Environment Since the 1980s
Environmental degradation continues to outpace reform. What are the key factors driving this crisis and humanity’s understanding of it? And what might offer the best chance of limiting environmental collapse?
Culture and Knowledge
A Timeline of the Rise of Environmentalism: 1940s–1970s
Climate and the environment are top policy issues today. In this blog post—the first in a two-part series—I trace the history of these topics. I… Read More »A Timeline of the Rise of Environmentalism: 1940s–1970s
Early Modern History: Porcelain and the Yellow River in China
Early Modern History, a subfield of World History, explores the centuries before 1800 CE. The Journal of Early Modern History, since 1997, has shown the… Read More »Early Modern History: Porcelain and the Yellow River in China
UNESCO—the U.S. Rejoins
The United States is set to rejoin UNESCO. As a member state, the U.S. will pay annual dues and participate in global discussions ranging from global cultural heritage to regulations on the use of artificial intelligence.
The Teaching of World History Around the Globe
Two recent books—when reviewed together—tell a century-long story of world history education on a global scale, accounting for almost half of the world’s high school students.
Reading Oceanic History
Oceans are no longer as blank and watery separators of continents; they are dynamic containers of historical change. New studies and recently published works show both slow and rapid change in oceans—and how much of our past has been enacted on the waters.
The Case for ‘Bottom-Up’ History
The “bottom-up” approach to world history focuses on the most basic elements of human existence. It identifies problems and explores them through individual and group behavior, relying on multiple disciplines, especially anthropology. The objective is to link basic levels of society to the higher scales of activity. The work of E.P. Thompson provides valuable context.
Diasporas—Amidst Empires and Nations
Peoples of the world are divided today into nations, which replaced the empires that dominated in earlier centuries. But that is not all. Diasporas took shape as millions of people migrated from their homelands, linking common cultures across geographical and political boundaries.
In Pursuit of Freedom
Claims for freedom by Black Lives Matter demonstrators and by MAGA supporters show that there can be clashing meanings of “freedom.” What factors are contributing to this tension? This essay explores the ways in which social and ethnic groups and society’s many institutions complicate the concept of freedom. It points to a basic lesson: Learning and compromises are necessary before we can agree on what it means to be free.
Should the U.S. Rejoin UNESCO?
The United States has been an active member of UNESCO for just 10 of the last 40 years. If the U.S. rejoins, it would not just be re-upping its membership in a global organization, it would be rejoining the global community of science and culture.