Professional Interests

I am a historian of modern Central Europe currently teaching in Social Studies at Harvard University. Previously I taught in the Harvard History Department as a College Fellow. My research tackles issues of national identity, minority policy, and ethnic cleansing, particularly in imperial and nation-state borderlands between Germany and its eastern neighbors.

My current book project, based upon a 2010 Harvard dissertation, examines national indifference in one region along the German-Polish borderlands from 1848-1960. As a long-term study of one town, Oppeln/Opole, and its hinterland in Upper Silesia, my work traces the resistance of the local, largely bilingual population to increasingly radical German and Polish nationalist projects. I examine religious and class-based movements as alternative outlets for group identity and activism which cut across national boundaries. I have lived and researched in Germany and Poland, and traveled extensively throughout Central and Eastern Europe. More information can be found on my research page.

After graduating from Swarthmore College in 2002 with Highest Honors in History and a minor in Art History, I taught public school at the elementary level in Houston, Texas from 2002-2004 through the Teach for America program. At Harvard I have taught broadly in modern European and world history, from introductory and elective courses to advanced seminars. My teaching porfolio contains more information and student evaluations.

Personal Profile

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, I spend my free time traveling, camping, cooking, and pursuing nature photography. I was managing editor of the Swarthmore College newspaper and maintain an interest in journalism. I also pursue my interest in digital media through blogging, web design, and the innovative use of technology in teaching.