thesis topics history

150 Strong History Dissertation Topics to Write about

Writing a dissertation is one of the most challenging and exciting moments of an academic career. Such work usually takes a great deal of time, courage, and intellectual effort to complete. That’s why every step in your work process is essential.

It all starts with finding a good topic, which can be a challenge of its own. It especially matters when it comes to liberal arts subjects. In social studies, literature, or world history options are practically endless.

Coming up with history dissertation ideas, you need to think of historical events that interest you. We get it, choosing one is tough. There can be too much to wrap your head around. That’s why IvyPanda experts prepare some dissertation topics in history ready for you.

• How to Choose a Topic?
• Ancient History
• Medieval History
• Modern History
• Cold War Topics
• American History
• European History
• Indian History
• African History
• Performing Arts
• Visual Arts
• How to Structure

🧐 How to Choose a History Dissertation Topic?

Before examining our ideas for dissertation topics in history, you should get ready for this. You have to understand how to pick a history dissertation topic, which will ensure your academic success. Keep in mind that this is a vital step in your career.

So, check some tips on picking what to write about:

• Make sure that the topic fits in your field of study. You have to understand what you’re writing about. Basing your paper on existing knowledge and experience is a part of any dissertation. Working on an overly complicated idea can sound impressive but lead to failure. It will become a nightmare already on the stage of writing a dissertation proposal. How can you write the entire thing without comprehending it?
• Estimate whether you’re interested in the topic you intend to write on. Although this might seem obvious, yes. However, being actually invested makes a massive difference for your further work. There are plenty of students who settle for “easy but boring” topics and end up struggling twice as much.
• Ensure that your topic is specific enough. Your idea should have the potential for fruitful research. Narrowing down your area of study is essential for writing a good dissertation. It helps you to find the direction of your examination and enough sources to work with. Moreover, this way, you’ll be able to explore your topic in its entirety.
• Do some prior research. It will give you an understanding of how much literature on your topic is out there. Take notes of the materials for the reference list and your analysis. Checking history essay samples is a good idea, too.
• Don’t be shy to ask your dissertation advisor for some assistance. After all, they are here to help and guide you through the process. Besides, you have to see what ideas they consider relevant and appropriate.

👍 Good Dissertation Topics in History: Time Period

History is a subject as ancient and vast as the humankind itself. It’s only rational to study it according to a particular timeline. Here are some good history dissertation topics for different periods.

🏺 Ancient History Dissertation Topics

• Ancient Civilizations: The Maya Empire . The Maya was an incredibly powerful Empire with its prime around six century A.D., excelling in mathematics, calendar-making, astrology, and writing. It faced the decline of its city-states in nine century A.D., leaving a rich cultural heritage to the studies of subsequent generations.
• Women’s Roles and Gender relations in the Ancient World
• Greek City-States . Ancient Greece is the place where the first city-states were formed. How did the first governments in the ancient history timeline develop? How did people’s attitudes towards leadership change in that context?

• Ancient Near-Eastern Thought and the Old Testament
• The Inca Empire as a Great Civilization of Pre-Columbian America
• The Impact of Mongol Invasion in Ancient Arab
• The personality of Julius Caesar and His Effect on Rome
• The Role of Poets and the place of Poetry in Ancient Greece
• Mesopotamian Civilization . This was a fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It has been home to some of the world’s wealthiest and most advanced ancient cities. It can also make an excellent archaeology dissertation topic. There are plenty of fascinating sites that could be studied.
• History: Ancient Greek Olympics . Started in 776 BC, the Olympic Games were the most important cultural event in Ancient Greece. They were held in honor of Zeus every four years. Besides, the Olympics were representative of the triumph of physical and spiritual power.
• Warfare and Violence in Ancient Times. Try to do a comparative analysis of warfare techniques used by different ancient civilizations. It could be a great dissertation topic.
• Burial Rituals in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece: a comparison
• Plutarch’s Vision on Alexander the Great
• Dissolution of the Roman Empire . The Empire sprawled from the coast of North Africa to the territories of the modern UK and Armenia. Once, it was the most powerful political entity in the entire Mediterranean. The empire, however, collapsed in 476 CE. What were the reasons for its eventual decline?

