The Undergraduate History Journal
Founded in 2016 by members of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Undergraduate History Journal is devoted to showcasing the diverse historical work of undergraduate students. This publication includes essays, book reviews, and historical reflections written either within or outside the framework of undergraduate courses. Authors may be history majors, minors, or non-majors who have interests in the study of history.
2023 Edition
Volume 7 of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Undergraduate History Journal was published in Spring 2023. This edition features the diverse work of seven undergraduate students, with research topics ranging from Early Modern humoral theory to early nineties horror media. Read the 2023 Edition
Table of Contents
- "Violent Reflections: Bloody Mary in 1990s Pop Culture" by Mac Godinez
- "The Blurriness of Speech at 'The Schoolhouse Gate'" by Brianna Hastry
- "Jews in Romania Before, During, and After the Holocaust" by Michael Pastorello
- "Sacred Symbioses and Feminine Succubi: Humoral Theory and Sexual Intercourse in Early Modern Europe" by Naomi Silverman
- "The Invisible Amendment: The Evolution of the Right to Privacy" by Jeremy Spevack
- “'All Rights are Held Subject to the Police Power': The Rise and Fall of the Police Powers in American Constitutional Law" by Albert Thomas
- "Man’s Best Fiend: The Black Dog and Social Change in England" by Rowan Vail
Editorial Board
Undergraduate Editorial Board:
Ellie Costello, Editor in Chief. Ellie is a senior History major, with an Economics minor, and is a member of Phi Alpha Theta and Phi Beta Kappa. She primary focuses on modern Latin American and economic history, and she is completing her Commonwealth Honors College thesis on the political impacts of late-20th century Mexican banking. She hopes to pursue a career in public interest law after graduation.
James Griffin, Editor in Chief. James is a junior History major in the Commonwealth Honors College, with a Political Science minor, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. His undergraduate coursework has primarily focused on United States History, especially in the 19th century. In the fall, he plans to pursue a thesis which examines 19th century American ideological developments.
Andrew Bielecki, Associate Editor. Andrew is a junior Dual Degree Candidate majoring in History and Anthropology, minoring in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies, and pursuing Certificates in Religious Studies and Medieval Studies. He is focusing primarily on Islamic history and will begin a thesis on Islamic eschatology next semester. After graduating, he plans to enter a Ph.D. program so that he might become a History professor.
Jillian Gochinski, Associate Editor. Jillian is a junior History major, with a minor in Anthropology. Her education has focused on both United States history and public history. After graduating, she plans to work towards a master’s degree in public history.
Ciara Smith, Associate Editor: Ciara is a sophomore History and Legal Studies major, with a minor in Anthropology. Her studies have focused on American colonization, Indigenous Studies, and ancient civilizations. After graduating, she plans to attend law school in hopes to become a transgender rights lawyer.
Faculty Advisor:
Professor Garrett Washington
Past Editions
Spring 2022
Spring 2021
Spring 2020
Spring 2019
Spring 2018
Spring 2017
Photo Credit: “Students at the Free University City, ca. 1970: Students sit near the tents at the Free University City, a student-constructed area raised in the wake of over-crowding, behind the Southwest Residential Complex.” University Photograph Collection, Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center, UMass Amherst Libraries.
