.  Dr. Orlan Svingen was Chris’ mentor and advisor during his years spent at Washington State University.

Lecture & Colloquium: “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” Mar 9, 2016

William Seefeldt - History

A lecture entitled “Studying Buffalo Bill in the Digital Age” will be held March 9 at 12:30 p.m. in the University of Idaho Whitewater Room, Idaho Commons.  Presenter, Dr. Douglas Seefeldt, is an Assistant Professor of History at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana.

Dr. Seefeldt will also conduct a colloquium entitled “History After the Digital Turn: How Digital Humanities Has Redefined Scholarship”  to be held in WSU’s Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation, 4th floor Holland/Terrell Library at 3:00 p.m.

More information is available on the Studying Buffalo Bill in the Digital Age flyer.

Research Fellowships available

The Friends of the Air Force Academy Library is offering research fellowships from $1,000 to $15,000 annually.  Available on their web page, is information on How to Apply, About The Friends, Current Projects and Services, and Results of their Work.  The Friends established and fund the program.