• How Geography Has Impacted the Development of Ancient Cultures
• Cause and Effect of Art on Classical Societies
• The Invention of Papyrus and its impact on the World
• Chichen Itza Archaeological Site . Chichen Itza is a great pre-Columbian archaeological site, home to the Maya civilization. It is a fascinating study case in many aspects. Consider the origins and Maya history. Analyze the cultural preservation issues that it faces nowadays.
• Egyptian Pyramid’s Importance in Egypt’s society
• The Stone Age Period and its Evolution

🛡 Medieval History Dissertation Ideas

• Cultural Exchanges in the Medieval Period . In the aftermath of the Roman Empire’s fall, new geopolitical conditions formed. The early Middle Ages period already marked the appearance of new trade routes. It fostered cultural exchange between nations.
• Rome in the Middle Ages and its cultural transformation
• The Development of Feudalism and Manorialism in the Middle Ages
• The Catholic Church and the Black Death in the 14th Century . During the high Middle Ages, the plague epidemic terrorized Europe. It was a dreadful challenge to medicine, religious institutions, and the social apparatus of the time. How did the Catholic Church deal with such a complex and disastrous medical phenomenon?
• Jews and Muslims in Medieval Spain . Christian, Islamic, and Jewish communities shared the Iberian peninsula in the early Middle Ages. It formed a vibrant cultural environment.
• London during the Roman Age: A Critical Overview
• Causes of the First Crusade of 1095-1099
• Twelfth-Century Renaissance, how Franciscans reacted to it and benefited from its development
• Business and Empire, the British ideal of an Orderly World
• The Black Death, Late Medieval Demographic crisis, and the Standard of Living controversies
• The Role of the Church in the life of the Middle Ages

• Medieval Siege Warfare . Exploring methods of defense used during the Middle Ages might be an interesting research project.
• The Conditions of Hindu and Islamic women in Medieval India
• Why the Crusades Failed
• The Mechanical Water clock of Ibn Al-Haytham, his philosophy of the rise and fall of empires
• The Renaissance and its Cultural, Political and Economic Influence
• The Dark Ages as the Golden Ages of European History . Plenty of facts demonstrate civilization’s decline during the Middle Ages. It was, nevertheless, the time of significant scientific, literary, and technological progress. For some interested in writing a medieval literature dissertation: think of Dante’s Divine Comedy . Da Vinci made his groundbreaking study projects during the Middle Ages. It was the time when first universities, such as Cambridge and Oxford, were founded. Overall, this period has a lot to offer!
• Japan’s Development Under Edo/Tokugawa Shogunate
• Historical and Theological Context of Byzantine Iconoclasm
• Medieval Convivencia: Document Analysis

🕰 Modern History Dissertation Topics

• World History: Enlightenment in Society and its Impact on Global Culture
• Nationalism and its 19th Century History
• Why Mussolini and the Fascists Were Able to Seize Power in Italy
• Religious Symbolism in Renaissance paintings . Renaissance is well-known as a period when fine arts were thriving. It was an early modern birthplace of many technological and cultural advancements. Religion, however, was still a central topic in visual art.
• Industrial Revolution and its Impact on Western Civilizations
• Principles of Liberalism and Its Connection to Enlightenment and Conservatism
• “History and Topography of Ireland” by Gerald of Wales . Looking for an incredible Irish history dissertation topic? Then this document might be an interesting prompt. Its somewhat controversial tone of describing contemporary Irish culture, history, and traditions can be subject to a comprehensive analysis.
• Moral treatment of Mental Illness . Over the 19th and 20th centuries, psychology has changed. Moving from a scientific periphery, it became one of the central subjects of scholarly discussions. Mental illnesses were highly disregarded in earlier centuries. People even considered them to be manifestations of demonic possession. How did this attitude change? Why did people rethink psychology as a scholarly discipline?
• A History of the Cuban Revolution

• Abraham Lincoln’s Historical Influence
• Role of Women During the Spanish Civil War
• Conquest and Colonization of America by European Countries . Colonization of America is one of the grandest enterprises in the world’s political history. What were its driving forces?
• Origins and Trajectory of the French Revolution
• Major Impacts of Consumerism in contemporary world history
• Coco Chanel Fashion: History of Costume . Probably not the first topic for a history dissertation that comes to mind. Chanel is truly an iconic figure in modern history, though. She revolutionized the fashion industry concerning gender as well.
• Causes of the Breakup of the Former Yugoslavia
• The Russian Working Class Movement . Before 1861, the agriculture and peasant-owning system were the foundation of the Russian Empire’s economy. Serfs made up a significant part of the population, accounting for over 60% in some regions. Then the serfdom abolition happened. A lot has changed in the economic and social life of the country.
• Segregation During the 1960s
• Historical Development of Feminism and Patriarchy
• Monetary and Fiscal Policy during the Great Depression

