Introducing New Courses in Fall 2010

The history department will be offering three courses for the first time in the fall semester:

HIST 381: "Issues in Public History," MWF 10:40-11:40, taught by Leslie Madsen-Brooks, will "look at how people engage with history outside the classroom" Madsen-Brooks writes. "We’ll learn from changing urban landscapes, consider what everyday objects can tell us about an historical moment, and reflect on how and why people collect and catalog photos and texts. Along the way, we will meet practicing historians and think through what it means to practice and preserve history in an increasingly digital world."

HIST 381: "The United States and the Wars in the Middle East," TuTh 1:40-2:55, taught by David Walker, will examine US involvement in the Middle East in the twentieth century.

HIST 380: "The Cultural Logics of Death and Dying," TuTh 3:15-4:30, taught by Sarah Hoglund, who offers this description: "This course will focus on eighteenth and nineteenth century Britain and its colonies, tracing the cultural, social, economic, and political transformations in the conception of death and dying. We will draw on works of literature, art, history, philosophy, and theology, unpacking the multiple meanings of nineteenth century cemeteries and sepulchral monuments, funeral rituals and the cult of mourning."

History Department Hires New Public Historian

The department has hired Leslie Madsen-Brooks to be its new public historian, beginning in August 2010. Madsen-Brooks received her doctorate from UC Davis in Cultural Studies in 2006. She writes about women in science, material culture, museums, and digital history (of which she is a practitioner as well as a student). She will teach undergraduate courses in public history and US gender history, as well as graduate seminars in public history.

Center for Idaho History and Politics Lassoes Some Grants

Todd Shallat reports that the Center for Idaho History and Politics heard back on a couple of successful grants last week. One, for $5,000.00, comes from the Library of Congress to create a workshop to train Boise school teachers to use historical documents that relate to Idaho history. The other, for $3,500.00, is from the Idaho Humanities Council. John Bieter and Nancy Tacke wrote the application, and will fund the placement of ceramic and cast-iron historical markers at some "ethnic landmarks," notably the all-Basque chapel, now a law office on Idaho Street.

Kasey Reed Studying at Oxford

Kasey Reed, a Boise State University graduate in ancient history, has been accepted to study Roman history, with a focus on economics, at Oxford University, beginning in October 2010. Congratulations, Kasey!