Civil War era/Reconstruction programs

[notlightweneedbutfire]

Hey y'all! I'll be applying in Fall 2011 (or... 2012, depending on whether or not I take a year off), and I was wondering if anyone has any input on Civil War-era or Reconstruction programs. Right now, I'm looking at Columbia, Yale (David Blight is there -- I'm focusing on CW in memory, so this would be ideal but obviously verrryyyy much a reach), and Penn State. I was also thinking about University of Alabama, U Mass-Amherst, and Brown. Obviously these schools are not easy to get into by any stretch of the imagination, so... thoughts? I should note that as far as CW history goes, military history in and of itself is not my particular focus.

Thanks everyone!

[deuterides]

Hey y'all! I'll be applying in Fall 2011 (or... 2012, depending on whether or not I take a year off), and I was wondering if anyone has any input on Civil War-era or Reconstruction programs. Right now, I'm looking at Columbia, Yale (David Blight is there -- I'm focusing on CW in memory, so this would be ideal but obviously verrryyyy much a reach), and Penn State. I was also thinking about University of Alabama, U Mass-Amherst, and Brown. Obviously these schools are not easy to get into by any stretch of the imagination, so... thoughts? I should note that as far as CW history goes, military history in and of itself is not my particular focus.

Thanks everyone!

I would have to think that Gary Gallagher at Virginia would be on your radar.

[notlightweneedbutfire]

I would have to think that Gary Gallagher at Virginia would be on your radar.

I heard word through the grapevine (ie., other applicants in years above me) that he isn't currently taking graduate students, so I wasn't sure I should mention UVa... but I could be entirely wrong about this and will obviously contact the school before applying.

[Bearclaw]

If you're more interested in memory than the war itself, you might consider Fitz Brundage at UNC. His work is all New South era and later, but he is one of the leaders in the study of southern memory. You should also look at Joan Waugh at UCLA. University of Georgia has a solid CW/Reconstruction program, and the rumblings I've heard indicate that they are about to make a big push in that area. UGA isn't Yale or Penn State, but it is already better than Alabama.

[chickadee21]

I took an American South class with Steven Hahn at Penn - he's a fantastic professor, I'd definitely recommend that you get in touch with him. I don't know exactly what his specialty is, but Penn has several other good Civil War profs, including Dr. Hahn's wife, Stephanie McCurry. My concentration was European History, so I don't know quite as much about the US History profs...I sort of stumbled into Hahn's class, but it was one of the best I took at Penn.

[Riotbeard]

<br />I took an American South class with Steven Hahn at Penn - he's a fantastic professor, I'd definitely recommend that you get in touch with him. I don't know exactly what his specialty is, but Penn has several other good Civil War profs, including Dr. Hahn's wife, Stephanie McCurry. My concentration was European History, so I don't know quite as much about the US History profs...I sort of stumbled into Hahn's class, but it was one of the best I took at Penn.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Stephen Hahn's first book, The Roots of Southern Populism is on the development of populism in Georgia from say 1840-1900 (I have not read it for a while). Hahn is generally thought of pretty well, but that first book gets a lot of flak in the Southern history community for pretty massive conclusions on little data(depending on who you talk to, and I tend to agree). Stephanie McCurry (SP maybe?) is a badass. Her first book, Masters of Small Worlds is about class and gender in the low country antebellum era. Particularly about how Male domination of the family gave yeomans a similar psychological disposition to power as planter (the Southern history community loves this book in general, considered pathbreaking). That being said they are more known for Southern than Civil War to my knowledge, but they are top scholars in the field.

[Riotbeard]

Laura Edwards at Duke is a pretty big deal for reconstruction studies (I am not sure if she does Civil War too). Duke has actually done some really cool stuff to structure of their program too, so you should take a look.

[natsteel]

Laura Edwards at Duke is a pretty big deal for reconstruction studies (I am not sure if she does Civil War too). Duke has actually done some really cool stuff to structure of their program too, so you should take a look.

What about Allen Guelzo at Gettysburg College? Obviously there's Foner at Columbia for Reconstruction, as well.

[notlightweneedbutfire]

What about Allen Guelzo at Gettysburg College? Obviously there's Foner at Columbia for Reconstruction, as well.

Gettysburg doesn't have a graduate program. (Although I'm not intending to study Lincoln, so Guelzo wouldn't exactly be a perfect fit in any case...)

[natsteel]

Gettysburg doesn't have a graduate program. (Although I'm not intending to study Lincoln, so Guelzo wouldn't exactly be a perfect fit in any case...)

Fair enough. I know Guelzo does alot of work on Lincoln but I didn't realize they didn't have graduate program. I'm in early American history...

[notlightweneedbutfire]

Fair enough. I know Guelzo does alot of work on Lincoln but I didn't realize they didn't have graduate program. I'm in early American history...

Haha, no worries. I just spent a semester at Gettysburg more or less working with Guelzo, so I'm fairly versed in the program!