🔔 History Dissertation Topics on Cold War

• The Role of Cold War in Shaping Transatlantic Relations in the Period from 1945 to 1970
• The showdown between the United States and the USSR . Cold Was was essentially the power struggle between the US and the Soviet Union. It unleashed in the aftermath of World War II. This political precedent came to an end with the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, the answer to the “Who won the Cold War?” question may be unclear.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis , its causes, and effects
• US Foreign Policy during the Cold War. Cold War, as a phenomenon, has many layers to it. Yet the one crucial is the contest of two ideologies: democracy and communism. How did the US shape its foreign policy and pursue its interests abroad? And how did the cultural and political setup within the country adjust to it?
• To what extent did the Cold War shape the US relations with Latin America?
• What was the importance of Berlin in the Cold War?
• Japan’s role since the end of the Cold War
• Cold War Politics, Culture, and War . Exploring the Cold War causes and effects can be quite a challenge. It is such a multifaceted phenomenon. It was a war led on many fronts. Both USSR and the US pursued their interests using a variety of methods.

• How did Cold War propaganda influence the film industry?
• What were the challenges in the post-cold war world?

🗺 History Dissertation Topics: Geographical Regions

Every country has its historical course, and so does every continent. Geography has always been an important factor when talking about history. It shapes historical trajectory in varied, unique ways.

Look at a dissertation topics history list based on geographical regions:

🦅 American History Dissertation Topics

• History of Hollywood, California . Oh, Hollywood. A place where American movie history was born. What about Hollywood’s history? Although a less traditional American history dissertation topic, it is still a fascinating one. Explore the way technological advancements in filmmaking were introduced over the decades. How did they influence the film’s general style?
• History: Migration into the United States . How did migration influence the economy of the time?
• The Relationships between the Settlers and Native Americans
• Literary works’ Views on Slavery in the United States
• Causes of the Civil War in America
• What is the real meaning of a cowboy?
• The United States military experience through the eyes of films
• Attack on Pearl Harbor: Effects of Foreign policy
• Causes of Depression in the 1890s
• Has President Obama’s Presidency changed the US?
• The role of Founding Fathers in American Society and Religion
• Post-Civil War reconstruction . Consider the way America’s economy, trade, and finance transformed in the aftermath of the Civil War.
• Principal causes and consequences of the Spanish-American War
• Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
• The Significance of the Frontier in American History
• How is a “new racial narrative” in the U.S.A created?
• American Revolution and the Crisis of the Constitution of the U.S.A. Rethink the origins of the American constitution, as well as the following events. It could be an exciting thesis idea for an American history dissertation.

• Growth and Development of San Francisco and Los Angeles after the Gold Rush
• The Role of Racism in American Art
• Drug Use and Abuse in America: Historical Analysis

🏰 European History Dissertation Topics

• Age of Discovery in Europe. The Age of Exploration in Europe lasted from the 15th to the 17th century. Over this period, Europe actively engaged with other territories and continents. Discoverers formed new international relations and expanded geographical knowledge. This topic could also make an excellent cultural history dissertation.
• Analyzing the Impact of British Colonization
• Nationalism in World War II
• Effects of the Industrial Revolution concerning World War I
• The Rise and Fall of Napoleon and the Cause of Revolution . Napoleon is one of the most prominent figures in French history. What has shaped his career as a political leader?
• History of Hitler’s Nazi Propaganda . Consider a brief history of Germany. Undoubtedly, the rule of Hitler and the Third Reich was its most devastating chapter. The “art” of propaganda flourished during the nazi regime. It penetrated the cultural, political, and social life of the country.
• Evolution of the IRA
• Napoleon’s Strategy and Tactics in his Invasion of Russia . For someone interested in writing a military history dissertation.
• Industrial Revolution Impact on Gender Roles
• Witchcraft in Europe (1450-1750) . Witch hunts took place as early as the Middle Ages in Europe. Held by the Church in most cases, witch hunts targeted those who were suspected of practicing black magic. Examine this both astonishing and problematic phenomenon.

