UCLA Department of History Undergraduate Newsletter, Fall 2012

Undergraduate Newsletter
Fall 2012 / Winter 2013

In this issue...

From the Vice Chair for Undergraduate Affairs
Meet Your Counselor
Alumni Profiles
Winter 2013 Course Offerings
Honors Thesis Students
Recognition of Departmental Awards
Phi Alpha Theta
Quaestio

     My name is Professor Joan Waugh and I teach nineteenth century U.S. history here at UCLA. The above inspirational quote has been a favorite of mine for years, guiding my own teaching philosophy. This year, I have the pleasure of serving as the vice chair of undergraduate studies for our department. I invite students to become regular readers of "News from the Sixth Floor," and look forward to hearing comments from you on how we can improve our major to make your experience even more fulfilling and worthwhile.

     As a UCLA graduate, I have experienced just about everything this wonderful campus has to offer, and consider myself extremely fortunate to be a member of a world class faculty. From the time I taught my first undergraduate history class at UCLA twelve years ago, my goal has been to instill in my students a love and respect for history. This goal I know is shared by my colleagues and I am proud to be part of a university and a department that respects the art the craft of instruction, whether it is a large lecture class, in one of the small seminars (97 or 191), or sponsoring an honor's thesis.

     "News from the Sixth Floor" aims to inform you of the events, programs, classes, and other opportunities that come your way as a history major. We will strive to publicize the many honors, awards, and distinctions of our current students, but also highlight selected alumni as they attain positions in law, journalism, business, and public service. In short, our newsletter -- along with our website, twitter, Facebook, and e-mail blasts -- will keep you up to date on the latest and most interesting developments in our departmental offerings.

Professor Joan Waugh researches and writes researches and writes about nineteenth-century America, specializing in the Civil War and Reconstruction. She is author of Ulysses S. Grant: American Hero, American Myth and has been interviewed for many documentaries, including the PBS series, “American Experience” on Ulysses S. Grant first shown in 2002. Waugh teaches the “Civil War and Reconstruction,” and “America from 1865-1900” undergraduate lecture courses at UCLA. She has been honored with three prizes for her teaching, including UCLA’s “Distinguished Teaching Award.”

PAUL PADILLA
Paul Padilla is a History Department Undergraduate counselor. He completed both his undergraduate and graduate work at UCLA in history, and has taught at Occidental College and Cal State Long Beach. Before joining the History Department staff, Mr. Padilla counseled students in the College of Letters & Science counseling office.

Have any questions about the major? Your progress? Course advice? Visit Paul in his office at Bunche 6248 located just across from the 6th floor elevators.

History is one of the most flexible and far-ranging fields of study. It is excellent preparation for a wide variety of fields -- law, teaching, business, public service, journalism, and even medicine. Increasingly, the professions and professional schools are looking for applicants who have broad interests and backgrounds, as well as analytical and verbal skills rather than narrow field specialization.

Don't just take our word for it - listen to our 2012 Commencement Speaker Chester Pipkin, founder, CEO and chairman of the board of Belkin International.

Nicholas Primo Class of 2012			Nicholas Primo's Honor's Thesis, "They Reaped the Whirlwind," A Comparative Case Study of John Mosby's 43rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion and William Quantrill's Missouri Raider as Examples of Guerrilla Warfare in the American Civil War," (Advisor: Joan Waugh) received the First Prize of the Carey McWilliams Award. Nicholas' thesis described and analyzed the very different legal, military, and home front environments in which the two most infamous guerilla, or in the case of Mosby, “partisan” units operated in during the Civil War. He examined both the leaders and their followers, assessed their overall record in light of both the historical record and the romanticized version of their exploits during and after the War. His interpretative framework for his thesis was the striking difference between the “real” and the “imagined” reputation of both units, creating a heroic ideal of warfare that raised morale during the war and contributed mightily to the “Lost Cause” myth of the Confederacy in the post war era. Nick is currently a student in the Master's Program in Public Policy at Pepperdine University.

Sharon Park Class of 2005			Though Sharon Park, Class of 2005, excelled in her study of the past while at UCLA, she now finds great success working for a company of the future: Google. Explaining her role within Google's advertising division, Park says: "Much of my work is communicating with ad agencies and helping them to run display advertising successfully. I do a lot of public speaking and my audience ranges from internal Google teams to VPs of media at Fortune 500 companies." Park admits her degree in history helped her to be a more polished writer and speaker -- two qualities necessary in the advertising world. Completing a rigorous thesis project also had its benefits: "Writing my thesis taught me how to endure a long, long road and to produce a great finished product. I learned a lot about managing a big project and seeing it through to completion." During her undergraduate career, Park worked with many faculty members and advises students to "find a faculty member, and pull their wings over you... Go to office hours all the time, even if you have nothing to talk about. Their knowledge will come pouring out."

