History Department News 

Were Pirates Foes of the Modern Order - or Its Secret Sharers

Professor Hanna's book, Pirate Nests and the Rise of the British Empire, 1570 - 1740, was part of an article in the recent edition of the New Yorker. 

Professor Mark Hanna Featured in New National Geographic Channel Documentary Series

Professor Hanna was a consultant on all 8 episodes in the series but he is featured in all but episode 2. 

Setting Sail on Experiential Learning

Course modality takes students off campus and into the community

Mark Hanna recently appeared on a PBS Digital Show

Mark Hanna recently appeared on a PBS digital show

This Year’s West Coast Germanists’ Workshop met at UCSD San Diego on November 4 & 5

Where History Students Stand at a “STEM School”

History Department Rises to #30 in new U.S. News Rankings

Professor Mark Hanna Featured in New Netflix Show

The Many Makings of Martyrs in the Early Modern Ottoman World

Recent passing of David Ringrose, Emeritus History Faculty member

Congratulations to Trisha Tschopp who recently won a prestigious Boren Fellowship

Congratulations to Jordan Mylet who received two highly competitive grants

Congratulations to Pete Braden, who has accepted an An Wang Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Congratulations to Yupeng Jiao has been offered a Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford University for the 2020-21 academic year.

Congratulations to Ben Kletzer for winning the National Bureau of Asian Research's Chinese Language Fellowship (CLFP) for the 2020-2021 school year.

Congratulations to Dana Velasco Murillo who has been awarded an American Council of Learned Societies Frederick Burkhardt Fellowship

Congratulations to Mira Balberg for receiving the Mellon Foundation New Directions Fellowship

Rebecca Plant gives inspiring speech at the Distinguished Teaching Awards Ceremony

Congrats to our PhD Grads 2019!!

Don't miss the 2019 Golden Chopsticks Film Gala & Awards!

Rebecca Plant, 18-19 Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Award

Please join us in congratulating Simeon Man

Deborah Hertz in LA Review of Books

Our graduate student, Graeme Mack

Napolitano Meeting in Korea with Todd Henry

Ed Watts Interview in New York Times

Near the beginning of the third century B.C., the Republic of Rome faced an acute threat to its domination of the Italian peninsula. In a series of brutal battles . . .

Interview with Professor Frank Biess

Ed Watts on NPR's On Point

Bob Westman Awarded Sarton Medal and Chairship

At the service awards ceremony

Discharging immigrant soldiers is the American way. That’s the problem

An assignment that inspires students beyond the classroom

Bob Edelman in the NYT: Soviet Soccer History

• Deborah Hertz in LA Review of Books
  Intersectionality and the Jews in the Age of Trump
• Our graduate student, Graeme Mack
  got his Op-ed published in the Washington Post!
• Ed Watts Interview in New York Times
  Near the beginning of the third century B.C., the Republic of Rome faced an acute threat to its domination of the Italian peninsula. In a series of brutal battles . . .
• Napolitano Meeting in Korea with Todd Henry
  Napolitano visited Korea as part of building networks with Asia and Asian universities. She came to Korea and Singapore this time. Korea is the largest eap (study abroad) program in all of the UCs
• Interview with Professor Frank Biess
  in Der Spiegel following the publication of the German language edition of his book, Republik der Angst.
• Ed Watts on NPR's On Point
  Professor of Ancient History Ed Watts will be on NPR's On Point, Friday, 1/10/2019, to discuss his new book, Mortal Republic: How Rome Fell into Tyranny. Click through to see a full press listing for his book.
• Bob Westman Awarded Sarton Medal and Chairship
  Robert S. Westman is the 2018 - 2019 Sarton Chair and recipient of the Sarton Medal in the History of Science at the University of Ghent, Belgium. Given in recognition of lifetime achievement, Westman is the first UC San Diego scholar to receive this distinction. The chair is named after George Sarton, the founder of the journal Isis and co-founder of the History of Science Society. As this year’s Sarton Chair, Westman gave two public lectures in Ghent on Oct. 11 and 12. Westman joined the UC San Diego Department of History in 1988, after 19 years at UCLA and was one of the founders of UC San Diego’s Science Studies Program, now housed within the Institute of Arts and Humanities.
• At the service awards ceremony
  to celebrate Susan Bernal's 30 years and Joan Bahrini's 20 years at UCSD
• It’s time to fulfill the promise of citizenship
  Natalia Molina published in The Washington Post
• Discharging immigrant soldiers is the American way. That’s the problem
  Simeon Man published in The Washington Post
• An assignment that inspires students beyond the classroom
  It’s rare that students return to a research paper or project after their work has been graded, and even more rare after their course has ended. That’s the power of a Wikipedia assignment. As instructors and students have recounted, when students learn how to evaluate and contribute to Wikipedia as an assignment, inspiration can reach beyond the classroom.
• Bob Edelman in the NYT: Soviet Soccer History
  In Russia’s Archives, a Soccer History Cloaked in Contradiction
• Natalia Molina Wins 2018 China Residency Exchange Fellowship
  History professor will teach 10-day seminar in China on US racial politics, using unique research method
• Graduate Research Advocacy Day Takes Over Sacramento
  UC San Diego graduate students share impact of their research, advocate for increased investment from the state
  
• Faculty Members Celebrated for Seeing the Classroom and World Differently
  44th Chancellor’s Associates Faculty Excellence Awards recognize excellence in teaching, research and service
• The Violent Legacies of the U.S. War in Vietnam by Simeon Man
  March 16 marks the 50th anniversary of an event that few Americans want to remember. In 1968, Charlie Company, a unit of the 11th Brigade, 20th Infantry, entered the village of My Lai in South Vietnam
• Rebecca Plant and her prize-winning article on Gold Star mothers was featured in a Washington Post story:
  For 11 years, Bessie Strawther longed for a chance to visit her son’s grave. Pvt. Henry Strawther, a black American soldier in a segregated infantry unit, had died fighting the German army on Oct. 6, 1918, nearly five weeks before World War I ended in armistice.
• Tom Gallant's new book, Modern Greece: From the War of Independence to the Present is currently being distributed weekly to some newspaper subscribers in Greece
  Please follow the link to the website and television commercial.
• Win or Lose Los Doyers are 'Familia'
  During Game 6 of this year’s World Series, a man held up a sign. On top, it read, “1988: Father and son at World Series.” On the bottom, “2017: Father, son and grandson at World Series.” . . .
• Plant and Clarke: Federal Segregation and Gold Star Mothers
  The article is about African Americans' responses to the segregation of the gold star mother pilgrimages of the early 1930s, and what those responses reveal about the shifting landscape of black politics in the interwar period.
• Recruiting the Entering Class of 2023
  Our chair Pamela Radcliff participated in a panel of judges to evaluate group presentations by 7th grade history students in Mr. Kuhn's class at the project-based Soul Charter School in Solana Beach, CA. The students' assignment was to take a "failed state" and redesign it, and they chose North Korea, South Sudan, Syria, and Venezuela. When the students started their research, Professors Todd Henry, Jeremy Prestholdt, Hasan Kayali, Michael Provence and Matthew Vitz shared their expertise by providing the groups with accessible readings for them to learn about their countries.

• Natalia Molina on HistoryChannel.com
  When American Lawmakers Took a Page from the Nazi Playbook
• Rachel Klein receives Distinguished Teaching Award
  Rachel Klein has an extensive track record of excellent, innovative, and highly effective teaching at UC San Diego. Professor Klein’s strengths lie in her mastery over material and her ability to convey her knowledge of history in a well-structured, engaging, and lively lecture. She is, as one student wrote, a ”rare breed of a lecturer who can hold my attention while having absolutely no Visuals.” Other students have commented that ”her lectures are like stories” and “it is easy to sit back and listen.” Close attention to students’ work, combined with unswerving devotion to nurturing their intellectual development and career success, are hallmarks of Professor Klein’s teaching and advising. She is a model teacher-inspiring, challenging, generous, supportive, and capable of connecting with students on a very individual level. Professor Klein serves as an excellent role model and inspiration for younger colleagues.
• HILD 7C lecture on Zoot Suits and World War II
  C-SPAN aired Dr. Luis Alvarez' HILD 7C lecture on Zoot Suits and World War II during their "Back to School" week as part of their American History TV series. It will air later this fall (date TBD) on their regular Lectures in History time slot on Saturdays 8 pm & midnight ET on C-SPAN 3.
• Mark Hanna guests on This American Life: Episode 616 - I Am Not A Pirate
  To be, or not to be a pirate? This week, that is the question. Hold fast, mateys! We have stories about both historical and modern-day swashbucklers who loot, pillage, and question their choices.
• The Ottoman History Podcast: Nir Shafir interviews Michael Provence about his upcoming book.
  For much of the twentieth century, military officers have been the most successful political operatives in Middle East politics. In this episode we explore the conditions that gave rise to these figures from their schooling to the disingenuous colonial politics of the interwar mandates.
• New Translation of Gallant's book to Greek
  Tom Gallant’s book Modern Greece has just been released in a Greek translation, sparking a full page review in the Greek version of the NY Times
• Paul Pickowicz Retires
  Paul’s prodigious scholarship on Chinese history, focused on the People’s Republic of China, is impressive on several levels. On a purely quantitative level, Paul has published 17 books, 5 of which appeared in Chinese and Korean, in addition to more than 100 articles, reviews, translations and essays and two well-known PBS documentary films.
• The Chinese Emperors and Monogamy: Professor Sarah Schneewind interview
  Is it conceivable that the supreme ruler of an empire would have chosen to be monogamous? It seems hard to believe, but at least one such emperor exists in history.
• Professor Paul Pickowicz: Thirty Steps to the Front
  Out of the hundreds of students in his lecture at a small Western Massachusetts college, Paul Pickowicz sat toward the back. He was a quiet student, barely noticeable among the bustling crowds that would swell in and out of the room — he barely wanted to be there to begin with. Time spent in classrooms and with the endless piles of reading was time that was taken away from tossing a ball around under clear blue skies.
• Time Magazine: Hanna Weighs in on Historical Blockbusters
  Though only a couple of the movies up for the Best Picture prize at this Sunday's Academy Awards are based on a true story from history, real events have long been fodder for Oscar-friendly films.
  
• From Japanese Internment to the Muslim Ban: History Forgotten"
  Drs. Provence, Man, and Matsumura discuss historical parallels to the Trump Administration's Muslim Ban. Read the Op-Ed in the SD Union Tribune by Drs. Man and Provence, and listen to the interview with Dr. Matsumura.

Department Statement on Travel Ban

The faculty of the Department of History of the University of California San Diego would like to express our dismay over the immigration and travel ban enacted by the President of the United States on January 27, 2017. International collaboration and exchange are necessary for strong scholarship and intellectual inquiry. We wish to affirm our support and appreciation for all instructors, scholars and students who may be adversely impacted by the executive order. If you are in need of assistance or resources concerning visa status, travel or immigration, please see the following webpage provided by the International Center: http://ispo.ucsd.edu/policyupdates.html.

Daniel Vickers Passes

Former chair and faculty member of the department, Dr. Daniel Vickers, died on Wednesday evening, February 6, 2017.
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Nancy Caciola to Appear in "The Story of God with Morgan Freeman"

Winter 2017

Professor Nancy Caciola will be on the new season of the National Geographic channel's "The Story of God with Morgan Freeman". Her segment appears in an episode titled "Heaven and Hell," which airs Monday, January 23rd.
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"The Pirate Next Door, an article by Mark Hanna

Winter 2017

A lot of what is known about pirates is not true, and a lot of what is true is not known.
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Mark Hanna, Founder’s Day Symposium Speaker

Winter 2017

Mark Hanna dispels some myths and reinforces others about piracy, smuggling, and other illicit activities in early America and the British Empire.
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UCSD Faculty Panel: "What's Next for Washington?"

Fall 2016

Marquee faculty of UC San Diego assess the stunning result of the 2016 presidential election and look ahead to what a Trump Administration will mean for US relations with China, Korea, Canada, Latin America, Israel and Iran; and how Trump's policies will affect domestic politics and international students who want to study in the United States.
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Natalia Molina: SD Union-Tribune Op Ed, "How Mexican-Americans assimilate into U.S. Culture"

Fall 2016

Within 24 hours of the election, Mexican-Americans across the nation (along with many other racial, ethnic, religious, and LGBTQ groups) were being verbally and even physically attacked.
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Mark Hanna receives 2016 John Ben Snow Book Prize

Fall 2016

The Snow Books Prize was awarded for Pirates Nests and the Rise of the British Empire, 1570-1740
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Allan Mitchell, Emeritus Faculty passes way at age 83

Fall 2016

An active scholar and excellent teacher, Professor Mitchell continued to write about European history throughout his life.
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Paul Pickowicz Takes Novel Approach to Teaching History

Fall 2016

From the U.S. to China to Germany and beyond, UC San Diego Distinguished Professor of Chinese History Paul Pickowicz takes a novel approach to teaching history—he transforms students into experienced filmmakers.
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Tom Gallant Short-listed for the London Hellenic Prize

Fall 2016

Professor Tom Gallant’s book, The Edinburg History of the Greeks, 1768-1913: The Long Nineteenth Century (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2015) has been chosen as a finalist for the London Hellenic Prize. Professor Gallant's book was one of 6 out of 116 submissions to make the shortlist. In the end, the prize went to an art history book about Hellenistic bronze sculpture, but he has been invited to the ceremony in London to receive an award for being a finalist.

Natalia Molina, 'How Race is Made in America'

Fall 2016

'Michigan Daily' op-ed about Professor Natalia Molina's lecture on racial scripts that provided a clear and much-needed message: Racism is embedded in our institutions and must be addressed through comprehensive reform.
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Faculty Highlight: Simeon Man

Fall 2016

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Simeon Man, whose article, "Aloha, Vietnam: Race and Empire in Hawai'i's Vietnam War," American Quarterly 67:4 (December 2015) has been awarded the American Studies Association's Constance Rourke Prize for the best article published in American Quarterly in 2015. 
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Jeremy Prestholdt: Time Magazine Feature

Fall 2016

20 Years After Tupac¹s Death: ŒA Symbol of Possibility, of Life Cut Short'
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Faculty Highlight: Robert Edelman

Fall 2016

Professor Robert Edelman's most recent book, "Spartak Moscow, the People's Team in a Workers' State," has been placed on display in an exhibit at the new museum in the team's new stadium.

