Current Ph.D. Students
This page is intended to give a sense of the range and focus of graduate student research in our department. Current dissertation titles for Ph.D. students are provisional. You may write to current students via email or care of the Department of History, Herter Hall, University of Massachusetts, 161 Presidents Drive, Amherst, MA 01003-9312.
AMaria Bashshur Abunnasr (ABD)
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Fields: Modern Middle East History, 19th Century US History, Public History Advisors: Mary C. Wilson, Gerald McFarland, and David Glassberg Education: B.A., Political Science, Drew University, M.A., Art History, American University. Interests: Transnational History, Oral History, Memory Studies, Landscape Studies, Urban History, and cross-cultural relationships as expressed through the Arab-American landscape of Ras Beirut. Email: mabunnas@history.umass.edu |
Dan Allosso (ABD)
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Fields:Rural American History, Global Environmental History Advisor: Heather Cox Richardson, David Glassberg, Ted Melillo (Amherst College), Christopher Clark (Univ. of Connecticut) Education: B.S. Agricultural & Resource Economics (UMass), M.A. History (Minnesota State University) Interests: Rural history; the history of regular people; radicals and freethinkers Ambitions: To publish best-selling popular histories Email: allosso@history.umass.edu Website:http://www.danallosso.com/history/history.html |
Thomas Army (ABD)
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Fields: 19th Century Constitutional Law, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and U.S. Foreign Policy. Faculty: Heather Cox Richardson Education: B.A. Wesleyan University (1976); M.A.L.S., Wesleyan University (1982). Interests: I am interested in investigating the correlation between the north and south's different market economies and educational systems prior to the Civil War and the effectiveness of Union and Confederate engineering during the war. Themes including decision making, the development and role of leadership, and just war theory also hold a fascination for me. Email: tarmy@history.umass.edu |
Beth Behn (ABD)
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Fields: U.S. Labor History, U.S. Women’s History, Ancient Rome Advisors: Bruce Laurie, Joyce Berkman and Carlin Barton Education: B.S., International and Strategic History, United States Military Academy (1994), M.A., U.S. History, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2004) Interests and Ambitions: I am an active-duty Army officer currently teaching in the History Department at the United States Military Academy, but scheduled to attend Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS beginning in August 2007. My doctoral research focuses on Woodrow Wilson and the Woman Suffrage Movement. Email: Beth.Behn@usma.edu |
Christopher Benning
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Fields: Public History, Global/Diplomatic History, Modern U.S. History Advisors: David Glassberg Education: B.A., Amherst College, M.A., The Johns Hopkins University Interests: The history of the museum (museum as artifact), the built environment, monuments and memorials; war and public memory; the Spanish-American War/War of 1898. Ambitions: Teaching, research and writing history, and museum work. Email: christopher_wb@hotmail.com |
Janiece Blackmon
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Fields: African American and Gender Education: B.A. University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, Sociology (2006), M.A. Virginia Tech, History (2008) Email: jblackmo@history.umass.edu |
Daniel Chard
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Fields:20th Century U.S., Global History, 19th Century U.S. |
Brian Comfort
| Fields: 19th and 20th Century U.S. cultural history Faculty: Chris Appy Education: B.A. Connecticut College; M.A. in journalism University of Colorado; M.A. in American studies University of Massachusetts Boston Interests: I am particularly interested in post-World War II popular culture and how ideas of race, class and gender intersect in cultural production and reception. Email: briancomfort@gmail.com |
Andrew Dausch (ABD)
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Fields: Modern France, European Cultural and Intellectual History, Modern Latin America Advisors:Dan Gordon, Jennifer Heuer, Daphne Patai, Joel Wolfe Education: B.A. Philosophy, University of New Hampshire; M.A. University of Massachusetts, Amherst Thesis Title: From Tristes Tropiques to "Hot" Society: France, Brazil and the Formation of a New Global Culture Interests: My dissertation is a history of intellectual, cultural and political relations between France and Brazil in the 19th and 20th centuries. Primarily, it is an analysis of the transnational flow of ideas concerning race, citizenship, and nationality between these two countries. The project has led to an appreciation of all things brançais or franceuguese in film, music and literature. Email: ard@history.umass.edu |
Julie DeChantal
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Fields: 20th Century US with a focus on race, Women's history in the US, Mexico/Latin America Advisors: Laura L. Lovett, José Angel Hernandez, Amilcar Shabazz Education: BA (2005), MA History, Université de Montréal Interests: Relationships between race, gender and nation building; development of popular culture in the Northern urban areas; marginality; feminist theory Email: julied@history.umass.edu Website: www.juliedechantal.com |
