THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS VOL. 1 ISSUE 1 Department of History ALUMNI NEWSLETTER The History saints’ lives; Toyin Falola was elected President of Department is the Nigerian Studies Association; and Brian Levack located at the geograph- and Toyin Falola joined five other department faculty ICHELLE BRYANT ical and intellectual heart M when they were appointed to the university’s of the campus. The Academy of Distinguished Teachers. department serves the The number of students majoring in history has entire university, because grown as well. In 2000, we had around 800 under- almost all UT students graduate history majors; that number has grown to take a history course over 1100. Impressively, over half of all our current during their undergrad- history majors maintain at least a 3.0 grade point uate years. For some ALAN TULLY, CHAIR average. To accommodate our growing number of students, their history course is something to be majors, the department’s undergraduate advising endured and survived. But not our history majors. office now includes three full-time academic advisors. p.7 You are the students who chose history because you The History Honors program continues with seven found it interesting, because probing the vast labora- students who completed an honors’ thesis graduating Inside: tory of human endeavors is a quest—a quest for with honors in May 2006. Phil Alpha Theta welcomed some understanding of the great varieties of human 117 members this year, and the Normandy Scholar experience and changes in those experiences over Program shepherded 21 to Europe last summer to HISTORY PROFESSOR WINS PULITZER PRIZE FOR time. You are the students for whom the various fac- continue their study of World War II. The department “POLIO: AN AMERICAN STORy” ets of our collective challenges, ambitions, accom- staff has been increased so that in addition to the page 2 plishments, foolishness, malevolence, and failures perennial work of course-scheduling, keeping track are often enthralling. History emanates from our cu- of the budget, and organizing departmental business Honors’ PROGRAM riosity about how the world works and how we might and meetings, we also maintain an attractive and ENCOURAGES ORIGINAL RESEARCH page 2 understand it. History encompasses so much and, informative department web page (http://www.utexas. far from being some ivory tower discipline, it attracts edu/cola/depts/history/) and are able to provide people with a passion for exploring the complexi- “A HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANT” faculty with assistance in instructional technology. FOR GARRISON HALL ties of the “real worlds” humans have page 3 faced. That quest lies at the heart of the We are pleased that courses in the History education UT historians are committed major combined with the university’s core PHI ALPHA THETA, BETA ALPHA to offer. As part of more than 6000 UT curriculum provide students with many CHAPTER AT UT-AUSTIN graduates with history majors in the last page 3 of the personal skills requisite for 30 years, you have been a significant part of this department’s mission. achievement in modern society. ADDRESS ON THE STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY You may be amazed to learn how the department As you may be aware, undergraduate education page 4 has grown. Between 50 and 60 department histo- has been alternately criticized for devolving into rians provide courses through the areas of Asia, narrow careerism and overspecialization, on the one ALUMNUS HAS THESIS Africa, and the Middle East, Europe, Latin America hand, and for failing to provide relevant, applicable PUBLISHED BY AMERICAN and the United States, and encompass varieties of life and job readiness on the other. We are pleased PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY page 5 cultural, political, social, economic, gender, and that courses in the History major combined with the foreign relations history. We can boast an excel- university’s core curriculum provide students with JESUS COMES TO UT lent and distinguished faculty and an impressive many of the personal skills requisite for achieve- page 5 breadth of offerings. On page 9 you will see a com- ment in modern society. Our courses stress sus- plete list of our faculty. You will note the names of tained student development in research, analysis, HALLWAYS OF HISTORY many of those with whom you studied and the names synthesis, critical thinking and the written, visual, page 6-7 of many who have more recently joined the depart- oral, and technological literacies that enable 21st ment. In the last year, the department has welcomed century citizens to communicate. Above all, we BOOKNOTES: RECENT UT four new faculty: Madeline Hsu, Martin Summers, stress the importance of asking questions, positing DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY James Wilson, and Huaiyin Li. and evaluating conflicting interpretations, taking FACULTY BOOK PUBLICATIONS page 8 Many of our faculty have published