Hindsight: Reactions from the American Scientific Community on the Deployment of Nuclear Bombs

Reed Uhlik For many monumental historical events, the passage of time often leads to a more unified interpretation and narrative of a specific event. However, the decision by the United States to drop two nuclear bombs on Japan does not follow this historical pattern. In the aftermath, US public opinion grew increasingly divided, notably within the scientific community.  Some members of this community initially sought … Continue reading Hindsight: Reactions from the American Scientific Community on the Deployment of Nuclear Bombs

Scalpel and Prism: Social Science and the Humanities in the Historian’s Toolkit

Zhenhao (Oscar) Yu Historian Marc Bloch argues that young colleagues should not pigeonhole themselves in the category of either social science or humanities. In his view, historians are quintessential scientists because they collaborate with scientists in other fields and incorporate new methodologies into their studies. They use science as a scalpel to dissect dramatic themes such as geological or linguistic changes. In their role as … Continue reading Scalpel and Prism: Social Science and the Humanities in the Historian’s Toolkit