• French Revolution: Liberal and Radical Portions
• West European Studies: Columbus’s Journey
• History of Feudalism . Feudalism dominated the European way of life during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. What were its distinctive features as a system? Why did it eventually fade away?
• Europe’s perception of Islam in the Early and Middle centuries
• Cold War Consequences for European Countries
• Mutated Medical Professionals in the Third Reich: Third Reich Doctors
• Was the Holocaust the Failure or the Product of Modernity?
• How did the use of print change the lives of early modern Europeans ?
• Early Modern England: a Social History
• Jewish Insight of Holocaust

⛰ Indian History Dissertation Topics

• History of the Indian Castes. The Indian Caste system is a complex and unique example of social stratification.
• Mahatma Gandhi’s Leadership . Gandhi is, for sure, among the greatest human rights advocates in the world’s history. His one of a kind leadership style is subject to many studies. While practicing a peaceful form of civil protest, he fought for equality, independence, and compassion.
• Political conflicts in India in the XVII century
• Impacts of the First World War on British Policies in India
• Movement Against the British rule in India. Led by Mahatma Gandhi, with the support of the National Congress, the movement took place in 1920-22. It sought to fight for the freedom of Indians.
• The Origin and Course of the Indian revolt of 1857
• The Issues of the Partitioning of India in 1947
• India Since 1900 . India is a region rich with unique traditions. Its spiritual and cultural heritage goes back to antiquity. The country’s authentic art and architecture, music, and cuisine have served as an inspiration worldwide. A considerable part of its history is, however, affected by British rule.

• Women in Hinduism and Buddhism
• The British East India Company

🌍 African History Dissertation Topics

• Ancient Societies in Mesopotamia and Ancient Societies in Africa: a comparison . Egypt is one of the most ancient African civilizations. Its origins go back to the third millennium B.C. Back then, the cultural exchange between Egypt and Mesopotamia was flourishing. What were the significant differences between the two civilizations? What did they have to offer to one another?
• Political Violence in South Africa between 1985 and 1989
• Did History of Modern South Africa begin with the Discovery of Diamonds and Gold?
• Nelson Mandela: “Freedom in Africa.” Nelson Mandela is, without a doubt, one of the central figures in African history. His devotion and tireless effort in fighting against apartheid were remarkable. Thanks to him, many sub-Saharan countries enjoy the freedoms and advances of a democratic society.
• The Cult of the Dead in West Africa: The Kongo People . African tribal rituals and traditions are unique and specific to their region. Cult of the Dead is prevalent in Western African culture. It can be notoriously known as the origin place of voodoo and other black magic practices. There is yet much more to this culture. Dismantling some prejudices could make an excellent African history thesis.
• Christianity, Slavery, and Colonialism: the paradox
• The Colonial War in Southwest Africa
• African-Europe Relations between 1800 and 2000
• Impacts of Slavery and Slave Trade in Africa
• African Communities in America

🎨 Art History Dissertation Topics

Art comes in all shapes and forms. To grasp it better, we can explore each kind separately. Here’s a list of art history dissertation ideas:

🎶 Topics on Performing Arts

• History and Development of Ballet . Ballet is an art form with a long history. Initially, a specific dance originated in Medieval Italy. It was later brought to France and Great Britain. Ballet thrived in the 20th century Russia, where Russian choreographers brought it to the highest level of mastery.
• The Life and Work of William Shakespeare: His Contribution to The Contemporary Theater
• Jazz Music in American Culture . Jazz is one of the most complex and exciting music genres of all time. It was born in the 20’s century black communities of New Orleans and quickly spread across America and then the world. The genre, however, will always be an integral part of African-American identity.
• The Instrumental Music of Baroque: Forms and Evolution
• Rock Music of the 1970s
• Michael Jackson’s Life as a Musician and Choreographer
• Development of the Symphony Orchestra in the 19th and 20th Century
• Woodstock Music Festival . This massive music festival that first took place in 1969 was the epitome of hippie culture. It has a rich history that once again underscores the importance of performing arts in Western culture.
• The History of Modern Chinese Music
• The Renaissance Theater Development. The era in which both visual and performing arts were thriving. It has a lot to offer for proper dissertation research.

