Fifty-five years ago this month, All in the Family debuted, launching a transformation of the American sitcom.
Before Norman and After Norman: The Impact of All in the Family on American Television
“I Was Called, Too:” The Life and Work of Coretta Scott King
In honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, it is both appropriate—and overdue—to discuss the significance of Coretta Scott King. When Coretta declared, “I was called, too,” she insisted we remember her not as a shadow of her husband, but as an equal.
Understanding Trump’s Donroe Doctrine on Venezuela: What the Progressive Era Teaches us about US Imperialism
While the history of Cold War intervention rightly shapes international responses to Nicolás Maduro’s kidnapping, the emphases of US policymakers today are more in line with those of the early 20th century, especially the aftermath of Cuban independence from Spain and President Wilson’s occupation of Haiti.
History of Indoctrination in the United States and Florida—Syllabus
In 2023, UF president Dr. Ben Sasse called for "less indoctrination" of students by their professors. This course explores the historical debates over indoctrination to understand how such undue influences may have threatened or seemed to threaten freedom of thought, personal autonomy, and self-determination—the touchstones of liberal democracy.
Preparing Comps Reading Lists
While most graduate students focus on the labor of reading for comps, compiling the reading lists themselves takes time and reflection. Be strategic and minimize your workload, but also be aspirational by considering the themes you want your future dissertation to explore.
What the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Can Teach Us Fifty Years Later
Fifty years ago the ore freighter Edmund Fitzgerald sank in a Lake Superior storm. But more than the “gales of November” wrecked the Fitz. The ship was also the casualty of a globalizing neoliberal order which wrecked the American industrial economy.
Written & Oral Comps
The written and oral portions of your comprehensive exams may seem daunting, but try to remember that when you get to this step you are ready.
From the Comprehensive Exam to the Prospectus Defense: Using Comps as a Roadmap for the Prospectus
When you’re getting ready to draft your dissertation prospectus, your comprehensive exams can be a helpful tool. Here’s some advice on how to use your comps for a great prospectus.
Reading, Remembering, and Reorienting for Comprehensive Exams
Comprehensive exams are less about recalling every detail of every book than about building a durable system of arguments, interventions, and stakes. Read with precision, take structured notes, test your memory, and lean on community—the process is as much formation as it is evaluation.
What are Comps?
Comprehensive Exams, or 'Comps,' can be confusing and intimidating for graduate students, but the first step to conquering Comps, and the fear they elicit, is to understand what they are, what they are designed to test, and how they work.
Clio and the Contemporary 