Lectures by Prof. Steven Conn
The Faculty of History and the American Studies Center are thrilled to announce two lectures by Prof. Steven Conn. Prof. Conn, a distinguished scholar in history, will be visiting our University to share his insights on two topics:
Urban History and the Question of Scale
Urban historians take for granted that our subject is “the city”. But that then begs the question of how we define a city and what we don’t. Population? Geographic area? Economic and/or political
function? Professor Conn will revisit Louis Wirth’s 1938 essay “Urbanism as a Way of Life” to make the case that urban historians need to consider questions of scale and that we might turn our attention to places usually too small to be considered cities.
May 20, 2024 (Monday), 1:15 PM
Venue: Faculty of History (Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, Columned Hall)
Demystifying Rural America
Rural America is often characterized as in crisis or in danger of being left behind and that sense of alienation has driven the politics of rural places. Professor Conn will argue that rural Americanhas actually been at the center of modern American history, shaped by the same forces as everywhere else in the country: militarization, industrialization, corporatization, and suburbanization.
May 21, 2024 (Tuesday), 4:45 PM
Venue: American Studies Center (Dobra 55, Room 2.118)
Both lectures promise valuable perspectives on American cities’ past, present, and future. We encourage everyone with an interest in history, urban studies, and American culture to attend these
events. For more information, please reach out to Jakub Frejtag (jakub.frejtag@uw.edu.pl)
Steven Conn, the W. E. Smith Professor of History at Miami University of Ohio, previously taught at Ohio State University. Specializing in intellectual, cultural, urban, and public history, he is also the founding editor of Origins, a monthly online magazine. He spearheads “Picturing Black History” a collaboration between Origins and Getty Images. Conn has authored six monographs and edited notable works such as “To Promote the General Welfare”, “Building the Nation”, and “Nothing Succeeds Like Failure”, which delves into the shortcomings of American business schools. His latest book, “The Lies of the Land”, released in 2023, explores rural America’s realities. With teaching and lecturing experience across four continents, Conn is a prominent figure in historical scholarship.