Danny Rees Class of 2010			Danny Rees, an Illinois native and member of the 2010 graduating class, came to UCLA with two major responsibilities: maintaining a stellar academic record and balancing an intense training and game schedule while on the varsity UCLA Football team. Rees is currently finding success in commercial real estate, where he finds the skills he learned as an undergraduate help him often: "I've found that the preparation it takes to be successful on history exams and presentations have greatly aided me in the working world. I must know a prospective client inside and out and feel confident in presenting myself in a logical and cogent manner. In my history courses, I learned how to present my historical opinions, and through my work and research, persuade a professor for a good grade. In real estate, you also need to tell a story (about the market, your team, and why it benefits them to use us) and persuade clients why you are the right person for the job."

Kate Dabbert Class of 2010			Kate Dabbert is currently in her second year of law school at NYU. She spent last summer as an intern at the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the National University of Ireland in Galway working on international human rights issues. She will spend this upcoming summer at a law firm in San Diego before beginning a full-time career in law. One of her favorite memories of the program was writing her honors thesis: “I was lucky in the timing of my thesis because I was able to study and research Abraham Lincoln in historical memory upon his 200th birthday... I have since come to appreciate how unique this opportunity was. At many other universities, students do not have the same kind of program to take them through the research and writing process, and many certainly do not have the same opportunities to work with the quality of faculty I experienced at UCLA.” Reflecting on some tips for current students, Dabbert reccommends Professor Teo Ruiz’s motto “Do not postpone joy.”

Barry Goldenberg Class of 2011			Barry Goldenberg, UCLA Class of 2011, is currently a first year Master of Arts student in the History and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University and a Graduate Student Fellow at the Institute for Urban and Minority Education (IUME). His research focuses on the history of schooling with a particular emphasis on the history of public schools in Harlem. In Fall 2012 he will begin work on another project called Youth Historians in Harlem working with high school urban youth in an after-school program promoting the study of history and helping them become critical researchers. Barry intends to apply to Ph.D programs upon the completion of his MA with the hope of becoming a university professor. Winner of the Carey McWilliams Prize for best senior honors thesis--a project entitled “The Unknown Architects of Civil Rights: Thaddeus Stevens, Ulysses S. Grant, and Charles Sumner” -- Barry reflects fondly on his experience within the department, citing his advisor Joan Waugh and Professors Brenda Stevenson and Bill Worger as major inspirations. His advice for current students within the department: "Soak it all up! Make connections with professors and seek out all the great opportunities that come with being part of such a wonderful and highly-acclaimed department. If you stick your neck out just a bit, the rewards for getting involved with the department—whether it be to getting to know faculty, doing an honors thesis, joining the history society, or just hearing guest lectures—are immense!"