Christopher Fobare
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Fields: The Civil War & Reconstruction, Modern China Advisors: Heather Cox Richardson, Stephen Platt Education: B.A., Utica College (2006), M.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2008). Interests: The political, economic and social history of the Civil War and Reconstruction. My research deals with the social and political consequences that resulted from Republican efforts to reconstruct American society in their image of a free labor nation after the Civil War. Ambitions: Receive a Ph.D., teach at the college level and write. Email: cfobare@history.umass.edu |
Kate Freedman (ABD)
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Fields: Early American history, Anglo-Atlantic history, American and European women's history Advisors: Barry Levy, Barbara Krauthamer, Manisha Sinha, and Robert Cox. Education: B.A., History, Hampshire College (2004), MLIS, University of Rhode Island (2007), M.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2009) Interests: Antislavery; religion, race, revolution, and movements for social change in the Early Modern Atlantic world; finding ways to use new media to help bring historical knowledge to a broader population. In my research, I seek to illuminate how tensions between morality and economics shaped the Quakers' relationship to slavery in the Anglo-Atlantic world. E-mail: kfreedma@history.umass.edu |
Gary Garrison (ABD)
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Fields:U.S. Constitutional & Intellectual History as well as Early Modern and Enlightenment Political Theory Advisors: Daniel Gordon, Joyce Berkman and Barbara Krauthamer Education: B.A., Economics, The Ohio State University (1984), J.D., Capital University Law School (1987), LL.M., Capital University Law School (1991), M.A., History, Miami University (2005) Interests: My research interests focus on historical relationships between the state and those over whom the state exercises sovereignty. I am particularly interested in how minority rights, the marginalized and individual liberties have been (or, more appropriately, not been) protected from the evils of “excess democracy” and the power of an overweening res publica. To take a movie line from several years ago: “People should not fear their governments, governments should fear their people.” Ambitions: Write and teach (law school and/or university level) Email: gar1318@aol.com |
Amanda Goodheart (ABD)
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Fields: U.S. Women and Gender History, 19th Century U.S. History, Global Environmental History Advisors: Joyce Berkman, Marla Miller, Manisha Sinha, Barry Levy and Edward Melillo Education: B.A.S., American History and Secondary Education, Salve Regina University (2008); M.A., American History with a concentration in Public History, UMass Amherst (2010) Interests: My research focuses on the lives of antebellum New England whaling captains' wives and their experiences at sea aboard whaleships as I examine the whaling industry's unique conceptions of gender in the context of nineteenth century gender norms. I am also interested in public history, museum studies, material culture, and strengthening the connections between academics, museum professionals, and the K-12 educational community. Outside of academia, I enjoy traveling, historical fiction, long walks on the beach, and the occasional cocktail party. Ambitions: to continue my work as a public historian, write popular history, see the world, and most importantly, enjoy life to the fullest! Email:agoodhea@history.umass.edu |
John Higgins
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Fields: Early Medieval Ireland; Byzantium; Literacy and Orality Faculty: Anna Taylor Education: B.A. Classics, Fordham University; M.Litt. Classics, Trinity College, Dublin. M.Litt. Thesis: A Commentary on Suetonius? Life of Nero Interests: I began as a Roman historian and keep a strong interest in ancient history. My current research concerns the early medieval period in Ireland and surrounding countries, with a particular focus on Seventh Century monastic literary culture. Email: jmhig0@acad.umass.edu |
Kathryn Julian
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Fields: Modern Germany Faculty: Jon Olsen Education: B.A. History, German minor, Birmingham-Southern College (2007); M.A. Modern European History, University of Tennessee (2010) Interests: My research focuses on the cultural and intellectual history of post-1945 Central and Eastern Europe, particularly the formulation of a distinct East German identity. I also study the intersection of high and mass culture, Western images of Asia, popular perceptions of science during the Cold War, and subcultures in socialist regimes. Non-Academic interests: cats, (good) coffee, running, wine, comics, youth fiction |
Melanie Kourbage (ABD)
| Fields: Medieval Religion; Social History of the Middle Ages; Gender Advisors: Anna Taylor, Brian Ogilvie and Anne Broadbridge Education: B.A., College of William and Mary; M.A., Fordham University Interests: My research focuses on medieval religion, specifically the concept of miracle in hagiography, liturgy and historiography in eleventh-century France. Other interests include gender and social history of the later middle ages, and the medieval Middle East. Email: mkourbage@history.umass.edu |
