Ep 60: Dr. Christopher McKnight Nichols on the Importance of the Humanities

On this episode, Katie is joined by Dr. Christopher McKnight Nichols is Associate Professor of History at Oregon State University and Director of OSU's Center for the Humanities. He specializes in the history of the United States and its relationship to the rest of the world, particularly in the areas of isolationism, internationalism, and globalization. In addition, he is an expert on modern U.S. intellectual, cultural, and political history, with an emphasis on the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (1880-1920) through the present. He is author of Promise and Peril: America at the Dawn of a Global Age (Harvard UP, 2011, 2015), co-editor and co-author, Prophesies of Godlessness: Predictions of America's Imminent Secularization from the Puritans to the Present Day (Oxford UP, 2008), Senior Editor, Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History (2013), co-editor, Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Gilded Age and Progressive Era (2017), and co-organizer and co-editor of the forthcoming Rethinking Grand Strategy (Oxford). He is at work on several new book projects. Nichols is a frequent commentator on air, online, and in print on the historical dimensions of contemporary U.S. foreign policy and politics. He is a 2016 Andrew Carnegie Fellow and is a permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Segment 1: Isolationism and internationalism in U.S. foreign policy and politics [00:00-10:42] In this first segment, Chris shares about some of his current research on isolationism. Segment 2: Directing a Center for Humanities Research [10:43-21:03] In segment two, Chris shares about his experience directing Oregon State's Center for the Humanities. Segment 3: Sharing Research with Broad Audiences [21:04-33:27] In segment three, Chris discusses his strategies for sharing his research more broadly. Bonus Clip #1 [00:00-04:34]: The Process of Being Nominated for a Carnegie Fellowship Bonus Clip #2 [00:00-06:46]: Defining Isolationism Bonus Clip #3 [00:00-05:02]: Chris's Work as a Carnegie Fellow Bonus Clip #4 [00:00-06:29]: Chris's Interpretation of Grand Strategy Bonus Clip #5 [00:00-05:25]: The Relationship Between Isolationism and Internationalism To share feedback about this podcast episode, ask questions that could be featured in a future episode, or to share research-related resources, contact the "Research in Action" podcast: Twitter: @RIA_podcast or #RIA_podcast Email: [email protected] Voicemail: 541-737-1111 If you listen to the podcast via iTunes, please consider leaving us a review.