HIST 1A Langdon, John Introduction to Western Civilization: Ancient Civilizations, Prehistory to Circa A.D. 843 HIST 1B Mc Clendon, Muriel C. Introduction to Western Civilization: Circa A.D. 843 to Circa 1715 HIST 3A Terrall, Mary Introduction to History of Science: Scientific Revolution HIST 9A Subrahmanyam, Sanjay Introduction to Asian Civilizations: History of India HIST M10A Luchembe, Chipasha History of Africa to 1800 HIST 11B Goldman, Andrea History of China: 1000 to 1950 HIST 13B Dubois, Ellen C. History of the U.S. and Its Colonial Origins: 19th Century HIST 19 Ruiz, Teofilo F. Plato's Republic: Equality, Gender, and Freedom HIST 21 Von Glahn, Richard World History, circa 600 to 1760 HIST 21-10 (Registrar) World History, circa 600 to 1760 HIST 96W Luckett, Matthew S Movies, Memory, and Myth in American West HIST 96W-2 Abu-rish, Ziad Munif History of State Formation in Modern Arab Middle East HIST 96W-3 Momdjian, Maran Merchants and Cities in Early Modern Mediterranean HIST 96W-4 Gutfreund, Zevi Moses Education and Social Justice in U.S. HIST 96W-5 Sanders, Carrie Marie Mediterranean History: Cross-Cultural Interactions HIST 97C Getty, J. Arch Variable Topics in European History: Russian Revolution HIST 97C-2 Jacoby, Russell Variable Topics in European History: Genocide and History: Case of European Jews in 1940s HIST 97C-3 Mc Clendon, Muriel C. Unsolved Mysteries of Early Modern European World HIST 97C-4 Stacey, Peter Intellectual History and Early Modern Political Theory HIST 97C-5 Taback, Naomi Johanna Variable Topics in European History HIST 97D Meranze, Michael Variable Topics in U.S. History: F HIST 97D-2 Hirshberg, Lauren Beth Variable Topics in U.S. History: War On? Tracing Narrative Roots of U.S. National Security HIST 97D-3 Higbie, Frank Tobias Variable Topics in U.S. History: Capitalism and Democracy in U.S. at Turn of 20th Century HIST 98T Hernandez, Carlos Armando Narco-mundo: How Narcotraficantes Gained Control of Northern Mexico HIST 101 Alpers, Edward A. Topics in World History: History of Indian Ocean HIST 101-2 Aslanian, Sebouh Topics in World History: Indian Ocean in World History HIST M103B Wendrich, Willeke Ancient Egyptian Civilization HIST M104C Carter, Elizabeth Babylonians HIST 105B Morony, Michael G. Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 1300 to 1700 HIST 107B Aslanian, Sebouh Armenia from Cilician Kingdom through Periods of Foreign Domination and National Stirrings, 11th to 19th Centuries HIST 111C Pirnazar, Nahid Topics in Middle Eastern History: Modern HIST 113B Phillips, David D. History of Ancient Greece: Classical Period HIST 114B Mellor, Ronald J. History of Rome from Death of Caesar to Time of Constantine HIST 119A Good, Leanne Marie Medieval Europe, 400 to 1000 HIST 121B Sabean, David History of Modern Europe: Baroque Culture and Absolutist Politics, 1600 to 1715 HIST 121E Jacoby, Russell History of Modern Europe: Era of Total War, 1914 to 1945 HIST 122A Stacey, Peter Cultural and Intellectual History of Modern Europe, 15th Century HIST M122E Silverman, Debora Cultural and Intellectual History of Modern Europe, 19th Century HIST 124B Ford, Caroline C. History of France: France, 1715 to 1871 HIST 125C Baldwin, Peter 20th-Century Germany HIST 134C Berend, Ivan Economic History of Europe, 20th Century HIST 136B Urdank, Albion Making of Modern Britain, 1715 to 1867	HIST 138B Yirush, Craig B. Revolutionary America, 1760 to 1800 HIST 139A Waugh, Joan U.S., Civil War and Reconstruction HIST 140C Corey, Mary 20th-Century U.S. History since 1960 HIST 142D Avila, Eric R. American Popular Culture HIST 143A Rolston, Arthur Constitutional History of U.S.: Origins and Development of Constitutionalism in U.S. HIST M144C Salman, Michael Critical Issues in U.S.-Philippine Relations HIST M147E Lewis, Benjamin History of Deaf Communities in America HIST 149A Madley, Benjamin North American Indian History, Precontact to 1830 HIST M151B (Registrar) Gomez-quinones, Juan History of Chicano Peoples HIST M151C Avila, Eric R. Understanding Whiteness in American History and Culture HIST 153 Aron, Stephen American West HIST 161 Vazquez-semadeni, Maria Topics in Latin American History: 19th-Century Freemasonry in U.S. and Mexico HIST 162B Summerhill, William Brazil and Atlantic World, 1500 to 1822 HIST 166B Lydon, Ghislaine History of West Africa: West Africa since 1800 HIST 170B Wong, R. Bin Selected Topics in Chinese History from 1500 HIST 172C Marotti, William Japanese History: Modern, 1868 to Present HIST M174D Green, Nile Indo-Islamic Interactions, 700 to 1750 HIST 176A Robinson, Geoffrey History of Southeast Asia: Early History of Southeast Asia HIST M180B (Registrar) Traweek, Sharon Historical Perspectives on Gender and Science HIST M182D Myers, David N. European Jewry, 1881 to Present HIST M184A Boustan, Ra'anan Jewish Civilization: Encounter with Great World Cultures HIST M184C Wilson, Karen American Jewish Experience HIST M185D Buccellati, Giorgio Religions of Ancient Near East HIST M186B Bartchy, Scott Religious Environment of Early Christians HIST 189 Waugh, Joan Advanced Honors Seminars: Advanced Honors Seminar for History 139A, Lecture 1 HIST 189-2 Bartchy, Scott Advanced Honors Seminars: Advanced Honors Seminar for History M186B, Lecture 1 HIST 191A Mellor, Ronald J. Ancient History: Emperor Augustus HIST 191C Getty, J. Arch History -- Europe: Stalinism and Terror HIST 191C-2 Ford, Caroline C. History -- Europe HIST 191D Stevenson, Brenda U.S. History HIST 191D-2 Dawson, Jessica U.S. History HIST M191DC Desveaux, James Alexander CAPPP Washington, DC, Research Seminars HIST 191E Summerhill, William Latin America: Latin America, Slavery, and Slave Trade, 1500 to 1888 HIST 191F Morony, Michael G. Near East: Islamic Thought: First Four Centuries HIST 191G Goldman, Andrea East Asia: Family, Gender, and Sexuality in Early Modern and Modern China HIST 191I Weiner, Dora B. Science/Technology: Citizen-Patient in Historical and International Perspective* HIST 191J Alpers, Edward A. Africa: Indian Ocean Africa HIST 191K Green, Nile Religion: Muslims, Saints, and Social History HIST 191L-2 Friedlander, Saul Jewish History: Debates in Historiography of the Holocaust HIST 191M Salman, Michael History -- Southeast Asia HIST 191N Subrahmanyam, Sanjay History -- India: Mughals, Safavids, and Ottomans from 1500 to 1750