highly ac- into account thinking in other disciplines, assessing claimed books and articles (see page 8), and others evidence, trying out possible hypotheses and of pre- have received prestigious grants, fellowships, and STILL READING HISTORY? senting both our narratives and analyses with a clar- RECOMMENDATIONS FROM other recognitions. For example, Alison Frazier ity that facilitates understanding. We hope that you THE FACULTY was awarded a Guggenheim Memorial Foundation agree, and we hope that you will enjoy reading more page 10 Fellowship to continue her study of the 15th century about the department and its accomplishments. In Sanctuarium, a two-volumne collection of medieval turn, we would like to hear from you. — Alan Tully WWW.UTEXAS.EDU/COLA/DEPTS/HISTORY 1 UNIVERSITY STATION B7000 AUSTIN, TX 78712-0220 PHONE:512.471.3261 MER Honors’ Program O Encourages Original AVID AVID D Research The Honors Program in History gives students an opportunity to deepen and focus their scholarly interests through inde- pendent research and writing that results in a 60-120 page senior thesis. Students begin the three-semester program with the Undergraduate Seminar in Historiog- raphy in their junior year and spend two semesters in their senior year in research and writing under the supervision of a faculty member. Some of the students who participate in the Honors Program do so as prologue to graduate study in History, but most are considering other careers including law and teaching. PROFESSOR DAVID M. OSHINSKY Associate Professor Mary Neuburger History Professor Wins Pulitzer Prize for directs the program and teaches the junior “Polio: An American Story” year seminar. In this seminar, students learn about different methodological ap- The University of Texas at Austin’s David M. Oshinsky was awarded the 2006 Pulitzer proaches to the study of history and how to Prize in the history category for his book Polio: An American Story. Oshinsky holds the Jack analyze secondary sources. They also re- S. Blanton Chair in History. ceive a preview of the vast primary-source “This is a stunning achievement by a renowned member of our faculty,” said William Pow- repositories and archives on the campus ers Jr., president of The University of Texas at Austin. “The Pulitzer Prize is well deserved and visit the LBJ Library and the Center recognition of another seminal contribution David Oshinsky has made to American history.” for American History. Students conclude Polio: An American Story details America’s obsession with the disease in the 1940s and this course by identifying and defining their 1950s. With no known cause and no available cure, polio was a frightening disease that held senior thesis topic, establishing a faculty America in its grips until a vaccine was found. “I can remember my mother telling me not thesis advisor, and writing a prospectus for to make new friends in the summer and not to play too hard,” Professor Oshinsky recalled. their next year’s work. In the senior year, “The real horror was that no one knew what caused polio so there was no way for parents to Honors Program students immerse them- protect their children.” selves in original historical research, meet Oshinsky’s book examines the race between rival researchers Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin regularly with their faculty supervisor, and to find a cure. It notes that polio was actually a relatively uncommon disease, but was kept in write their theses. The results have been the spotlight by an aggressive public relations campaign and unprecedented fundraising ef- impressive. forts by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which founded the March of Dimes. Admission into the Honors Program is This remarkable book received much notice and praise, even before the Pulitzer Prize Com- competitive. Eligibility requires upper mittee made its determination, including accolades from National Public Radio’s “Science division standing and a 3.0 UT Austin Friday,” the “News Hour with Jim Lehrer,” the New York Times and other media outlets. grade point average. Participants are Richard Lariviere, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the time of the Pulitzer announce- chosen on the basis of a writing sample, ment in April 2006, commented that “This book is the latest in a long list of superb work the strength of their academic background, that David Oshinsky has given us. He examines the historical record and shares it with the and their demonstrated desire and ability world in a way that illuminates human nature. I am pleased that the Pulitzer Committee for research and writing. Despite these shares our view that this is a wonderful and durable contribution to American history.” requirements, the number of applicants David M. Oshinsky is a leading historian of modern American politics and society. He has been steadily growing: Last May, seven joined the University of Texas history faculty in 2002 after nearly thirty-years at Rutgers students graduated with Honors in History.