Greg Grandin named as Woodward Professor of History
Pulitzer Prize-winning scholar Greg Grandin has been appointed as the Peter V. and C. Vann Woodward Professor of History in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
August 2020
‘Rigged’ by David Shimer ’18 B.A., M.A. details long history of Russian and U.S. electoral interference
Russian hackers and internet trolls sought to manipulate American voters throughout the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, as they are doing again in 2020. Their efforts represent the latest chapter in a 100-year history of secret operations by the Soviet Union’s KGB, Russia under Vladimir Putin, and the CIA to influence electoral outcomes in foreign countries.
PBS News Hour: "Why 1920 can offer clues about the 2020 elections" featuring Beverly Gage
In 1920, as Americans were preparing to choose their next president, the country — just out of World War I — was still reeling from a flu pandemic that killed nearly 700,000 Americans, recovering from a sharp economic recession and grappling with riots resulting from violence against Black people. Today, the coronavirus pandemic has set the stage for unprecedented party conventions — but the issues and the political divisions the country is facing now echo many of those that existed 100 years ago.
The Atlantic: "I’m a Historian. I See the Contingency of This Moment." by Joanne Freeman
Historians don’t just study history. We construct it. We puzzle pieces into meanings. Aided by our instincts and experiences, as well as by our research, we make sense of other times, other nations, other peoples. In that sense, the writing of history is always personal.
Washington Post Opinion: "What Americans should learn from Belarus" by Timothy Snyder
Those Americans who believe that the Democrats are their best hope for thwarting the rise of authoritarianism must confront a basic question: Given that President Trump intends to spoil the elections if he can’t win them, how do citizens ensure that November’s victors take office? As Kamala D. Harris and Joe Biden dominate the news, we have looked past Belarus, whose courageous citizens show us the way. In this post-Soviet republic, run for a quarter-century by the same man, we have a refreshing example of how to face the worst — and win.
"For dominion India, real independence did not come in 1947" featuring Rohit De
India became independent on August 15, 1947, or did it? Jawaharlal Nehru’s famous speech, ‘tryst with destiny’ delivered on the midnight of August 15, is remembered as the moment a new nation was born thereon. In reality though, that was the moment when India and Pakistan acquired dominion status. While India remained a dominion till 1950, Pakistan retained the status till 1956.
God's Shadow: Sultan Selim, His Ottoman Empire, and the Making of the Modern World
Long neglected in world history, the Ottoman Empire was a hub of intellectual fervor, geopolitical power, and enlightened pluralistic rule. At the height of their authority in the sixteenth century, the Ottomans, with extraordinary military dominance and unparalleled monopolies over trade routes, controlled more territory and ruled over more people than any world power, forcing Europeans out of the Mediterranean and to the New World.
WATCH: Stephen Pitti interviews Matthew Jacobson on his recent book, “One Grain of Sand”
Stephen Pitti, Director of the Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration (RITM), interviews Matthew Frye Jacobson, William Robertson Coe Professor of American Studies & History and Professor of African American Studies at Yale, on his recent book “One Grain of Sand,” part of the Bloomsbury 33 1/3 series .
Essie Lucky-Barros celebrates 35 years at Yale milestone
On August 5th, Essie Lucky-Barros, our Undergraduate Registrar, celebrated 35 years of service at Yale University. This milestone will officially be celebrated at Yale’s Long-Service Recognition gala in 2021. In these times of social distancing, members of the faculty sent electronic well wishes and the staff marked the occasion with a car parade by Essie’s home complete with signs, music, and balloons.