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In June 2007, World History
Connected (vol. 4, no.3) featured a set of
articles introduced by Merry
Wiesner-Hanks and Linda Black examining the history of women and
gender. This issue revisits these many-faceted subjects in the first of a
series of planned forums and featured articles that offer a globalized case
studies approach. Why such an approach is useful in terms of both scholarship
and pedagogy is made clear in Forum guest editor Timothy May's introduction,
which doubles as a guide to the classroom applications of each essay.
The Forum is
well supported by John Maunu's guide to web resources on women in world history
which leads off the Featured Articles section of this issue. This guide is
followed by an essay by Richard Byers on German Cinema in World History that explores
various world history contexts for the discussion of a cinematic heritage that
begins with film such as Metropolis (1927),
bears witness to the Triumph of the Will (1935), closely observers the antics of Männer/Men (1986), and explores the nature
of political radicalism in the Der Baader Meinhof Complex (2008). This essay is followed by a new and hopefully regular feature: an essay
addressing scholarly books and articles that are "essential reading" or at
least vitally useful resources in world history which some instructors may be too
hard-pressed otherwise identify and engage. The section closes with two essays
that have the classroom as their sole focus. Jason Webster and Grady Long offer
an activity based on the American NCAA "March Madness" sports competition
brackets, that will work even in those regions of the world that do not engage
in such elaborate contests; from the test-drive I conducted, is very quickly
embraced by students. James Diskant offers more than one classroom exercise
that his own experience suggests students everywhere will find equally
enticing.
The Book Review
section of World History Connected also
exhibits a new feature, or rather an old feature long absent from the journal
made new again: a list of books on hand available for review. In our last
issue, WHC's Book Review editor, William Everdell, helped launch a new
occasional segment, the Featured Book Review. This issue, Alan Rosenfeld, WHC's
new section sub-editor, has been joined by Mary Jane Maxwell (whose past
contributions to WHC are manifold) in an effort to expand our book review
offerings without any loss of quality. They have managed to assign many worthy
titles for future review, so many that the shortlist provided here merely
represents what is left in our cupboard. We hope our readers will submit reviews
or write us to suggest other titles for review that suit their particular
interests. In the meantime, watch as this section, and list of books available
for review, grows.
Our next issue
opens with a Forum, guest edited by William Ziegler, which will address the
recent revision of the Advanced Placement World History course and the
implications of that revision both for teachers and also for the field. It will
also feature an essay by Craig Lockard on the place of Bob Marley in world
history, and much more.
Marc Jason Gilbert can be contacted at mgilbert@hpu.edu. |
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