Working Historians is a podcast series that showcases the work and careers of historians in a wide variety of career fields. We hope to introduce history students and the general public to the career paths available to people who study history, introduce and promote historians to students and the public, and showcase the work that historians do on a regular basis. Hosts Rob Denning and Jimmy Fennessy can be reached at [email protected].
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History Speaker Series with Karen Sieber and Public History
1:39:03
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1:39:03In this History Speaker Series event, public historian Karen Sieber discusses her career as a public historian and historical consultant, focusing on her recent research on Moses Dickson and the Underground Railroad in Minnesota. Karen received her master's degree in public history from Loyola University Chicago. She is best known as the creator of…
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History Speaker Series with José Ernesto Peláez and Doctoral Programs in History
1:24:48
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1:24:48In this History Speaker Series event, José Ernesto Peláez discusses his research and his experience transitioning from the online Master of Arts degree program in History at Southern New Hampshire University to an in-person doctoral program in History at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Additional topics for discussion include the decision to…
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History Speaker Series with David Valladares and England's Response to Hitler in the 1930s
1:00:28
1:00:28
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1:00:28In this History Speaker Series event, Dr. David Valladares discusses his career and his new book, England’s Response to Hitler in the 1930s: Empire, Appeasement, and the Cliveden Set, which discusses political and strategic efforts by British aristocrats to support Nazi Germany’s rearmament efforts and the annexation of Austria and Czechoslovakia. …
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History Speaker Series with Margaret MacDonald and Caroline Beatrice Parker
59:45
59:45
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59:45In this History Speaker Series event, Dr. Margaret MacDonald discusses her professional and academic career, her advocacy work as a public historian, and her research on Carolyn Beatrice Parker, the first Black woman known to receive an advanced degree in physics and worked on the Dayton Project, part of the Manhattan Project, during World War II. …
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History Speaker Series with Matt Schandler and Generative Artificial Intelligence in the History Profession
1:47:49
1:47:49
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1:47:49At this event, Dr. Matt Schandler discusses the effects of artificial intelligence on the study, research, and writing of history. Topics of discussions include the origins of Generative AI; emerging historical applications beyond text, image, and video; working with bots; AI in academic settings; AI output as source material; academic integrity an…
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History Speaker Series with Will McLean Greeley and the Birdman of the Senate
1:15:35
1:15:35
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1:15:35In this episode, Will McLean Greeley discusses his recent book, a Connecticut Yankee Goes to Washington: Senator George P. McLean, Birdman of the Senate, a biography of politician George MacLean, a Gilded Age and Progressive Era reformer and conservationist whose best known accomplishment was the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Will Greeley hold…
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History Speaker Series with Kristen Engel and Henrician Spectacle
1:15:43
1:15:43
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1:15:43In this episode, Kristen Engel discusses her experiences in a graduate program at the University of Connecticut and her dissertation research, which uses courtly spectacle to examine the portrayals of political and cultural ideals in the courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII, which led to political and cultural transformations in early Tudor England. …
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History Speaker Series with Dr. Jamie Goodall and Pirate Black Sam Bellamy
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44:03
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44:03In this episode, Dr. Jamie Goodall discusses her new book, The Daring Exploits of Pirate Black Sam Bellamy: From Cape Cod to the Caribbean, which describes the political, cultural, legal, and economic relationships between pirates and the coast of colonial New England. Dr. Goodall teaches American history at Southern New Hampshire University and is…
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History Speaker Series with Dr. Allen York and Civil War Pittsburgh
1:22:02
1:22:02
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1:22:02In this episode, Dr. Allen York discusses his new book, Our People Are Warlike: Civil War Pittsburgh and Home-Front Mobilization, which connects the wartime experience of Pittsburgh into the larger narrative of the war revealing how the mobilization of the community was shaped by both prewar and frontline events and forces. Dr. York teaches militar…
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History Speaker Series with Dr. Luke Peterson and the U.S. Military in the Print Media
1:04:21
1:04:21
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1:04:21Dr. Luke Peterson teaches Arabic and Middle Eastern history at Southern New Hampshire University and Duquesne University. In this episode, Dr. Peterson discusses his new book, The U.S. Military in the Print News Media: Service and Sacrifice in Contemporary Discourse, which “analyzes the history of the popular discourse in the United States concerne…
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Museum Careers for Historians: Jazlyn Sanderson - Director, Museum of Native American History
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17:20
