Why Choose The University of Akron's History Department

The Department of History is a vibrant community of scholar-teachers and staff, dedicated to quality undergraduate and graduate education, excellence in research and service to the University, our communities and our profession.  The department offers a Bachelor’s degree in History, as well as a Master’s and a Doctorate, and supervises two vital components of the general education requirements for undergraduates: the Humanities in the Western Tradition and the World Civilizations programs.  Members of our faculty also direct the Pan-African Center for Community Studies, the Sally Miller Center for the Humanities, and the Northeast Ohio Journal of History.  We also sponsor a series of lectures, including the Knepper Lecture and others through the Pan-African Center and the Miller Center.  We welcome your interest in the department.

Distinguished Faculty
 

Distinguished Professor Shelley Baranowski, who holds a Ph.D. from Princeton, came to The University of Akron in 1989. She has published four books, and a fifth will arrive shortly from Cambridge University Press. The topics of these books range widely, including the relationship of the churches to the Nationalist Socialists, the Junkers of Prussia (she taught herself Polish to be able to use their recently-opened archives), and the ways that the Nazis promoted tourism through their "strength through joy" movement. Her newest book is an analysis of German imperialism from the 1870s to 1945. She has also published extensively in the top journal of her field and has served on the editorial board of the premiere journal, "Central European History." Q&A with Dr. Baranowski: Tell us about your research interests: I am a specialist in modern German history. I have focused most of my attention on the political, social, and cultural history of the Third Reich, although my current book project is about German imperialism from unification (1871) to the end of World War II. Best part about your job: In addition to having the opportunity of teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses, I really enjoy applying what I have learned through my scholarship to my teaching, which includes raising new questions for students to think about. The process also works in reverse: issues that I deal with in courses arising from my broader teaching field, modern European history, bring new issues to my attention that I can apply to my scholarship. What drew you to your field: Since I was young, the Third Reich has always fascinated me, and specifically the question as to why so many Germans supported National Socialism and became complicit in its crimes. Recommended reading: One of the best books I have read and reviewed recently is Peter Fritzsche's "Life and Death in the Third Reich" (Harvard University Press, 2008). In a clear and accessible style, he uses the letters and diaries of Germans to describe how they gradually became Nazis because of the social and material opportunities that the Third Reich offered to those whom it considered racially acceptable. Interests beyond your field: Because my various research projects have focused on a variety of topics, I have developed interests in the history of religion, consumerism and tourism. On being named a distinguished professor: This is a wonderful honor because it recognizes scholarly and teaching excellence in all academic disciplines that The University of Akron supports, including the humanities and social sciences. In addition, being named a distinguished professor is a capstone that I would not have predicted early in my career, when because of the collapse of the job market for PhDs in the humanities, I struggled to make my way in part-time and temporary teaching positions before receiving a tenure-track appointment at Akron.

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