Ken Faunce has won the 2022 President’s Distinguished Teaching Award for career-track faculty. This award recognizes faculty members who epitomize the highest levels of performance and excellence and who provide a vital role in teaching WSU students.
For more information, click here.
Faculty have been commenting on and writing about the Ukraine crisis. Lawrence Hatter has a piece in the Inlander and Matt Sutton was quoted in Vanity Fair and the Washington Post.
The Oregon Historical Society is exhibiting “Building Solidarity for 30 years: Portland Jobs with Justice” through May 15. Laurie Mercier, professor of history at Washington State University Vancouver; and Nikki Mandell, professor of history emerita at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, are co-curators.
Puck Brecher has published a new book: Animal Care in Japanese Tradition: A Short History (Association for Asian Studies, distributed by Columbia University Press, 2022).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Historical Society to host talk on the role of refugees in the making of America
This fall and winter the Latah County Historical Society is exploring the historic roots of contemporary global issues with a five-part series of public presentations. The “How It’s Going, How It Started” lecture series helps attendees understand how stories featured on the nightly news are more complex and enduring than they may seem. There is also a focus on the ways that historical context plays an essential role in finding solutions to our most pressing issues.
The series continues with part four on Thursday, February 17th with Washington State University Professor of History Dr. Jesse Spohnholz presenting “Refugee Crises and the Origins of America: A New History.” Spohnholz’s talk will consider how refugees were critical to the creation of America, but not only in the ways that people usually think. The very idea of America is embedded with ideas about European conquest of the lands of the Western Hemisphere, which sparked American and indigenous refugees across the Americas. By focusing on the hardships of the Puritans, Spohnholz shows, we miss far more significant stories of refugee crises in the origins of America.
All of the “How It’s Going, How It Started” events will be held at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre at 508 S. Main Street in Moscow. Doors will open at 6:30 for the 7:00pm program. The Kenworthy concession stand will be open for refreshments. Each program will also be available for live viewing online. Details about connecting virtually will be made available at www.latahcountyhistoricalsociety.org/events.
“How It’s Going, How It Started” is supported with funds from the Idaho Humanities Council. The final program is scheduled for Tuesday, March 22nd.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dulce Kersting-Lark,
Executive Director
Latah County Historical Society
208.882.1004
dkersting@latah.id.us
Wilson-Short Hall 340
509-335-9898
gracjan.krazewski@wsu.edu
Dr. Kraszewski earned his PhD in history from Mississippi State University and taught in the history department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before coming to WSU (where he also teaches in the School of Design + Construction). He is the author of a Civil War history entitled Catholic Confederates (The Kent State University Press, 2020) and a novel entitled The Holdout (Adelaide Books, 2018). A third book, a maximalist philosophical novel entitled Thermonuclear Mirth, is under contract. Future research will be concentrated on writing a comprehensive Great War history about people on the Palouse. Selected writings have appeared in Amsterdam Quarterly, Riddle Fence, Nashwaak Review, The Catholic Historical Review, The Polish Review Wilderness House Literary Review, Eclectica Magazine, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, New English Review, Black Bear Review, The MacGuffin, The Scriblerus, and Idaho Magazine. He has played baseball collegiately, professionally in Europe in the Czech Republic and Belgium, and for the Polish National Team. He is fluent in English, Polish and French with ability in Russian and Italian.
Dr. Chastain will be presenting on the Cities and Inequalities Dream Conversation Lighting Round virtual panel on Friday, January 27th. The event is free and open to the public. There will be four presenters discussing their research on urban history and inequality with case studies from Chile, Mexico, China, and the Soviet Union.
Please register here.
Nik Overtoom has had a new article published, “Reassessing the Role of Parthia and Rome in the Origins of the First Romano-Parthian War (56/5-50 BCE).” Journal of Ancient History 9.2 (2021): 238-268.