Dear AHA Member,
AHA news and updates for the history profession.
In this issue:
- AHA Committee Appointments 2012
- Summer Reception for Visiting Researchers
- Update Your Directory Entry
- AHA Today – Recent history news
- News from Washington – Updates from NCH, NHA, and COSSA
Please feel free to forward this e-mail to your friends and colleagues.
British Request for Oral History Records Raises Complex and Difficult Questions
An archive of oral history recordings housed at Boston College and focused on the Irish Republican Army has been subpoenaed by the U.S. government at the request of British legal authorities as part of an “an investigation into murders and kidnappings committed nearly 40 years ago.” (NY Times; see also the coverage in the Boston Globe). The U.S. response to the British request raises complex and difficult questions about the legal status and ethical issues surrounding confidentiality agreements for oral histories, and about the roles and responsibilities of oral historians and archives relative to such agreements.
The facts of the situation remain somewhat murky. Those wishing to place the case in its larger legal context might begin with John Neuenschwander’s A Guide to Oral History and the Law (Oxford University Press, 2009), especially Chapter 3, “Compelled Release of Interviews:Subpoenas and FOIA Requests.” The Association recommends that scholars conducting oral history interviews read and follow the Oral History Association’s “Principles and Best Practices for Oral History.”
Help Save Teaching American History Grants
Legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives that would eliminate the Teaching American History (TAH) Grant Program at the U.S. Department of Education. This bill (H.R. 1891), "Setting New Priorities in Education Spending Act," would terminate forty-three K-12 federal education programs that the House Republican leadership contends are wasteful, ineffective, and duplicative. Teaching American History grants is the only federal program that funds K-12 history education.
The American Historical Association joins the National Coalition for History, the Organization of American Historians, and the National Humanities Alliance in opposing this proposed legislation. We urge you to contact your member of Congress immediately and ask them to oppose H.R. 1891.
This online advocacy tool offers a template message for you to customize. We strongly encourage you to personalize this message by telling Congress why TAH programs are important to you, your institution, your field, your state, and/or district. The House Education and the Workforce Committee is expected to consider H.R. 1891 at any time. It is important that you contact your member of the House of Representatives today, and urge them to oppose this bill.
Survey: 2017 Annual Meeting Location
The selection of a site for the AHA Annual Meeting relies on a number of factors--ease of access to the city, availability of hotel and meeting rooms, and general hotel rates for meeting registrants. Before we make a final decision about the location for the 2017 meeting, we would like your input about the options under consideration. Take our survey and select your preference for the 2017 AHA Annual Meeting location.
AHA's Facebook Page Surpasses 3,000 Fans
Earlier this month, the AHA’s Facebook page surpassed 3,000 fans. Thank you everyone for following us!
Visit the AHA Facebook page to find daily blog updates, important news, announcements, fun links, and more. It’s also a space where you can comment and have discussions with fellow fans of history.
And also check out the AHA Twitter page, which is nearing 1,500 followers, and LinkedIn group, where members are actively interacting.
Institute for Constitutional History Extends Seminar Deadline
The Institute for Constitutional History has extended the deadline for its fall 2011 Robert H. Smith Seminar, which will be led by NYU professors Thomas Bender (history) and David Golove (law).
The Constitution: A Cosmopolitan Examination
This seminar will examine the ways in which the Constitution and constitutional law have drawn upon international ideas, incorporated international law into our domestic legal order, and responded to international legal/political issues. The seminar will meet at the New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York City on Thursday afternoons, 3:00–5:00 p.m., October 6, 13, and 27 and November 3, 10, and 17. It is designed for graduate students and junior faculty in history, political science, law, and related disciplines. The deadline to apply is September 1, 2011. Find more information and instructions on how to apply in this announcement.
AHA Committee Appointments 2012
Nominations to be submitted through e-mail by June 1, 2011
AHA members are invited to submit by June 1, 2011 (through e-mail only) names, together with c.v.’s, for consideration by the Association’s Committee on Committees as it draws up its list of nominees for service on the various appointive committees—standing, ad hoc, joint, and the book prize committees. In fall 2011 the Committee on Committees will draw up its list of nominations and submit it to Council for approval.
Nominations should clearly indicate for which committee or committees the member is being nominated. A list of the committees is in the March 2011 issue of Perspectives on History.
Self-nominations are also encouraged. These also should be accompanied by the nominee’s c.v. and should indicate the committee or committees in which the member would like to serve.
Please note that only AHA members may serve in these appointive positions.
Nominations, along with a c.v. (of not more than five pages) of the nominee, should be sent by e-mail only to Noralee Frankel at nfrankel@historians.org with “Committee on Committees” in the subject line. The nomination and c.v. should be e-mailed no later than June 1, 2011.
Summer Reception for Visiting Researchers
The AHA invites historians doing research in D.C. this summer to a reception at AHA headquarters (400 A St. SE) on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. This gathering is an opportunity to mingle with colleagues who are doing research through local institutions and facilities in the Washington, D.C. area.
Update Your Directory Entry
Members
The American Historical Association is preparing to publish the annual membership directory as part of the Directory of History Departments, Historical Organizations, and Historians. We are asking every member to review their current information for their annual listing, as well as their preferences about whether they want their name to appear in the annual membership directory, by June 15, 2011. You may login anytime to Member Services to make changes.
Departments and Organizations
Institutions that have previously listed in the Directory can make changes to their entry online. Your institution’s login information has been sent by e-mail to department contacts. If your department or organization did not receive a message from us, please write to Liz Townsend
for assistance. To add your department or organization to the Directory, you can find details here.
Please log in and review your Directory listing by June 1, 2011, and let us know if your institution will or will not be listing this year. Updates to Directory entries before August 1, 2011, will be included in the print edition, and changes made throughout the year will appear immediately in the AHA Directory Online.
AHA Today
Keep up with the latest information on history and the profession on the AHA’s blog, AHA Today. Recent posts include:
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A New Nation Votes: Election Data from 1787 to 1825
The "A New Nation Votes" database, which was featured in an article in the most recent issue of Perspectives on History, contains U.S. election returns from 1787-1825. -
Short Blog Hiatus: May 9-13, 2011
AHA Today was on a short, one-week blog hiatus earlier this month. -
Also, see the most recent What We’re Reading (May 19) and Grant of the Week (Humboldt Research Fellowships) posts.
News from Washington
In addition to AHA Today, the Association also draws on the efforts of a number of coalitions that support the Association's agenda to keep track of issues in the nation’s capital that will be of concern to historians. Here are news updates from some of them.
National Coalition for History
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Tell Congress Not To Eliminate Teaching American History Grants!
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House Bill Introduced to Eliminate Teaching American History Grants
National Humanities Alliance
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Legislation Introduced in House Would Eliminate Teaching American History Grants Take action and urge your Member of Congress to support this program
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NHA and AAU Co-Sponsor Hill Briefing on the Humanities in the 21st Century Event to take place May 19 in Capitol Visitors Center
Consortium of Social Science Associations
- May 16, 2011 Washington Update
Please feel free to forward this email on to a colleague or friend.
Contributions to this issue of Fortnightly News came from: David Darlington, Kelly Elmore, Noralee Frankel, Elisabeth Grant, James Grossman, Vernon Horn, Pillarisetti Sudhir, Liz Townsend, and Robert B. Townsend
Last Updated: May 20, 2011
