What's your specialization?

[seaofghosts]

I'm trying to focus on late classical/early medieval Europe and Mediterranean. Lately I've been really interested in the intellectual history of early medieval Islam. I plan on getting a PhD somewhere around that field.  

 

I'm also really interested in classical history in general, and eventually intend to teach at least one class on the Peloponnesian War. I've been wanting to teach Thucydides since I read it 8+ years ago.  

[Andean Pat]

Didn't see this before! I love our threads!

 

My field is Latin American history. 

 

I got there actually as an 'excuse' to study something broader: borderlands/frontier studies crossed with environmental history. I am interested in nation-building through nature and environment in these areas. Since I did my undergrad in Argentina and my thesis focused on Northern Patagonian Andes (hence Andean Pat), I want to continue this line of research: the clash, tension or synthesis of specific strategies, values and ideas about the landscape, nature, territory and nation in Latin American borderlands. 

 

I am very comfortable with my questions not binding me to a specific region, but rather me choosing the region. I like to read about other borderlands from different times. I just love this approach and it is an excellent fit with my future department. I am so happy!!!! REALLY!!!! :D  

[Andean Pat]

I study Victorian Britain and space. I'm particularly interested in outdoor spaces and how they inform and reflect meaning. I focus on leisure, heritage, preservation, and empire. 

 

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

This must be sooooo interesting!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Emdave]

I'm trying to focus on late classical/early medieval Europe and Mediterranean. Lately I've been really interested in the intellectual history of early medieval Islam. I plan on getting a PhD somewhere around that field.

 

I'm also really interested in classical history in general, and eventually intend to teach at least one class on the Peloponnesian War. I've been wanting to teach Thucydides since I read it 8+ years ago.  

 

Byzantine?

 

Also, Thucydides! Have you read Herodotus? You should totally read his Inquiries if you liked Thucydides because it's practically Part 1 and Part 2 of the same story-- with Thucydides coming second.

[Andean Pat]

Byzantine?

 

Also, Thucydides! Have you read Herodotus? You should totally read his Inquiries if you liked Thucydides because it's practically Part 1 and Part 2 of the same story-- with Thucydides coming second.

 

(ammmm didn't we all read these as undergrads?)

[thedig13]

(ammmm didn't we all read these as undergrads?)

 

I hope this is sarcasm. I've never heard of Thucydides, and I'm only vaguely familiar with Herodotus.

 

Stop making me feel woefully under-educated, dammit!

[thedig13]

Despite being an undergraduate, I will be responding to the OP, because he/she was kind enough to include "or hope to specialize in" in nice little parentheses.

 

I'm hoping to specialize in 20th century United States history (Yay, job market!) with an emphasis on urban space, cultural identity, social perception, and the dynamics of power between different groups.

 

For instance, a friend of mine was born and raised in a Spanish-speaking immigrant community within 1950s Los Angeles, and one thing that always captivated me was this very sharp juxtaposition between the image/culture of 1950s LA (the glamour of Hollywood, suburban development, the creation of the freeway) and the reality of immigrant life in the shadows of this glamorous illusion. Actually, once my Spanish improves (currently on my 3rd academic quarter of instruction and going to study abroad over the summer), I hope to write a paper on this very topic.

 

Got interested in this subject simply because a lot of my research points me to these themes. I've done a lot of work on the 1992 LA Riots, with particular emphasis on the ethnic tensions which drove the violence, as well as how the violence was mostly-isolated to very specific urban spaces. Also, my Honors Thesis is on the Black Panther Party, founded by Oakland African-Americans who, in the short term, wanted to protect Oakland's black community from the police, who they viewed as a brutal, racist, and unaccountable gang of outsider thugs, and, in the long term, wanted to spark a revolution of cultural pride and social awareness ("Black Power").

[lafayette]

Got interested in this subject simply because a lot of my research points me to these themes. I've done a lot of work on the 1992 LA Riots, with particular emphasis on the ethnic tensions which drove the violence, as well as how the violence was mostly-isolated to very specific urban spaces. Also, my Honors Thesis is on the Black Panther Party, founded by Oakland African-Americans who, in the short term, wanted to protect Oakland's black community from the police, who they viewed as a brutal, racist, and unaccountable gang of outsider thugs, and, in the long term, wanted to spark a revolution of cultural pride and social awareness ("Black Power").

