From Gentleman's Club to Professional Body: The Evolution of the History Department in the United States, 1940-1980 - Softcover

Palmer, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1439210489 ISBN 13: 9781439210482

Publisher: BookSurge Publishing, 2008

Synopsis

Before World War II most history departments in the United States were waspish gentleman's clubs with few women, Africans, Jews or Catholics. Only a few faculty members had serious scholarly ambitions. This book describes how previously excluded groups made their way into the profession and how stronger scholarly standards became accepted by the profession.

About this title

About the Author:

Bill Palmer is a writer and historian. He lives with his wife and two sons in Huntington, West Virginia. He can be reached at palmer@marshall.edu

Review:

"Fascinating and revealing," -- Edward Ayers, University of Richmond

"A splendid book, well-organized, insightful, and judicious," --Allan G. Bogue, Professor of History Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Any serious reader of European or American history would find this compelling book insightful as well as informative as it explains the broad evolution of seven of the leading American university departments of history. The author, a professor of history himself (not one of the seven) examines critically and thoughtfully yet informally the several changes in historical interpretations in the course of forty years. A number of the historians are quoted directly, though not always friendly to a department's ascent or descent. Of course, for any historian, Palmer's study offers a readable, even amusing and rare overview which can recapitulate his or professional past, as I certainly did. --Carl N. Degler, Margaret Byrnes Professor Emeritus Stanford University.

About this edition

• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1439210489
• ISBN 13: 9781439210482
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 326