Category Archives: United States History and Society

Attack on U.S. Research and Education: French Views

Posted on March 17, 2025 by briansandberg

I participated in a workshop on Guerres de Religion et Changement Climatique (Religious Wars and Climate Change) at the IMéRA (Institute for Advanced Study) in Marseille, France, on 11 March 2025. This was a workshop that I co-organized with Jérémie … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic Freedom, Climate Change, Contemporary France, Current Research, Education Policy, Environmental History, European History, European Studies, European Union, French History, French Wars of Religion, History of Science, History of Violence, Little Ice Age, Mediterranean World, Religious Violence, Revolts and Revolutions, United States History and Society, Warfare in the Early Modern World, Women and Gender History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On Trump’s Berating of President Zelensky

Posted on March 4, 2025 by briansandberg

“As Mr. Trump admonished President Volodymyr Zelensky and warned him that ‘you don’t have the cards’ to deal with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, and as Vice President JD Vance dressed down the Ukrainian leader as being ‘disrespectful’ and … Continue reading →

Posted in European History, European Studies, European Union, Security Studies, State Development Theory, Strategy and International Politics, United States Foreign Policy, United States History and Society, War and Society, War, Culture, and Society, World History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Challenging Trump’s Use of Unitary Executive Theory

Posted on February 27, 2025 by briansandberg

“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

Posted on February 26, 2025 by briansandberg

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

Posted on February 26, 2025 by briansandberg

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.

Posted on February 26, 2025 by briansandberg

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

French and U.S. Presidents are Divided on Ukraine

Posted on February 25, 2025 by briansandberg

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

Posted on February 24, 2025 by briansandberg

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

Posted on February 24, 2025 by briansandberg

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

Posted on February 23, 2025 by briansandberg

“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 →

Posted in Information Management, Political History of the United States, United States Foreign Policy, United States History and Society | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment