Monthly Archives: February 2025

Challenging Trump’s Use of Unitary Executive Theory

“In his opening weeks back in office, President Trump is asserting power in a way that pushes hard on, and sometimes past, the boundaries of executive authority,” according to Cass R. Sunstein, Professor of Law (Harvard University). “One of the … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Rights Issues, Democracy, Human Rights, Legal history, Political History of the United States, Political Theory, Republicanism, State Development Theory, United States History and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Legal Opinion on Department of Education Letter

Sonja B. Starr, Professor of Law (University of Chicago) offers a legal opinion on the incendiary “Dear Colleague” letter issued recently by an Acting Assistant Secretary at the Department of Education. Starr assesses the “Dear Colleague” letter: “The Department of … Continue reading

Posted in Academic Freedom, Civil Rights Issues, Higher Education, Human Rights, Humanities Education, Information Management, Political History of the United States, United States History and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jeff Bezos Declares War on Democracy

I have cancelled my subscription to The Washington Post today. The reason why? Jeff Bezos has declared war on democracy, free speech, and independent journalism. Today’s actions by Jeff Bezos have destroyed The Washington Post as a credible news organization. … Continue reading

Posted in Academic Freedom, Civil Rights Issues, Democracy, Human Rights, Humanities Education, Information Management, Political Culture, Political History of the United States, Political Parties and Organizations, United States History and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

American Federation of Teachers Lawsuit vs. Dept. Ed.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Democracy Forward, and their allies have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education and its Trump-appointed leaders. “A lawsuit filed Tuesday accuses the Trump administration of trying to radically rewrite well-established civil rights … Continue reading

Posted in Academic Freedom, Education Policy, High School History Teaching, Higher Education, Human Rights, Humanities Education, Legal history, Political Activism and Protest Culture, Political Culture, Political History of the United States, Public History, The Past Alive: Teaching History, United States History and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cold War Still Shapes Elections in Germany

The Cold War continues to shape current German society and its voting patterns over 30 years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the beginning of German Reunification. This past weekend’s German Elections demonstrate that the frontiers … Continue reading

Posted in Cultural History, European History, European Studies, European Union, History of the Western World, Political Culture, Political Parties and Organizations, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Apocalypse Hier et Demain at the BnF in Paris

The Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris) has organized an exhibition on Apocalypse Hier et Demain (Apocalypse, Yesterday and Tomorrow), which is on display from February through June 2025. The exhibition explores the Book of Revelation and apocalyptic visions, before turning … Continue reading

Posted in Art History, Atrocities, Civilians and Refugees in War, Cultural History, Early Modern Europe, Early Modern France, Early Modern World, European History, European Wars of Religion, French History, French Wars of Religion, History of the Western World, History of Violence, Italian History, Material Culture, Medieval History, Mediterranean World, Museums and Historical Memory, Reformation History, Religious History, Religious Violence, Renaissance Art and History, War, Culture, and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World, Women and Gender History, World History | Leave a comment

French and U.S. Presidents are Divided on Ukraine

The Presidents of France and the United States are sharply divided on the Russian-Ukrainian War. The future of Ukraine and the European Union seems to hang in the balance. “President Trump and President Emmanuel Macron of France put on a … Continue reading

Posted in Atlantic World, Contemporary France, Empires and Imperialism, French History, Peacemaking Processes, Strategy and International Politics, United States Foreign Policy, United States History and Society, War, Culture, and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Defending Academic Freedom

Defending academic freedom has become an essential daily task for professors and researchers in the United States. The Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom (CDAF) at the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has prepared resources and toolkits for … Continue reading

Posted in Academic Freedom, Education Policy, Higher Education, Human Rights, Humanities Education, Political Activism and Protest Culture, Political History of the United States, Public History, United States History and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Three Years of War in Ukraine

Today, we are remembering the Russian invasion of Ukraine and marking the third anniversary of the start of the current Russian – Ukrainian War. The war began with a major Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that sought to … Continue reading

Posted in Empires and Imperialism, European History, European Studies, European Union, History of the Western World, Strategy and International Politics, United States Foreign Policy, War, Culture, and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tuning Out Trump is Dangerous

“Many who had hoped to tune out Trump this time realize they don’t have that luxury. It’s far more dangerous now,” writes political analyst and columnist Maureen Dowd. News fatigue is a real problem when democratic institutions are under assault. … Continue reading

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