2012-2013

Juan Gomez-Quinones
Luis Aviles
Troy Castro

Eric Avila
Angela Sanchez

Joan Waugh
Nicholas Cameron
Evelyn Kessler
Ashley Salustri
Katherine Sass

Lynn Hunt
Laura Mitchell

Ted Porter
Hanbee O

John Langdon
Stephanie Lawton
Esther Shin

Michael Salman
Garrick Vanderfin

Teo Ruiz
Marina Anthony
Diane Bani-Esraili
Vanessa Karna
Laura Konisek

Ellen DuBois
Mariko Pegs

Mary Yeager
Vincent Anderson
Maxwell Siegel

Stephen Aron
Kathleen Bartosh

Craig Yirush
Caroline Chamberlain
Jeffrey Scott

Maria Vasquez-Semadeni
Sean Messara

*Note from the editors:
Our Spring newsletter left out the following 2011-12 Honors Thesis Students:

Wadman, Alexandra. Constantine’s Choice: How the Pressures on The Late Roman Empire and the Development of Philosophical and Popular Christianity Influenced Constantine’s Endorsement of the Christian Church, 250-312 C.E. S. Scott Bartchy, Advisor
Highest Honors, noted for Scholarly Distinction

Lichterman, Jake. A Tragic Misinterpretation: Anti-Semitism and the New Testament. S. Scott Bartchy, Advisor
Honors

Those students interested in pursuing a rigorous academic research project may wish to explore the Department's Honors Thesis program. Students submit an application with an outline of their project, solicit faculty sponsorship, and embark on a three-quarter long process (beginning during Spring of their Junior year and ending Winter quarter of their senior year) of reading, research, and writing. Completing an Honors Thesis is a great opportunity to explore historical questions that most interest you, to connect with faculty members, and to produce an original piece of scholarship.

MARY RITTER BEARD AWARD

Thesis Prize
Benjamin Michael Steiner
“Building a Jewish Feminism: from Theory to Theology”
Advisor: Ellen DuBois

Short Paper
Brigid Olive Leahy
“Women in Ancient Egypt: Legal Equality through Economic Significance”

CAREY MCWILLIAMS AWARD

First Prize
Nicholas Primo
“They Reaped the Whirlwind. A Comparative Case Study of John Mosby’s 43rd Virginia Cavalry Battalion and William Quantrill’s Missouri Raiders as Examples of Guerrilla Warfare in the American Civil War”
Advisor: Joan Waugh

Second Prize
Zoe Rose Buonaiuto
“Oeil pour oeil: Simone de Beauvoir on Punishment in Postwar France”
Advisor: Lynn Hunt

Noted for Scholarly Distinction
Stephanie Kate Dyar
Joshua Evan Goldman
Ethan M. Scapellati
Kirk Daniel Sharma
Alexandra Marie Wadman
Jon William Zinke-Zagarella

Fall Quarter 2012 featured exciting talks such as "Inside an 18th Century Brothel", "Hobos in Heaven: Manifest Destiny and the Rise of Mass Incarceration in the American West, 1880-1910", and "The Life of a Graduate Student and Insider Tips to Students from a Furture Professor".

Speakers for our upcoming Winter and Spring programs will be announced at a future date.