In all of my courses, students read and analyze primary sources – the “raw material” of history. Whether we’re looking at the “Declaration of the Rights of Man,” a speech by a 19th-century feminist, or the debate between Hindu and Muslim nationalists in India, primary sources allow us to grapple with the complexity, indeed the messiness, of the past. I push students to come up with their own interpretations of texts (backed up with evidence, of course) and to ask thoughtful and probing questions. I view teaching as an extended conversation, one in which I have expertise but not all the answers. I also put a lot of emphasis on the writing process since I believe that clear writing and clear thinking are connected.
Areas of Expertise
- European history (emphasis on France), 1789 to the present
- History of women and gender
- Nationalism
- Imperialism
Courses Taught
- Modern Europe
- Nations, States, and Violence
- Women in Ancient and Medieval Europe
- Women in Early Modern Europe
- Women in Modern Europe
- Revolutionary France
- The Body and Sexuality in European History
- Gender and Imperialism
- 18th-Century Europe: Enlightenment and Revolution
- History of Shopping: Gender and Consumer Culture
Accomplishments
- Helping to organize the most recent Hollins Biennial Conference on Women and Leadership and our annual Women’s History Month speaker.
Research Interests
- My current project explores 19th-century French feminist engagement with nationalism and imperialism, focusing on Flora Tristan, Olympe Audouard, and Hubertine Auclert.
Education
- Ph.D., Stanford University
- B.A., Rice University
Publications & Articles
- Rethinking Universalism: Olympe Audouard, Hubertine Auclert, and the Gender Politics of the Civilizing Mission,” French Politics, Culture & Society, Spring 2012 “Between France and the World: Cosmopolitanism and Nationalism in the Work of Flora Tristan,” Proceedings of the Western Society for French History, 2006