Faculty Highlight: Nancy Kwak

Spring 2016

Congratulations to Associate Professor Nacy Kwak whose book, "A World of Homeowners: American Power and the Politics of Housing Aid" has been awarded the 2016 Kenneth Jackson Award for the best book in North American urban history.

Faculty Highlight: Frank Biess

Spring 2016

Congratulations to Professor Frank Biess who has been appointed as Faculty Director for the UC-Education Abroad Program Northern Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Germany) with residency in Berlin. His two-year appointment will begin in July 2017.

Faculty Highlight: Wendy Matsumura

Spring 2016

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Wendy Matsumura who received the Paul Sweezy Marxist Sociology Book Award for her book, The Limits of Okinawa: Japanese Capitalism, Living Labor, and Theorizations of Community.

Faculty Highlight: Rebecca Plant

Spring 2016

Congratulations to Associate Professor Rebecca Plant who has been awarded the prestigious Berkshire Conference of Women Historians' 2015 Article Prize in the history of women, gender, and/or sexuality for her article, "The Crowning Insult": Federal Segregation and the Gold Star Mother and Widow Pilgrimages of the Early 1930s," co-authored with Frances M. Clarke, and published in the Journal of American History, September 2015.

Outstanding Professor, Mark Hanna

Spring 2016

Mark Hanna recently received the UC San Diego Outstanding Professor award by the Panhellenic Council. His book, Pirate Nests and the Rise of the British Empire, 1570-1740, received the John Lyman Book Award Honorable Mention for U.S. Maritime History from the North American Society of Oceanic History. You can find out more about the book on a recent blog Under the Crossbones.
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Behind the Lectern: Deborah Hertz

Spring 2016

Professor Deborah Hertz is not just a lecturer, she is a teacher who engages her students to appreciate and think critically about history.
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Faculty Highlight: Mark Hendricks

Spring 2016

Associate Professor Mark Hendrickson received UC San Diego's first New Directions Fellowship Grant from the Mellon Foundation. The grant will support Dr. Hendrickson’s efforts to explore how the work of American mining engineers and geologists working abroad between 1880 and 1930 helped shape the development of 20th-century American capitalism, science, and foreign policy. 
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UC San Diego Top Ranked

Fall 2014

The University of California, San Diego is one of only five top public universities in the U.S. to make the top 20 list in a new ranking of the world’s top 500 colleges. The campus took the No. 18 spot in U.S. News and World Report’s first-ever global ranking of universities which measured factors such as research, global and regional reputation, international collaboration as well as the number of highly-cited papers and doctorates awarded.
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Anthology Publication

Fall 2014

Congratulations to Professor Joseph Esherick, Professor Paul Pickowicz, and 16 of their former UCSD graduate students on the occasion of the publication of an anthology honoring both professors, Visualizing Modern China: Image, History, and Memory, 1750-Present (Lexington Books, in press).

The volume is edited by James Cook (Pittsburgh); Joshua Goldstein (USC); Matthew Johnson (Grinnell); and Sigrid Schmalzer (U Mass) and contributors include: Jeremy Brown (Simon Frazer); Michael Chang ( George Mason); Madalene Dong (University of Washington); Christian Hess (Sophia University-Japan); Liu Lu (Ithaca College); Cecily McCaffrey (Willamette); Andrew Morris (Cal Poly); Charles Musgrove (St. Mary's College-Maryland); Elena Songster (St. Mary's College-Oakland); Xiao Zhwei (Cal State San Marcos); and Zheng Xiaowei (UC Santa Barbara). Congratulations to all!

Search for Endowed Chair

Fall 2014

Department launches search for inaugural Gerry and Jeannie Ranglas Endowed Chair in Ancient Greek History

Search for Faculty

Fall 2014

History seeks tenure-track faculty member in history of 19th-20th century Japan

Faculty Highlight: Bob Edelman

Fall 2014

Congratulations to Professor Bob Edelman, who has won a highly competitive Collaborative Research grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for his ongoing work on The Global History of Sport in the Cold War. Bob and his colleague Chris Young (Pembroke College, Cambridge) have been awarded a three-year grant to convene three international scholarly workshops on the topic of sport and politics during the Cold War and will publish the resulting papers and associated materials through two print volumes and an open access website.

UC San Diego Top Ranked

Summer 2014

UC San Diego Named Nation’s 8th Best Public University by U.S. News and World Report
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UC San Diego Top Ranked

Summer 2014

UC San Diego Ranked Best University Washington Monthly ranks UC San Diego best university for 5th consecutive year
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