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17:20Jazlyn Sanderson is the Director of the Museum of Native American History in Bentonville, Arkansas. In this episode, Jazlyn talks to Southern New Hampshire University’s David Buresh about the benefits of having a history degree and how to get into the museum field. David and Jazlyn go into different types of internships within the Museum of Native …
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Constitution Day 2023: The Fourteenth Amendment and Modern United States History
26:05
26:05
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26:05Get out your parchment and quill, it’s Constitution Day! In this episode, Rob will discuss the historical origins of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, how legal and popular conceptions of the Amendment have changed over the decades, and how the Amendment is relevant to our present political sphere. Dr. Denning is the Assoc…
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Museum Careers for Historians: Karen Kincaid Brady - Programming Director, Neill-Cochran House Museum
30:15
30:15
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30:15Karen Kincaid Brady is the Programming Director for the Neill-Cochran House Museum in Austin, Texas. In this episode, Karen talks to Southern New Hampshire University’s Callie Cook about the value of building your network, career opportunities in history, and creative ways to connect and build experiences with colleagues. This episode was originall…
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Museum Careers for Historians: Karl McKinnon - Assistant Director of Operations and Chief Financial Officer, Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium
24:15
24:15
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24:15Karl McKinnon is the Assistant Director of Operations and Chief Financial Officer at the Schiele Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Gastonia, North Carolina. Today Karl speaks with Southern New Hampshire University’s Peter Bartel about how to make yourself stand out when applying for careers in the museum world, the importance of exuding …
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Museum Careers for Historians: Buster Ratliff - Director of Operations, Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle and Panhandle-Plains Museum
49:14
49:14
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49:14Buster Ratliff is the Director of Operations for the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle & Panhandle-Plains Museum on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. In this episode, Buster talks with Southern New Hampshire University’s Callie Cook about the value of building your network and understanding company values. This epis…
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Museum Careers for Historians: Bonnie Barnes - Executive Director, Keys History and Discover Center
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40:37
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40:37Bonnie Barnes is the Executive Director for Keys History and Discovery Center in Florida. In this episode, Bonnie talks to Southern New Hampshire University’s Callie Cook about informational interviewing, company research, and the different career paths one can explore with a history degree. This episode was originally broadcast on Southern New Ham…
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The Importance of the Liberal Arts with Tim Garrity - Historian, Mount Desert Island Historical Society
25:53
25:53
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25:53Tim Garrity has served as a hospital administrator and the director of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society, from which he recently retired. We have talked to Tim before about his organization, but this time we discuss his view of the liberal arts in general, what liberal arts degree holders bring to various industries, and what liberal arts …
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Should I Go to Graduate School (MA or PhD) for History?
54:11
54:11
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54:11Rob keeps the gang together to answer the question often posed by history majors: Should I go to graduate school in history? Eric Greisinger, Allison Millward, CB Repass, Matt Schandler, Ryan Tripp, and Rob discuss the magnitude and consequences of the decision to pursue master’s or doctoral degrees in history, share some of their grad school exper…
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In this final episode of our series on how historians research and write on historical topics, the panel tackles the writing process: How do you organize your thoughts and get past that dreaded blank page? Speaker timeline: 00:54 - Matt Schandler 06:36 - CB Repass 07:55 - Ryan Tripp 10:03 - Allison Millward 12:42 - Eric Greisinger 14:22 - Rob Denni…
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In this fifth episode of our series on how historians research and write on historical topics, the panel tackles thesis statements: What are they, why they are important, and how do you develop them? Speaker timeline: 00:51 - Matt Schandler 04:56 - Eric Greisinger 05:17 - Rob Denning 06:05 - CB Repass 06:15 - Rob Denning 06:38 - Eric Greisinger 06:…
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How Do I Find Primary Sources for a History Research Project?
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24:23In this fourth episode of our series on how historians research and write on historical topics, the panel explains how they identify relevant primary sources that will help them go beyond the existing secondary source literature. We will discuss different ways to search for relevant and useful primary sources, how to determine which primary sources…
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How Do I Find Secondary Sources for a History Research Project?
23:05
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23:05In this third episode of our series on how historians research and write on historical topics, the panel explains how they tackle the potentially vast body of existing secondary sources that will help them provide context on the research project. We discuss different ways to search for secondary sources, how to determine which secondary sources mig…
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How Do I Develop a Historical Research Question?