Jeffrey D. Kovach (ABD)
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Fields: Early American religion, specifically focusing on Quaker communities in New England Advisors: Barry Levy and Joyce Berkman Education: B.A., History, Franklin & Marshall College, (1997), M.A., History, William Paterson University (2003) Ambitions: I hope to continue research in Quaker communities, specifically Nantucket in early 18th century. Email: jd_kovach75@yahoo.com |
Michella Marino (ABD)
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Fields: 20th century US, US Women's History, World History Faculty: Chris Appy, Joyce Berkman, Brian Bunk, Pat Griffin Education: B.A. Hanover College, 2004; M.A. University of Louisville, 2007 Interests: Academically I'm interested in sports history, oral history, popular culture, the social construction of femininity, and the WWII homefront. Outside of school, I enjoy playing basketball and roller derby as well as watching football (Go Colts!), and reading Jane Austen spin-offs (I've tried to quit but I can't). Email: mmmarino@history.umass.edu |
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Fields: 20th Century U.S., American Environmental History, Comparative Race & Ethnicity in World History Advisors: Chris Appy, David Glassberg Education: B.A., History, SUNY Geneseo (2005); M.A., History, UMass Amherst (2009) Interests: My research focuses on the development of a multi-ethnic resort landscape in New York’s Catskill Mountains in the decades following World War II. I’m interested in how landscapes and the built environment are shaped by race and ethnicity, and the relationship between landscape, memory, and identity. More broadly, I’m interested in tourism and leisure history, integrating urban and rural history, comparative race and ethnicity, oral history and public history. Email:lamil1@history.umass.edu |
Christopher Parcels
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Fields:Early American Republic -- sociopolitical; Race, power, and violence in the US South and South Africa; Colonial Mexico and Latin American Independence Advisors:Barry Levy Education: B.A., History and Psychology, Providence College (2004), M.A., History, Villanova University (2007) Interests and Ambitions: My research focuses on the political public sphere in early republic Rhode Island. I am interested in how Roger Williams' founding of the colony on the basis of religious freedom produced a diverse population that resulted in a restrictive political system, and the various reform efforts of those who were excluded. Beyond that, I'm also interested in comparative history, the Atlantic world, dissident movements (reforms, riots, rebellions, and revolutions), and the dynamics of power and capitalist economic development. Email: cparcels@history.umass.edu |
Sandra Perot (ABD)
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Fields: Early America, Early Modern Europe (transatlantic influences on colonies), and Public History Faculty: Marla Miller, Jennifer Heuer Education: A.B., Princeton University, M.A., English Literature and Teaching, San Jose State University Interests: I focus on the importance of landscape and community in visualizing history, and more importantly, how to help the public visualize history. I spent several years teaching high school English and American Literature, though I've always incorporated a cultural approach to teaching literature. After becoming involved as a guide at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, I wanted to find out more about what makes museums work and how to make museums successful. Ambitions: Having spent a year in New Zealand and Australia and a year in Holland, I always yearn for new adventures and am looking to do an international internship for my Public History certificate. Along with traveling, I also enjoy learning Dutch, focusing on my photography, knitting and playing with my kids. E-mail: sperot@history.umass.edu |
John (J.D.) Roberts
| Fields: Modern Latin America, Global History, Colonial Latin America, Illicit Drug History, Colonial America, Global Environmental History, Modern West African History, Organized Crime History, Agricultural History. Faculty: Jose Angel Hernandez, Joel Wolfe, David Glassberg, Barry Levy, John Higginson Education: B.A., Anthropology, SUNY-Albany; M.A., History, UMass-Amherst Interests: I am particularly interested in the global networks drug trafficking and global crime syndicates create linking producers and consumers from around the world. I am also dedicated to utilizing hard sciences in my historical research, particularly biology, geology, chemistry, and climatology. In my spare time, I am an avid record collector, and I like to travel and hike. Email: jdrobert@history.umass.edu |
Ann Robinson (ABD)
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Fields: History of Science, 19th & 20th century US, World History Advisors: John Servos (Amherst College), Larry Owens, Sigrid Schmalzer, Jeff Ramsey (Philosophy, Smith College) Education: BA, UC San Diego, History (1993); MLIS, San Jose State University (1995); ALM, Harvard University, History of Science (2007) Interests: My dissertation examines the creation of a standard periodic table of the elements. I'm broadly interested in classification, organization, and nomenclature, as well as visual representation and scientific organizations. I was an academic reference librarian for 14 years; I'm a life-long Orioles fan and I like rugby (watching, not playing!). Email: annr@history.umass.edu |
