Historical Topics, Op-ed

On Culture, Repression, and Diplomacy: Thoughts and Tantrums from a PhD Student, Vol II

Victoria Saeki-Serna On October 2nd, 1968, the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Mexico City turned into a mass grave. At 6:10 pm on the cue of a red flare, soldiers and undercover agents sent by president Gustavo Diaz Ordaz rained gunfire on an assembly of university students and their allies gathered to protest the absence of political rights in the country. They blocked exits, arrested those they … Continue reading On Culture, Repression, and Diplomacy: Thoughts and Tantrums from a PhD Student, Vol II

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Historical Topics

What’s on my Fall to Winter Playlist: A personal exploration of the music history behind my favorite songs for the changing season

Sareena Dubey As the days become shorter and trees shed their leaves, I find warmth in wool and comfort in familiar melodies. During this shift, my voracious exploration of obscure musical genres diminishes as a stronger desire to reconnect with nostalgic tunes takes over. This phenomenon culminates in a seasonal tradition I deem the changing of the playlists where songs from my past hold my … Continue reading What’s on my Fall to Winter Playlist: A personal exploration of the music history behind my favorite songs for the changing season

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Historical Topics

The Politics of Victory Gardens

Rosie Click During World War II, families in the US planted more than 4.8 million victory gardens to supplement the domestic food supply. The US government encouraged the victory garden program as a way for Americans on the homefront to support the troops by freeing up other food resources to be sent overseas. USDA victory garden promotional documents show that the government considered the various … Continue reading The Politics of Victory Gardens

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Historical Topics

I’ll Get you my Pretty!: Witches as the Other in Early Modern Europe

Mallory Page “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!” – The Wicked Witch of the West  As a child, I was terrified of the Wicked Witch of the West, hiding under blankets when the witch would pop up and threaten Dorothy and the Munchkins.  If I were to ask you to draw a witch, you would most likely draw an old woman … Continue reading I’ll Get you my Pretty!: Witches as the Other in Early Modern Europe

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Historical Topics

Trick-or-Treat Through Time: The Ancient Celtic Origins of Halloween

Jenna Marcus Halloween, with its enchanting blend of spooky and playful, is widely adored by millions across the globe. Yet beneath the familiar festivities lies a rich history that sheds light on the worldviews of our ancient predecessors and religious and political influences on cultural evolution. The origins of Halloween can be traced back thousands of years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which … Continue reading Trick-or-Treat Through Time: The Ancient Celtic Origins of Halloween

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Historical Topics

Corrupted National Identities – Prewar Japanese and Soviet Assimilationist Policies 

 Jason Roeder What ought to distinguish a nation-state from an empire is the people residing in the former’s ability to shape their own futures freely. Should the two be considered opposites? To answer this question, one must observe how empires utilize the vernacular of self-determination as a cover to amalgamate land for the metropole’s “long-term, all-union concerns.”  Prior to the Second World War, Japan and … Continue reading Corrupted National Identities – Prewar Japanese and Soviet Assimilationist Policies 

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Historical Topics

Many Ways to be Deaf: Situating Deafness in Pre-Modern Chinese History

Oscar Zhenhao Yu Disability has been a burgeoning topic for historians in different fields. Considering disability in Chinese history, few works focus on disability, not to mention exploring the ontology of disability in its pre-modern context. This essay therefore situates disability, and deafness in particular, within pre-modern Chinese history (1644-1912). How did the Chinese perceive deafness before the twentieth century? What sources would be useful … Continue reading Many Ways to be Deaf: Situating Deafness in Pre-Modern Chinese History

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Historical Topics

Assassin’s Creed: History Porn or Digital Heritage?

Rae Neville This Thursday, the popular video game studio Ubisoft will release the latest installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise: Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Set in Baghdad in the year 861, the game will feature a world rich with art, culture, and knowledge. Players will follow the story of Basim, a “cunning street thief with nightmarish visions seeking answers and justice,” as they explore and cut … Continue reading Assassin’s Creed: History Porn or Digital Heritage?

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Historical Topics

Western Medicine’s Internuncio to Japan

Alexander von Kumberg In 1972 sculptor Tadao Koga unveiled his monument to the introduction of Western medicine to Japan in Ōita, a city on the northeastern coastline of Kyushu, Japan. The bronze statue depicts a Japanese patient preparing for his surgery, flanked by a surgeon and his assistant. The surgeon, dressed in Nanban clothes, is Luis de Almeida. But who is this giant of old, … Continue reading Western Medicine’s Internuncio to Japan

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Interviews

Tell Us About Your Summer! Interviews with PhD and MAGIC Students about their Summer Research Experiences

Over the past few weeks, Rosie Click and Sareena Dubey interviewed Georgetown History graduate students about their summer experiences. The first interview about summer teaching experiences was published on September 5th, and the second interview about summer language programs was published last week. This interview features Georgetown History PhD student J. Alexander Killion and MAGIC students Jason Roeder and Tanushree Bhatia, who talked to us … Continue reading Tell Us About Your Summer! Interviews with PhD and MAGIC Students about their Summer Research Experiences

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