14:08
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14:08In this second episode of our series on how historians research and write on historical topics, the panel tackles the importance and selection of a good research question, which will guide the historian throughout the research process. Speaker timeline: 01:00 - CB Repass 01:48 - Eric Greisinger 02:13 - CB Repass 02:28 - Matt Schandler 03:09 - Allis…
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With this episode we are launching a new series on how historians research and write on historical topics, starting with the selection of a research topic and ending with the writing process. In this first episode, a panel of historians discuss the initial selection of a research topic. Speaker timeline: 00:58 - CB Repass 01:58 - Ryan Tripp 02:48 -…
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Legal Careers for Historians: Mathew Merz - Conflicts Analyst, Akerman LLP
32:05
32:05
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32:05Mathew Merz earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Southern New Hampshire University in 2020 and works as Conflicts Analyst at Akerman LLP. In this episode, Mathew discusses the research, writing, and analytical skills that he learned as a history major which have been particularly useful to his job as a researcher for a law firm. Recomme…
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Library Careers for Historians: Nina Thomas - Manager, Westerville History Museum
30:36
30:36
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30:36Nina Thomas is the manager of the Westerville History Museum, which is part of the public library system in Westerville, Ohio. In this episode, Nina discusses her academic and professional background, life as a museum manager, the nature of the museum’s public outreach efforts, and what a museum manager might look for in job applicants. Recommendat…
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Business Careers for Historians: Deb Gogliettino - Associate Dean of Business Academics, SNHU
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30:40
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30:40In this episode, Rob talks to Deb Gogliettino, Associate Dean for online Business Academics at Southern New Hampshire University, about the ways that her undergraduate degree in history has helped her business-oriented career, which included positions in human resources, business administration, and academics. We also discuss how history students c…
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Writing Historical Fiction: Paul Witcover - Author, Lincolnstein, and Associate Dean of MFA in Creative Writing, SNHU
57:57
57:57
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57:57In this episode, Jimmy and Rob talk to Paul Witcover, Associate Dean for the online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at Southern New Hampshire University, about his recent novel, Lincolnstein, and the skills and responsibilities required of authors writing historical fiction. Recommendations: Paul Witcover, Lincolnstein (PS Publishin…
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Scotty Edler presents The Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid-19 (Part 2)
1:20:48
1:20:48
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1:20:48In this second episode on the Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid-19, Rob Denning, James Fennessy, and Scotty Edler discuss the long-term political, social, economic, and cultural consequences of the plague and the flu, and they attempt to use those precedents to predict the long-term effects of Covid-19 on our own future lives.…
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Scotty Edler presents The Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid 19 (Part 1)
1:16:52
1:16:52
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1:16:52During the next two episodes, Rob and James talk to Scotty Edler about his research into the causes and consequences of three major disease epidemics: the Black Death, the Spanish Flu, and Covid-19. Here we discuss the historical contexts of each disease and the lessons learned from each outbreak.By Robert Denning and James Fennessy
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In this episode, Rob presents his research into quick questions from his employer's communications office regarding the history of the Juneteenth Holiday. He does not provide quick answers.By Robert Denning and James Fennessy
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Working Historians Roundtable: Watergate
2:02:22
2:02:22
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2:02:22On the fiftieth anniversary of the Watergate break-in, Rob and six fellow historians discuss the international and domestic political contexts leading up to the event, the break-in and subsequent investigations, and the short- and long-term consequences of Watergate on American political and constitutional history. Thanks to historians Mike Green, …
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Careers in History: Rob Denning - Associate Dean for History, SNHU
13:56
13:56
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13:56In this episode, re-broadcast from the Passion and Practicality podcast series, Rob discusses the skills that students learn while in pursuit of a history degree that will be valuable on the job market after graduation (even in fields that don't include the word "history"). He also describes some of the ways that students can prepare for the job ma…
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Digital Careers for Historians: John Bertland - Digital Librarian/Content Specialist, Presidio Trust
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58:27
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58:27John Bertland is the Digital Librarian and Content Specialist for the Presidio Trust in San Francisco, California. In this episode, we discuss John’s academic and professional background, his work at the Presidio Trust, and we end with a story about mules. Recommendations Harwood P. Hinton and Jerry Thompson, Courage Above All Things: General John …
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Constitution Day 2021: Elections, Protests, and Transfers of Power
1:16:42
1:16:42
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1:16:42It’s Constitution Day, and we are celebrating with a roundtable discussion of elections, protests, and the transfer of political power in the context of the Constitution of the United States by a panel of historians including Natalie Sweet, Ryan Tripp, and Joel Tscherne. Associate Dean Robert Denning hosts the presentation. Listeners can access thi…
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Writing Local History: Joe Flickinger - High School Teacher and Local Historian
43:25
43:25
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43:25Joe Flickinger teaches high school history outside Cincinnati, Ohio, and is the Vice President of the Green Township Historical Association. In this episode, Rob, Jimmy, and Joe discuss how to research and write local history, with examples from Joe’s writings on the Bridgetown Cemetery, suburbanization in Colerain Township, and the bicentennial of…