Jeffrey P. Robinson
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Fields: Public History, United States History Since the Civil War, Global Women’s History Advisors: Marla R. Miller, Frank G. Couvares (Amherst College), & Joyce A. Berkman Education: B.A. History and Political Science, Marywood University; M.A. History (Public History Concentration), University of Massachusetts Boston M.A. Thesis Title: Save the Old South! The Preservation Movement that Saved the Old South Meeting House in Boston, Massachusetts (Directed by James Green, Ph.D.) Interests: My academic research investigates the intersections of public history, gender, class, and race in Gilded and Progressive Age New England. Currently, I am exploring upper class Boston women who sublimated their philanthropy into cultural heritage pursuits of preserving buildings, establishing museums, and engaging in American pageantry. Similarly, I am also interested in the New England revival – the imagination and spread of Yankee culture – and how elite women advanced its aims. To supplement my professional and personal interests, I am, in addition to my Ph.D., pursuing the graduate certificate in advanced feminist studies in the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at UMass. Prior to starting my doctoral work, I completed a year of AmeriCorps service in the Center for Art and Community Partnerships at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and in doing so, amassed a great sense of how the power of the past can be used to engage and organize the present for social change. Please see my public history profile for more on my work outside the academy. Aside from academic pursuits, I love art-making, activism, hiking, growing food, perusing bookstores, and strumming tunes on my ukulele. Email: jprobinson@history.umass.edu |
Mark Roblee
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Fields: Late Antiquity, Ancient Religions, Public History Faculty: Carlin Barton, Richard Lim Education: B.A., Wesleyan University (1987); M.A., Holy Names College (1991); M.A., History, UMass Amherst (2012). Interests: Roman Egypt, cultural identity, objects and memory, the sacred. Email: mroblee@history.umass.edu |
Gina Talley (ABD)
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Fields: U.S. Women and Gender History, 20th Century U.S. History, Sex and Society in Modern Europe Faculty: Jennifer Fronc, Barbara Krauthamer, Daniel LaChance M.A. Thesis: "Connections Between the Mainline Eugenics Movement and African-American Communities, 1910-1940" Interests: Broadly, my research interests include social and cultural issues related to women, gender, race, and sexuality in the U.S. from the Reconstruction Era to the present. My dissertation explores childlessness by choice in the early 20th century U.S. E-mail: gtalley@history.umass.edu |
Rick Taupier
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Fields: Buddhist Central Asia, Russian Empire, Qing Dynasty Advisors: Audrey Altstadt, Stephen Platt, Johan Elverskog Education: B.A. Philosophy, M.S. Environmental Economics, Ph.D. Regional Environmental Planning Interests: My primary historical interests are Central Asia and more specifically Mongolian and Tibetan cultures and the interactions among Buddhist people throughout Central Asia. I work for the University of Massachusetts as Associate Director for Research Development, under the Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement. Past positions include Assistant Secretary of Environmental Affairs for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1984 - 94), Associate Director of the Environmental Institute at UMass (1994 - 2006), and as a member of the graduate faculty in Regional Planning. I am also the president of the Manjushri Institute of Buddhist Studies and worked intensively in northwest Russia from 1994 to 2002. Email: taupier@research.umass.edu |
Jen Turner (ABD)
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Fields: Colonial U.S., poverty studies Advisors: Barry Levy, Marla Miller Thesis Title: "The Best Poor Man’s Country and the City Upon the Hill: Pennsylvania and Masssachusetts’ Reponses to the Poor" Education: B.A., Bates College (1999), M.A., University of Connecticut (2001). Interests: Knitting, Cooking, Labor Unions, 1950’s girls’ Literature. Ambitions: Finish my Phd, help other grad students unionize, teach college. Email: jaturner@history.umass.edu |
Miriam Wells
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Fields: Public history, 19th and 20th Century US
Education: AB, History, University of Chicago (2001); MS, Historic Preservation, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2009); M.A., History, UMass Amherst (2011). Interests: Generally, the way that written histories or museum exhibits use oral histories, material culture, ethnography, and the built environment to tell stories. Specifically, New Deal arts programs, public art and building, labor and trades, nursing, Progressive Era social programs and immigration. Ambitions: Website: maxwellstreet.blogspot.com |