History and World Cultures AUM

05/30/2026

05/28/2026

Did You Know?
Montgomery’s Jewish community dates back to the late 1700s, with early settlers and the 1840s Kahl Montgomery congregation laying the foundation for what would become Temple Beth Or Montgomery — a lasting center of Jewish life in our city.

We honor the generations of Jewish residents who have shaped Montgomery’s history, culture and community. From the city’s earliest days to today, their contributions continue to enrich the fabric of our city. Though the month is ending, our commitment to recognition, inclusion and partnership remains strong—this month and every month. Happy Jewish American Heritage Month!

05/27/2026

AASLH is pleased to announce the 19 history professionals selected as Fellows for the 2026 History Leadership Institute Seminar. For more than six decades, the History Leadership Institute has helped strengthen the leadership capacity of the history field by bringing together practitioners from muse...

05/27/2026

NEW PUBLICATION: The Literary Agency of Medieval Women: Kunigund Niklasin and the Library of St. Catherine’s in Nuremberg

Author: Sara S. Poor (Princeton University)

Publisher: Oxford University Press (April 2026)

Series: Oxford Studies in Medieval Literature and Culture

This book is about the active contributions of women to a late medieval culture of the book. It explores the unique record of literary agency that has survived from the Dominican convent of St. Catherine in Nuremberg through the writing work of the prolific nun, Kunigund Niklasin (d. 1457), scribe and compiler of at least 31 books by the 1450s, and the librarian for her convent’s large library (close to six hundred German-language manuscripts). Appointed to the office of librarian sometime after the convent underwent “observant reform” in 1428 (which advocated a return to strict observance to the monastic rule), Niklasin created two inventories of the convent’s books, one of privately owned books, the other of the convent library. The latter was part of a manual designed to facilitate table reading, the reading (aloud) that took place during daily meals.

Initial chapters explore the agency of submission and the role of the nuns’ consent in the reforming of the convent. Subsequent chapters showcase the multiple writerly acts that the creation of the table reading manual entailed; Niklasin’s management of illustration in several books that she herself produced; and Niklasin’s creative editing and reshaping of a book on St. Catherine, the patron saint of the convent. The trajectory of the book thus moves from what constitutes agency in a reform (orthodox) setting to the manifestation of this agency in written form, advocating for a broader notion of authorship and offering an unparalleled window into the active intellectual lives of late medieval women.

Find the Monograph at Oxford Academic: https://academic.oup.com/book/62574

05/22/2026

The Oral History Review has announced three new Calls for Papers (CFPs)!

We’re inviting submissions for upcoming issues beginning in Spring 2027. If your work engages oral history in timely, urgent, and practical ways, we want to hear from you.

Current CFP themes include:

* Oral History, Climate Change & The Environment
From ecological knowledge to agriculture, urban ecology, and climate crisis.

* Oral History in Practice
Applied oral history, survey articles, and archival work.

* Conflict Oral History
Ukraine, Palestine, refugee histories, and ethical engagement in crisis and conflict zones.

For consideration in the Spring 2027 issue, submit by July 2026
(Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.)

Go to the link in our bio to learn more.

05/19/2026

Thinking about what it takes to build and sustain a museum career?

We’re pulling back the curtain on the realities of working in the field. Designed for students, emerging professionals, and mid-career practitioners alike, this program will explore different pathways to board service, from advisory and junior boards to full governing roles. We’ll explore what isn’t always taught: navigating the realities of the job market, building the right skills, and growing your network to create a career that lasts. Whether you’re just starting or looking for a solid next step, you’ll leave with practical strategies, clearer direction, and the reassurance that you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

This program is FREE for all to attend, https://www.semcdirect.net/event-6658180

05/18/2026

Fulbright Ukraine & Institute of International Education Kyiv Office
invite you to a live talk: “What Can American Journalists Learn from the Ukrainian War Experience?”

Thursday, May 21, 2026
6:00 PM Kyiv
ІІЕ/Fulbright Ukraine Office, 20 Esplanadna St., Office 904

Language: English
Registration required: https://forms.gle/aeg2cixYoomh58yBA

Speakers:
Graham Griffith — Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Bulgaria (2023–2024)
Brendan Hoffman — Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Ukraine (2018–2019)

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DpGqBULsa/