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Preserving History: Jennifer Bryant - Preservation Compliance Officer, Colorado State Historical Preservation Office (encore)
25:10
25:10
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25:10Encore presentation (and therefore outdated in just about every way): Jennifer Bryant is an instructor at SNHU and a preservation compliance officer with the Colorado State Historical Preservation Office. In this conversation, we talk about some aspects of the history of the American West, blindspots in history regarding violence against minority g…
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Preserving History: Jen Bryant - Facility Management Compliance Specialist, National Park Service (update)
1:12:05
1:12:05
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1:12:05Jennifer Bryant appeared in our third episode back in 2017, and in this episode Jimmy and Rob catch up with Jen to discuss her new job and then wander down a variety of historical footpaths to discuss environmental history, the American West, historical memory, and the future history to be written about the COVID-19 pandemic.…
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Consultant Careers for Historians: Bob Irvine - Consultant, PARC Resources (encore)
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19:19
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19:19Dr. Bob Irvine teaches history in the Master of Arts in History program at SNHU and is a consultant for Parc Resources in Oregon. In this episode, Dr. Irvine talks about his research and teaching interests, water reclamation projects in Kansas during the twentieth century, and the historical skills he uses in his job as a consultant.…
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Consultant Careers for Historians: Bob Irvine - Consultant, Parc Resources (update)
21:06
21:06
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21:06Bob Irvine teaches history in the Master of Arts program at Southern New Hampshire and is a consultant for Parc Resources in Eastern Oregon. In this episode we discuss what Bob has been up to since his last interview in 2017, including new projects in collaboration with Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest.…
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Teaching Careers for Historians: Chris Kline - Learning Community Facilitator (encore)
18:12
18:12
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18:12Christopher Kline, an instructor and Learning Community Facilitator for Southern New Hampshire University, discusses his research and teaching interests, why the Whiskey Rebellion broke out in post-Revolutionary Pennsylvania, the evolution of his career, and advice for students looking to break into careers in history. Professor Kline has worked as…
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Teaching History: Chris Kline - Senior Manager of General Education Evaluation Faculty, Western Governors University (update)
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43:17
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43:17Chris Kline is the Senior Manager for General Education at Western Governors University. In this episode, Rob, Jimmy, and Chris discuss Chris’s decision to start a doctoral program, the online student experience, the real estate market, the changing work habits that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, the January 6 Insurrection, the need for better ed…
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Researching Irish Spies: Kate Schaefer - Historian and Adjunct Instructor, SNHU
1:01:48
1:01:48
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1:01:48Kate Schaefer teaches history at Southern New Hampshire University. In this episode, Kate discusses her research into female spies during the Irish Rebellion of 1916 and World War II. And then there is some chatter about the Sisters of Mercy and the CIA’s suggestions for disrupting Zoom meetings, kinda. This episode’s recommendations: Sarah Rose, D…
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Season 1 lasted for four years, and then Rob put the podcast on hiatus because, I dunno, pandemic? Exhaustion? While searching for the meaning of life, he found his old chum Jimmy Fennessy on a remote mountaintop and the two decided to get the band back together and work on Season 2 of Working Historians, which will be bigger and better than ever b…
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The Working Historians podcast is switching its hosting site from Soundcloud to Podbean, so Soundcloud subscribers should consider re-subscribing through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or any of the other dozens of podcast apps out there. In this episode, Rob provides a teaser for upcoming changes to the podcast (including a new website…
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Dr. Peter Milich is a historian who specializes in Russian, Soviet, and Eastern European history. As a witness to the collapse of modern nations like the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, Rob and Pete discuss the state of modern international affairs. This episode’s recommendations: Alfred McCoy, “The Rise and Decline of US Global Power” (October 25, 20…
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Dr. Paul McKenzie-Jones teaches history, focusing on political activism among Native Americans and other indigenous peoples around the world. This episode’s recommendations: Nick Estes, Our History is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Resistance of Indigenous Resistance (Verso, 2019), https://www.versobooks.c…
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Cassandra Clark - Public Historian, State of Utah, and Adjunct Instructor
1:03:38
1:03:38
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1:03:38Dr. Cassandra Clark teaches history at Southern New Hampshire University and Salt Lake Community College and is a public historian with the State of Utah’s Department of Heritage and Arts. In this episode, we will discuss Dr. Clark’s academic and professional background, her work with the State of Utah, and her research on the history of insanity a…
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Guy Ruoff - History Instructor and Town Supervisor, Scott NY
34:39
34:39
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34:39Dr. Guy Ruoff teaches history at Southern New Hampshire University and is Town Supervisor for Scott, New York. In this episode, Guy talks to Rob about his academic and professional background, his present and future political career, and the importance of historical knowledge in the political sphere. This episode’s recommendations: The Memory Palac…
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Researching Puerto Rican History: Deirdre Lannon - Senior Lecturer, Texas State University
1:16:38
1:16:38
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1:16:38Deirdre Lannon teaches history at Texas State University. In this episode, Deirdre discusses her academic and professional background (including her time fronting a rockabilly band!) and her dissertation research topic, Ruth Reynolds and her role in the fight for Puerto Rican independence.By Robert Denning and James Fennessy
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