Category: History

Paper clips throughout history

Paper Clips as Relics, or Historical Research as an Encounter with the Sacred

February 26, 2015

One of my favorite aspects of producing our department’s weekly webisodes is that it has afforded our faculty the chance to film conversations about our discipline. All have been interesting, but the one we posted yesterday stood out: my conversation with Americanists Diana Magnuson and AnneMarie Kooistra about historical evidence and research. As usual for these conversations, … More Paper Clips as Relics, or Historical Research as an Encounter with the Sacred

In front of Scandia Chapel

Past and Presence: Primary Sources

February 25, 2015

2/25/15 – I think that the fourth episode of Past & Presence, our department’s new webisode series, is our best yet. Not only do we interview an alum who parlayed his History degree into a corporate VP position, visit the oldest Swedish Baptist church in Minnesota, preview our Modern Middle East course, and hear from a student who spent the fall … More Past and Presence: Primary Sources

Edgren birthday cake

Happy Birthday, John Alexis Edgren!

February 20, 2015

Like many American colleges and universities founded in the nineteenth century, the place I work came into being thanks largely to the efforts of a pioneering figure who is as venerated within the school as he is unknown outside of it. For Bethel, that figure is John Alexis Edgren, whose 176th birthday our campus celebrates today. Born in Sweden … More Happy Birthday, John Alexis Edgren!

Screen shot from episode 3 of Past & Presence

Past and Presence: Secondary and Tertiary Sources

February 18, 2015

It’s library week on Past & Presence, our department’s new webisode series: Not only do I host episode 3 from locations in the Bethel University Library, but we talk to two of our librarians. One of them is a former student in our department, as is our interview subject of the week: Kevin McGrew, director of … More Past and Presence: Secondary and Tertiary Sources

Screen shot from episode 2 of Past & Presence

Past and Presence: Fields within History

February 11, 2015

On this week’s episode of Past & Presence, my colleagues Diana Magnuson (social history, women’s history) and Amy Poppinga (religious and environmental history) join me for a conversation about fields in history. Plus… we spotlight the Oregon Extension and AnneMarie Kooistra’s course on History of Sexuality in the United States, we find History alumni doing everything from web services … More Past and Presence: Fields within History

Screenshot from the opening titles to our "Past & Presence" webisode series

The Debut of Our Department’s New Webisode Series!

February 4, 2015

After several months of work, I’m proud to announce the debut of our department’s new webisode series: Past & Presence! My friend Sam Mulberry and I have been filming material for Past & Presence since last summer — and will continue to do so even this afternoon. (Episodes will keep coming all the way through the end of our semester.) In … More The Debut of Our Department’s New Webisode Series!

"Je Suis Charlie" graffito in Paris

That Was The Month That Was: History

January 30, 2015

Just a few of the more interesting history-related posts and articles that appeared during my month off from blogging: • Christopher Columbus, Captain Cook, and nine other explorers to know. • The Charlie Hebdo shootings have rocketed Voltaire’s Treatise on Tolerance — published in 1763 — to the top of French bestseller lists. (Lots of important … More That Was The Month That Was: History