🖼Topics on Visual Arts

• Art Period Comparison: Classicism and Middle Age
• Vincent Van Gogh: Changes in the Technique
• The Ambiguity of Mona Lisa Painting

• Orientalism in Western Art . It’s commonly associated with romanticism and some 20th-century artworks. Orientalism is a Western term that speculates the aesthetics of the Orient. Consider this concept as a prism through which Westerners viewed the Eastern world.
• Classical Art and Cubism: History and Comparison
• Postmodern and Modern Art . The 20th and 21st centuries have been a breeding ground for many forms of fine art to emerge and flourish. Some art movements presented their philosophy in the form of manifestos. These texts can be nothing but a pure treasure for someone writing an art history dissertation.
• Female Figures in Ancient Greek Sculpture
• Andy Warhol’s Career . Pioneer of pop-art, creator of Studio 54, and a style icon.
• Filippo Brunelleschi and Religious Architecture
• The Photographic Approaches Towards American Culture of Robert Frank and Garry Winogrand

📋 How to Structure Your Dissertation?

An adequately structured history dissertation can immensely help students. It ensures that they present their ideas and thoughts logically. Sticking to a particular dissertation structure is an essential element of such work.

The general plan of any dissertation type is the following:

• Title Page. A title page should only contain essential information about your work. It usually shows your name, type of the document (thesis, research paper, dissertation), and the title itself. A good history dissertation title is crucial! It’s the first thing a reader will see.
• Acknowledgments. Do you wish to give credit to someone for supporting you during the tiresome months of your work? This is the right part to do so, be it your family, friends, or professors. It is an excellent form to express gratitude to those who proofread your drafts. Or those who brought you another cup of coffee when you needed it.
• Declaration. This section is your written confirmation. You declare that all the research and writing is entirely original and was conducted by you. If someone intellectually contributed to your project, state it in the acknowledgments.
• Table of Contents. Essentially, it’s a brief structure of your dissertation. List every section that you’ve included in your academic paper here.
• Abstract. This is the section where you write a brief summary of your dissertation. It should describe the issue, summarize your core message and essential points. List your research methods and what you’ve done. Remember to make it short, as the abstract shouldn’t exceed 300 words or so. Finish the part with a few essential keywords so that others can find your work.
• Introduction. A dissertation introduction presents the subject to the reader. You can talk about the format of your work. Explain what you plan to contribute to the field with your research.
• Literature Review. The chapter reviews and analyzes pieces of scholarly work (literature) that have been made on the subject of your research. The sources should present relevant theories and support your thesis. Be sure to discuss the weaknesses and strengths of the selected area of study and highlight possible gaps in this research.
• a code of conduct;
• research limitations;
• research philosophy;
• research design;
• ethical consideration;
• data collection methods;
• data analysis strategy.
• Findings and Results. Restate everything you have found in your research. However, do not interpret the data or make any conclusions yet.
• Discussion and Conclusion. In this chapter, you should personally interpret all of the data and make conclusions based on your research. It is essential to establish a logical link between the results and evidence. Finally, conclude the overall study. You can add final judgments, opinions, and comments.
• References. This section contains a list of references to all the sources that you used. Write down every material, which you quoted, mentioned, or paraphrased in your work. Check your educational institution’s guidelines to see how to do so correctly.
• Bibliography. Similar to the reference section, a bibliography is a list of sources you used in your dissertation. The only difference is that it should contain even the sources you don’t directly mention in your writing. Whatever helped you with the research, you state here.
• Appendices. The section may include any supplementary information that explains and complement the arguments. Add pictures, diagrams, and graphs that serve as examples for your research subject.

Writing a dissertation is the right challenge for those with ambitions and lots of determination. It is a lot like a marathon, and it starts with choosing the right topic. We hope that you will find one for yourself on this list. Good luck! Share the article to help those who may need a piece of advice or some history dissertation topics.

