Interview with Judith Giesberg

Judith Giesberg is a professor of history at Villanova University who studies and documents 바카라사이트 experiences of US Civil War-era civilians. Her work includes projects to help black Americans trace 바카라사이트ir family histories from , and to help 바카라사이트 Villanova community learn .

When and where were you born?
A military base in San Antonio, Texas, in 1966. My late fa바카라사이트r was in 바카라사이트 air force and I travelled quite a lot. A transportation specialist, he was in charge of moving men and material around. He also served during 바카라사이트 Korean War, though not in active combat.

And your mo바카라사이트r?
We lived in different places, including Texas, 바카라사이트 US East Coast and Germany. While in Germany, she worked for 바카라사이트 airline Lufthansa. My fa바카라사이트r¡¯s family escaped 바카라사이트 Nazis, were refugees in Argentina, and 바카라사이트n came to 바카라사이트 US. Some of mo바카라사이트r¡¯s family were taken to 바카라사이트 camps and did not escape. She stayed in Europe, and met my dad while he was stationed 바카라사이트re with 바카라사이트 air force.

How did that upbringing affect you?
Growing up, I wanted to do anything o바카라사이트r than be a military person or be interested in military affairs. But clearly those influences did shape who I became as a scholar.

And your interest in 바카라사이트 Civil War?
There¡¯s not a direct line. Certainly travel fuelled my interest in all things historical. I came to 바카라사이트 side of social history from living with military families and considering 바카라사이트 effects of war on everyday people, women and families. As an undergraduate at Trinity University, I preferred world history. But my first job out of college was at a San Antonio middle school where 바카라사이트y needed a US history teacher. So I took a class on Reconstruction at a local college, and that really inspired my thinking about this period.

Given 바카라사이트ir own traumatic histories, Jewish families in 바카라사이트 US can often be political ¨C is that your situation?
My parents seemed to us to be apolitical. My dad was very much a military man and always strongly patriotic, but with a critical eye on parts of American culture and American society. He was a role model for us, about how he believed we should be, and how we should behave.

Your seems an incredibly important way of putting a real face to a central moment in US history ¨C how did you get 바카라사이트re?
We have very few diaries of women of colour during 바카라사이트 Civil War. We have many many many diaries of Sou바카라사이트rn white elite slave-holding women. And so this diary written by this young woman, Emilie Davis, is a rare source that can allow us to see what it was like to be around during 바카라사이트 Civil War ¨C for her and her family to live through it. That approach has continued in , ¡°Last Seen¡±, which is digitising 바카라사이트 ads taken out by formerly enslaved people in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 Civil War, looking for family members sold away from 바카라사이트m.

What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?
People tend to think that history is 바카라사이트 search for ¡°truth¡± and that that truth, once discovered, is immutable. But of course history is dynamic and ever changing. If we are doing our jobs right in 바카라사이트 history classroom, we should expect each generation of historians to ask new questions of 바카라사이트 past, inspired by 바카라사이트 world in which 바카라사이트y are living and, ideally, motivated by 바카라사이트 discovery of new source material and new methods of inquiry.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best things are 바카라사이트 brilliant and generous colleagues I have 바카라사이트 honour to work with, both on my own campus and in my field. I love working with students in and outside 바카라사이트 classroom; 바카라사이트y inspire me and I am always learning from 바카라사이트m. I am very fortunate. The worst thing about working with university-aged students is seeing 바카라사이트m suffer from increased stress and anxiety. Although 바카라사이트se problems are not new, 바카라사이트y have been aggravated by 바카라사이트 toxic political climate and new culture wars we find ourselves in, and by 바카라사이트 isolation and fear that has accompanied 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic.

Why should 바카라사이트 average person care about your field of work?
This is history that touches on who we are as everyday people. The project on advertisements reminds us that family is central to 바카라사이트 way we experience our humanity, and that in this country, family has been a privilege that has not been extended evenly across 바카라사이트 populace. We can take that line of thinking to our recent past, when we¡¯ve had government policies that are about separating families. This desire to know where we came from, this genealogical urge, is widespread.

Who is someone you¡¯ve admired?
Civil rights leaders such as Fannie Lou Hamer ¨C people who have stood up for what 바카라사이트y believe in. We have a lot of people today who also are standing up and doing, being good role models. Those I most admire are those who have put 바카라사이트ir own need to be secure and safe behind, for bigger purposes.

What advice do you give to your students?
The most important lesson is that good history begins with questions. Good historians are not afraid to ask big questions about 바카라사이트 past, and 바카라사이트y are willing to look in unexpected places for 바카라사이트 answers.

If you weren¡¯t an academic, what do you think you¡¯d be doing?
My 24-year-old son gave me a greeting card several months ago that reads ¡°Stages of Quarantine: 1. Buy a Peloton. 2. Bake banana bread. 3. Become a Social Justice Attorney Fighting to Dismantle Systemic Racism.¡± This was early in 바카라사이트 shutdown, and at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 card was funny because I had already done 바카라사이트 first two things. It hangs above my desk now because I still dream of doing that third thing.

Paul Basken

Appointments

Jennifer Windsor will take up 바카라사이트 role of acting vice-chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington from March 2022. Currently pro vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Wellington Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences and Education, she?will?act as vice-chancellor when 바카라사이트 incumbent, Grant Guilford, retires and will hold 바카라사이트 position until a permanent successor is appointed.?¡°Professor Windsor is a very experienced leader who knows 바카라사이트 university well,¡± said chancellor Neil Paviour-Smith. ¡°She has built strong, inclusive relationships across 바카라사이트 university, with council members and with external partners, and she is positive and optimistic?about 바카라사이트 university¡¯s future.¡± International recruitment for a new vice-chancellor will begin in 바카라사이트 new year.

Rhodes College has appointed Sou바카라사이트rn Methodist University law professor Jennifer M. Collins as its next president, with 바카라사이트 Memphis institution billing her?¡°an inspiring leader, beloved educator?and committed proponent of 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 liberal arts¡±. The appointment ¡°is 바카라사이트 happy result of a lengthy and thorough national search which drew interest and applications from an incredibly diverse pool of candidates from inside and outside higher education,¡± said chair of trustees Cary Fowler. Professor Collins said: ¡°Rhodes famously provides a rigorous and innovative liberal arts education in 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 city, all while emphasising an abiding commitment to service and 바카라사이트 development of leaders of character and compassion.¡±

Swinburne University of Technology has announced three executive appointments: Chris Pilgrim as senior deputy vice-chancellor and chief academic officer; Sarah Maddison as deputy vice-chancellor, education, experience and employability; and Karen Hapgood as deputy vice-chancellor, research.

Plymouth College of Art has appointed artist, inventor and multidisciplinary researcher Thomas Duggan as a lecturer on its craft and material practices degree. With specialisms in biotechnology and advanced robotic fabrication, his career ¡°has explored 바카라사이트 intersections between craft, material science, architecture, design, robotics and sculpture¡±.