I've thought that the '92 riots would make for an excellent history for some time (but perhaps particularly because they stand out in my childhood memory so strongly). I'm just wondering if those urban spaces that it took place in were so particular, though, when included in a larger history of riot in the latter half of the 20th c. Something to think about.

[Andean Pat]

I hope this is sarcasm. I've never heard of Thucydides, and I'm only vaguely familiar with Herodotus.

 

Stop making me feel woefully under-educated, dammit!

 

Sorry!!!! Out loud would have sounded as funny as I intended

 

It wasn't sarcasm per se because I've read those two (by no means I wanted to sound condescending!!!). My coursework involved A LOT of history courses. Right from the start, we took courses in history, and all history courses are compulsory so I've studied barely all history. I have read Herodotus and Thuchydides in three courses: Introduction to Historical Study, Ancient Greek history and Historiography. And maybe in some elective from political science. 

 

Bottom line, I meant it as a joke, please please forgive me! If it helps, I am not fond of Greek literature thus I did not pay attention any three times I read them

[Emdave]

If it helps, I am not fond of Greek literature thus I did not pay attention any three times I read them 

 

.......and this is what I'm writing my thesis about.

 

On another note, of many of the chief Greek authors/texts from the Classical Period, Herodotus and Thucydides are generally read less than your typical Sophocles/Euripides/Plato. That's why I suggested that someone who liked Thucydides read Herodotus. That's also why I was so excited when someone mentioned them.

 

Anybody else do classical things? I feel like the classics kids are all underground on the gradcafe. Where my peeps at?

[New England Nat]

20th century US environmental political/social history of the US military.  Also history of the field sciences (ecology, geology, field biology).  I track the history of environmentalism and conservation in the army. 

[Andean Pat]

20th century US environmental political/social history of the US military.  Also history of the field sciences (ecology, geology, field biology).  I track the history of environmentalism and conservation in the army. 

 

Did you or do you work in some connection with national parks?

[thedig13]

Sorry!!!! Out loud would have sounded as funny as I intended

 

It wasn't sarcasm per se because I've read those two (by no means I wanted to sound condescending!!!). My coursework involved A LOT of history courses. Right from the start, we took courses in history, and all history courses are compulsory so I've studied barely all history. I have read Herodotus and Thuchydides in three courses: Introduction to Historical Study, Ancient Greek history and Historiography. And maybe in some elective from political science. 

 

Bottom line, I meant it as a joke, please please forgive me! If it helps, I am not fond of Greek literature thus I did not pay attention any three times I read them

 

Oh. No need to apologize. I wasn't horrendously offended or upset by your post; if anything, I was being facetious.

 

Although I indeed haven't studied either writer/historian in-depth, I recognize that I'm still learning, and have gotten used to the idea that there are historians, writers, and concepts that I still need to explore.

[thedig13]

I've thought that the '92 riots would make for an excellent history for some time (but perhaps particularly because they stand out in my childhood memory so strongly). I'm just wondering if those urban spaces that it took place in were so particular, though, when included in a larger history of riot in the latter half of the 20th c. Something to think about.

Well, it depends on what you mean by "urban spaces." For instance, statistically, approximately 40% of all property damage (an estimated $1 billion in total) was isolated to Korean-American businesses, especially liquor stores and mini-marts. This is a pretty serious disproportion, and reflects some serious anti-Korean-American sentiment behind the riots. Also, consider the fact that legal decisions made in Simi Valley (a mostly-white, pro-police community with little-to-no emic knowledge of inner-city life) sparked riots that were mostly-isolated to the segregated neighborhoods of the inner-city.

 

If you look at an actual map of where the violence occurred, it's pretty evident that the brunt of the destruction was clustered around immigrant and/or working-class communities.

 

Not sure if that helps address your curiosity at all...

[Andean Pat]

Although I indeed haven't studied either writer/historian in-depth, I recognize that I'm still learning, and have gotten used to the idea that there are historians, writers, and concepts that I still need to explore.

 

In the my last interview with a committee, they asked me: "Have you read Dr. X's work? Is basic for your topic". "errrr... no". And yet, I was admitted, phew!  

