As a historian of American culture and of the Civil War in particular, it has been hard to know how to feel about the events of the past year. On the one hand, the 2016 election, with its shocking (at least to me) and devastating effects, has resulted in an almost daily . . .
Read MoreDaniel Gorman Jr. If there is an upside to the first two months of the Trump administration, it is the way that archivists, scientists, and journalists have fought this presidency’s anti-intellectual policies. In the past five months, groups of so-called “guerrilla archivists” downloaded federal climate data before it was deleted, ensuring . . .
Read MoreThis past weekend’s football frenzy—the NFL playoffs (huzzah for the Patriots!) and the college football championship game (congratulations to THE Ohio State University)—got me thinking about how much Americans love this sport, and how extensive the cultural and media infrastructure is that aids and abets this love. And then I started thinking: . . .
Read MoreIt is a truth universally acknowledged that historians are not particularly fashion-forward. The sartorial stereotypes persist: the tweed jacket with elbow patches for men, the flowy linen ensembles for women. Glasses. Sensible shoes. A fine layer of chalk dust covering all. While I haven’t seen many elbow patches lately, it is true . . .
Read MoreBeginning this week, I will be writing a regular column for JSTOR Daily, a new online magazine that “features topical essays that draw connections between current affairs, historical scholarship, and other content that’s housed on JSTOR.” In “(Un)Catalogued” (h/t to Paul Erickson for suggesting the title), I will be reporting on my . . .
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