History Department

Greg Downs discusses the history of political reform in the 1860s and questions why Democrats today are so hesitant in implementing similar change.

Downs's article seeks to disprove the popular imagination that the American political system has always been stable and stagnant. Instead, Downs argues, "the United States has survived not by keeping the same system but by transforming its rules at crucial moments."

Congrats to Howard Chiang, editor-in-chief of The Global Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) History (Gale, a Cengage Company, 2019), a three-volume work that won the 2020 Dartmouth Medal for most outstanding reference work!

The Journal of the Civil War Era and the Richards Center at Penn State announced their new JCWE co-editors, Greg Downs and Kate Masur, who will assume the position effective January 15, 2020.

Congratulations to Ari Kelman for being elected a Fellow of the Society of American Historians, a prestigious honor among historians in the discipline!

The association rewards literary distinction among scholars, journalists, and historians of American History in an effort to celebrate distinguished historical writing.

For more information, see: https://sah.columbia.edu/content/newly-elected-fellows-society-american-historians

Join the Facebook group for updates on future events and information on how to get involved.

Planned events include: online trivia nights, study sessions, documentary viewings, and lectures from History Department faculty!

All students welcome!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/History.Club.UCDavis

Congratulations to Andrés Reséndez for receiving a prestigious Andrew Carnegie Fellowship for his accomplishments in Mexican, Iberian, and exploration history!

The Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program offers $200,000 to each recipient for high-caliber scholarly research that addresses important issues confronting our society.

Professor Reséndez's Carnegie project will examine the transformational consequences of early European exploration in the Pacific.

Congratulations to Howard Chiang for receiving a research grant from the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange for his research in Chinese history and culture!

The Foundation provides scholars throughout the world the means to undertake research projects that shed light on Chinese culture and society. In doing so, they facilitate scholarly exchange on an international scale between scholars of many different national and cultural backgrounds.

Congratulations to Corrie Decker for receiving recognition for her outstanding efforts when advising History graduate students!

As one graduate student noted, Professor Decker's "contribution to the history department graduate program features unsurpassed intellectual firepower, breadth of theoretical and historical knowledge, a commitment to teaching, and a generous spirit that has benefitted countless graduate students beyond her formal era of expertise."

Eric Rauchway discusses Roosevelt's New Deal, urging our society to follow FDR's footsteps when addressing issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor Oropeza spoke about her book, The King of Adobe: Reies López Tijerina, Lost Prophet of the Chicano Movement (University of North Caroline Press, 2019) for the network's New Books in Latino Studies podcast series.

Read more and listen to the podcast here: https://newbooksnetwork.com/lorena-oropeza-the-king-of-adobe-reies-lopez-tijerina-lost-prophet-of-the-chicano-movement-unc-press-2019/.

Professor Olmsted's op-ed discusses what Watergate can tell us about the current impeachment inquiry and what lies ahead.

Read the Nov. 15th op-ed here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/11/15/watergate-led-sweeping-reforms-heres-what-well-need-after-trump/?arc404=true.

Professor Sen's recently released book, Ganges: the Many Pasts of an Indian River has been reviewed by the New York Review of Books

Read the review here: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2019/10/10/river-ganges/?fbclid=IwAR3P9k25uvEJ0aOkNE4lsv6w5_ydBSnQ7uiFtlbAbJ3dI8MVR9R0nYA94VA

Professor Tezcan comments on Kurdish oppression amidst Turkey's cease-fire in Syria for the LA Times.

Read the Op-Ed here: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-10-17/turkey-kurds-syria-invasion-ceasefire-erdogan

Check out Dr. Reeder's blog to learn more: https://newbooksnetwork.com/tyson-reeder-smugglers-pirates-and-patriots-free-trade-in-the-age-of-revolution-u-pennsylvania-press-2019/

Professor Olmsted has written an essay in a newly published catalog for New York’s George Adams Gallery exhibition of Arneson’s work. Robert Arneson/The Anti-War Works: 1982-1986 is on view at the Manhattan gallery through Oct. 26.

Read more here: https://www.ucdavis.edu/arts/blog/uc-davis-historian-chronicles-robert-arneson-anti-nuke-art-new-york-exhibition