 

You are right, we cannot cover everything or everyone. Glad you liked the Greeks!

[New England Nat]

Did you or do you work in some connection with national parks?

 

Not at the moment.  The US army and the national parks story is before my dissertation starts, though it is one of the ways that I came to my subject.

[Wicked_Problem]

Well, it depends on what you mean by "urban spaces." For instance, statistically, approximately 40% of all property damage (an estimated $1 billion in total) was isolated to Korean-American businesses, especially liquor stores and mini-marts. This is a pretty serious disproportion, and reflects some serious anti-Korean-American sentiment behind the riots. Also, consider the fact that legal decisions made in Simi Valley (a mostly-white, pro-police community with little-to-no emic knowledge of inner-city life) sparked riots that were mostly-isolated to the segregated neighborhoods of the inner-city.   If you look at an actual map of where the violence occurred, it's pretty evident that the brunt of the destruction was clustered around immigrant and/or working-class communities.   Not sure if that helps address your curiosity at all...

Here's where the discussion we were having previously with respect to digital humanities -- specifically GIS -- could offer some insights..

[CrazyCatLady80]

I've thought that the '92 riots would make for an excellent history for some time (but perhaps particularly because they stand out in my childhood memory so strongly). I'm just wondering if those urban spaces that it took place in were so particular, though, when included in a larger history of riot in the latter half of the 20th c. Something to think about.

 

I've thought about writing something about the riots too. Though I was a child, it is etched very strongly in my memory. Back in my archivist days, I surveyed the Tom Bradley papers at UCLA. A lot of good stuff about the riots, but good luck finding anything. The original archivist really messed up that collection. I did find some wonderful child drawing of the riots. I believe I might have some scanned if anyone is interested in seeing some wonderful documents. 

 

Not a lot has been written on the subject, but most of what has focuses on African American and Korean-American dynamic. If you are interested in the subject, one topic you might want to consider is REBUILD LA, the organization established after the riot to help rebuild (duh) and reach out to communities affected by the riots. I don't know much about it, but I've heard it has an interesting history. 

[lafayette]

Well, it depends on what you mean by "urban spaces." For instance, statistically, approximately 40% of all property damage (an estimated $1 billion in total) was isolated to Korean-American businesses, especially liquor stores and mini-marts. This is a pretty serious disproportion, and reflects some serious anti-Korean-American sentiment behind the riots. Also, consider the fact that legal decisions made in Simi Valley (a mostly-white, pro-police community with little-to-no emic knowledge of inner-city life) sparked riots that were mostly-isolated to the segregated neighborhoods of the inner-city.

 

If you look at an actual map of where the violence occurred, it's pretty evident that the brunt of the destruction was clustered around immigrant and/or working-class communities.

 

Not sure if that helps address your curiosity at all...

I mean geographically, and the built environment of the 'inner-city' more broadly. The '92 riots were absolutely their own unique event, but I was thinking of the Watts riots, and how they unfolded nearby to the places of the '92 riots; also south central, also 'inner city'. (Which is not to say that this area looked exactly the same between '65 & '92..., nor was it inhabited by the exact same groups). But just thinking about how most post-war US urban riots/insurrections happened in dense inner city spaces, in working class & immigration neighborhoods haunted by spatial segregation. I'm sure there are many arguments one can make as to why Los Angeles' landscape made the event particularly unique, but some also not so much.

But while I'm thinking about: Though, I do think, problematically, the 'inner city' was not thought of as unique from city to city during this time. Riots were thought to be the almost expected product of these problematic urban spaces, these supposedly instable inner city spaces -- in all big cities that had them. So looking for the particular is good, to undo this narrative (though it doesn't mean similarities should be ignored).

The Simi Valley bit is interesting though, and I feel like I have read something about how certain communities (in particular Korean-Americans) veered more conservative politically after the experience of the riots, and obviously space/geography plays a part in that. Anyhow, I'm sure the product of your research will be very interesting.

Edited April 5, 2013 by lafayette

[thedig13]

 The original archivist really messed up that collection. I did find some wonderful child drawing of the riots. I believe I might have some scanned if anyone is interested in seeing some wonderful documents. 

 

I would like to take you up on this offer. Should I send you a PM?

[CrazyCatLady80]

Yes...I will see if I have them on my flash drive.