History

The History Department is one of Oberlin's largest departments, after English and Biology, and comparable in size to Politics. Seen by many as the "mother discipline," the History Department is organized geographically with many courses cross-listed with many other departments.

[edit] The Major

(Taken in part from the Oberlin College History Department Website)

In order to achieve a History major, one must complete:

• a minimum of thirty hours in History courses.
• at least one course from each of the following three regions:
  • America
  • Europe, Russia
  • Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean.
• at least one 300-level or above course taught by faculty in the Oberlin History Department.
• at least eighteen hours of course work taught by members of the Oberlin History Department. Twelve hours may be applied to the major through any combination of AP credit, credit from approved study-away programs, and credit from selected courses based on historical methodologies taught in African American Studies (African, African American, and Caribbean history), East Asian Studies (Korean History), Gender and Women's Studies (Living with the Bomb), and Classics (Greek and Roman History).
• Note: Grades below "C-" will not count toward the major.

[edit] Major Concentration

In consultation with their departmental advisor, majors are expected to develop a balanced program of historical study culminating in a concentration (at least four courses drawn from geographic, chronological, or thematic groupings). Your choice of field of concentration will depend on a number of factors including plans after graduation, particular interests, linguistic competencies, and staffing strengths in the Department. Should you have an "independent concentration" or a combination of concentrations in mind, please discuss this with your advisor. A fuller description of "Concentrations in the History Major" can be found here.

[edit] Current Faculty

• Michael Fisher - Robert S. Danforth Professor (South Asian history)
• Heather Hogan - Professor (Russian history)
• Carl Jacobson - adjunct assistant professor, director of Oberlin Shansi
• Clayton Koppes - Professor (American history)
• Gary Kornblith - Professor (American history)
• Carol Lasser - Professor, Department Chair (American history)
• Shulamit Magnus - Associate Professor (Jewish history)
• Pablo Mitchell - Associate Professor (American history, also Comparative American Studies)
• Annemarie Sammartino - Assistant Professor (European history)
• Zeinab Abul-Magd - Instructor (Middle Eastern history)
• Shelley Lee - Assistant Professor (American history, also Comparative American Studies)
• Emer O'Dwyer - Assistant Professor (Japanese history)
• Sam White - Assistant Professor (Environmental history)
• Suzanne Miller - Visiting Assistant Professor (Medieval history)
• Diana Shull - Visiting Assistant Professor (European history)

[edit] Faculty on Leave

• Steven Volk - Professor (Latin American history) -- on leave Spring 2009
• Leonard Smith - Frederick B. Artz Professor (European history) -- on leave until Spring 2010
• David Kelley - Associate Professor (Chinese history) -- on leave Fall 2008

[edit] Resources

[edit] Local Resources

The Oberlin Heritage Center is Oberlin's accredited history museum and historical society. Their website includes databases of historic photos and city directories as well as other local history resources. The organization also houses a reference library and archives.

The Oberlin College LGBT Community History Project is an online archives of Oberlin's LGBT history.

[edit] History Guides

Feeling a little too lazy to write these myself, so instead check the listing on the Oberlin History website.