douglasibell

Andrew Bacevich – America’s War for the Greater Middle East

Andrew Bacevich’s new book America’s War for the Greater Middle East was recently published by Random House. In this work, Bacevich argues that starting in 1980, the United States started a war in the greater Middle East – an almost four decade long war. He argues this war started with Carter’s Malaise Speech. This ledContinue reading “Andrew Bacevich – America’s War for the Greater Middle East”

Thoughts on Britain

Waking up in Europe today, it is hard not feel a sense disbelief. Britain’ decision to leave the EU is very troublesome and creates more uncertainty in world that is already unstable. This vote undermines the entire European project that has sought greater integration since the Second Word War – a project established to preventContinue reading “Thoughts on Britain”

Considering Lara Putnam’s “The Transitional and the Text-Searchable”

In the April 2016 volume of the American Historical Review, Lara Putnam’s article “The Transitional and the Text-Searchable: Digitized Sources and the Shadows They Cast” investigates the relationship between the digital turn and transnational history and she suggests that “digital search has become the unacknowledged handmaiden of transnational history” – “historians can find without knowingContinue reading “Considering Lara Putnam’s “The Transitional and the Text-Searchable””

Refugee History in 20th Century Europe: A Brief Primer

A lot of smart people are discussing the current refugee crisis stemming from the Syrian Civil War. Much of this commentary is critical of European states and asserts that Europe should look to a kinder gentler past when refugees were treated with dignity. One of these commentators is Emily Bazelon of the New York Times.Continue reading “Refugee History in 20th Century Europe: A Brief Primer”

Greenwood Cemetery

This summer I was at a July 4th picnic overlooking the Ohio River and the city of Wheeling. From my vantage point, one can see the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, at one point the longest suspension bridge in the world, the Capitol Music Hall, home of the once popular Wheeling Jamboree broadcast on WWVA, the FlatContinue reading “Greenwood Cemetery”