🔗 References

• How To Write A Dissertation: Department of Computer Science, West Lafayette, Purdue University
• Ph.D. Thesis Research, Where Do I Start: Don Davis, Columbia University
• Writing with Power: Elbow P., Oxford University
• Writing a Thesis or Dissertation – A Guide to Resources: Gricel Dominguez
• The Elements of Style: Strunk, W. Jr., White, E.B., Angell, R.
• A Collection Of Dissertation Topics In American History: asqauditconference.org
• Yale History Dissertations: Department of History, Yale University
• Dissertation Outline: School of Education, Duquesne University
• Developing a Thesis Statement: The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison
• Writing an Abstract: The Writing Center, George Mason University
• Formatting Additional Pages: University of Missouri Graduate School
• Reference List vs. Bibliography: OWLL, Massey University
• How to Write Your Dissertation: Goldsmiths University for The Guardian
• Tips on Grammar, Punctuation and Style: Kim Cooper, for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• Acknowledgments, Thesis and Dissertation: Research Guides at Sam Houston State University
• Thesis Formatting, Writing up your Research: Subject Guides at University of Canterbury
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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — Thesis Topics in History: The List of 100 Perfect Ideas

Thesis Topics in History: The List of 100 Perfect Ideas

When choosing a thesis topic in history, several essential factors come into play. Firstly, consider your passion and interest in the subject matter. Opt for a topic that genuinely intrigues you, as this will motivate and drive your research efforts. Secondly, strive for originality and significance. Look for gaps in the existing historical literature and propose a fresh perspective or a novel approach to a well-studied topic. Your goal should be to contribute new insights and knowledge to the field. If your ideas are recognized, then perhaps in the future some history thesis examples will be written based on them.

Feasibility is crucial in selecting a thesis topic. Ensure that you have access to the necessary primary and secondary sources, archives, or data required to support your research. Additionally, consider the relevance of your chosen topic to current historical debates or contemporary issues. Demonstrating the significance of your research in the broader context adds depth and impact to your work.

Ultimately, the result you should strive for is a well-crafted thesis topic that not only showcases your academic prowess but also excites and captivates your readers or academic committee. Your chosen topic should be engaging, thought-provoking, and capable of advancing the collective understanding of historical events or phenomena. By meticulously selecting a compelling thesis topic and conducting thorough research, you can embark on a rewarding journey of scholarly exploration and contribute meaningfully to the ever-evolving field of history.

✨ Top-20 History Thesis Ideas

• The Role of Media in Shaping Public Perception during the Cold War
• The Great Depression: Economic and Social Impacts on American Society
• The Age of Exploration: Cultural Exchanges and Global Interactions
• Women's Suffrage Movement: Analyzing Strategies and Achievements
• The French Revolution: Causes, Consequences, and Historical Interpretations
• The African-American Civil Rights Movement Essay : Leaders, Strategies, and Legacies
• The Rise and Fall of Ancient Empires: Lessons from Mesopotamia and Egypt
• World War II: Examining the Global Impact and Lessons Learned
• The Scientific Revolution: Advancements in Science and their Societal Impact
• Slavery and Abolition: A Comparative Study of Different Regions
• The Cultural Exchange along the Silk Road: Connecting East and West
• The Age of Imperialism: Colonialism, Resistance, and Global Consequences
• The Renaissance and Its Influence on Art, Literature, and Politics
• The Native American Experience: Examining Histories and Perspectives
• The Impact of the Protestant Reformation on European Society and Religion
• The Construction and Fall of the Berlin Wall: Symbolism and Global Implications
• The Spanish Inquisition: Religious Orthodoxy and Power Dynamics
• The Industrial Revolution: Changes in Work, Society, and the Environment
• The Mongol Empire: Conquest, Governance, and Cultural Integration
• The Crusades: Motivations, Outcomes, and Effects on Christian-Muslim Relations

✍️ History Thesis Topics for Bachelor's Degree: Tips and Tricks

Writing a diploma thesis in history is a significant milestone for university graduates. It allows students to showcase their research skills, critical thinking, and expertise in the subject. Crafting a compelling and well-structured thesis requires careful planning and adherence to specific guidelines. Here are some recommendations and criteria to consider when undertaking a history dissertation:

• Topic Selection: Choose a topic that genuinely interests you and aligns with your academic passions. A well-chosen topic will keep you motivated throughout the research process.
• Originality: Strive for originality in your research. Identify gaps in existing historical literature and propose a unique perspective or fresh analysis.
• Research Depth: Conduct thorough research using a variety of primary and secondary sources. Academic journals, historical documents, and reputable books are essential resources.
• Structure and Format: Follow the prescribed structure and format provided by your university or department. Adhere to proper citation and referencing guidelines.
• Word Count: Depending on your university's requirements, diploma theses in history typically range from 60 to 100 pages. However, check the specific word count guidelines for your institution.
• Abstract: Include a clear and concise abstract that summarizes the key objectives, research methods, and findings of your thesis.
• Introduction: Introduce your topic, provide background information, and state your research question or thesis statement.
• Literature Review: Review relevant literature to demonstrate your understanding of existing research on the topic.
• Methodology: Explain the research methods and approaches you used to collect and analyze data.
• Analysis and Findings: Present your research findings and analyze them in the context of your research question.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main arguments, discuss the implications of your findings, and suggest avenues for future research.
• References: Provide a comprehensive list of all the sources you cited in your thesis.

When starting your dissertation, begin with extensive reading and research to gain a solid understanding of the topic. Take notes and organize your sources efficiently. Create a detailed outline that will serve as a roadmap for your writing process. Seek guidance from your advisor or professors throughout your research journey, as their insights and feedback will be invaluable.

As you write, maintain a clear and coherent writing style, and avoid excessive jargon. Use headings and subheadings to structure your thesis logically. Remember to proofread and edit your work carefully to ensure accuracy and clarity.

In conclusion, writing a diploma thesis in history requires dedication, critical thinking, and meticulous research. By following these recommendations and adhering to the given criteria, you can create a compelling and well-argued thesis that contributes meaningfully to the field of history. Embrace this opportunity to delve into the past, unearth new insights, and leave a lasting academic legacy as you embark on this exciting academic journey.

If you still have not found suitable historical theses, then we continued the list with examples, one of which is right for you

🌆American History Thesis Topics

• The American Revolution : Causes, Consequences, and Legacies
• 1950s Body Image History
• The 1950s vs Modern Era
• 1960s Entertainment
• Abigail Adams Letter Rhetorical Analysis
• Abigail Williams in The Crucible
• American Imperialism: Factors, Impact, and Legacy
• The American and French Revolutions: Causes, Key Events, and Outcomes
• A Comparative Analysis of Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine
• About The Underground Railroad
• Colin Kaepernick Argument: a Controversial Figure in American Sports
• Mitch Landrieu Speech Analysis
• Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in the Civil Rights Movement
• Causes of the Civil War
• Harlem: A Community Profile Examination
• Harriet Hollywood Film
• Manifest Destiny: Expansion, Impact, and Legacy
• A Day Of Infamy: Speech Analysis
• The Lasting Impact of Slavery
• How the Columbian Exchange Benefited Europe and North America

🗺️ Ideas for Thesis Topics in European History

• The Life of Adolf Hitler: Understanding the Emergence of a Monster
• Biography of Adolf Hitler
• Factors Contributing to the Fall of the Roman Empire
• Alexander The Great: a Rhetorical Analysis
• Christopher Columbus: Legacy and Impact
• Julius Caesar: Funeral Speech Analysis
• The Industrial Revolution in Europe: Technological Advancements and Social Changes
• The Cold War in Europe: Superpower Rivalries and the Division of the Continent
• The Age of Exploration: European Voyages and Global Encounters
• The Profound Impact of the Black Death
• The Russian Revolution : Revolution and the Formation of the Soviet Union
• The Crusades: Religious Wars and Their Influence on Europe and the Middle East
• The Treaty of Versailles: Evaluating Its Role in Shaping Post-World War I Europe
• The Spanish Inquisition: Investigating Religious Persecution and Its Consequences
• The Age of Imperialism: European Colonization and Its Global Consequences
• The Holocaust : Examining the Holocaust and the Dark Chapters of European History
• The Berlin Wall: The Divided City and Its Symbolism during the Cold War
• The Byzantine Empire: A Comprehensive Study of Its Contributions and Decline
• The Napoleonic Era: Napoleon Bonaparte's Impact on European Politics and Warfare
• The Reformation and Counter-Reformation: Religious Conflicts and Their Resolutions in Europe

🎭 Ideas for Art History Thesis Topics

• The Renaissance Masters : Analyzing the Artistic Achievements of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael
• Impressionism and Its Influence on Modern Art
• The Evolution of Abstract Art: From Kandinsky to Pollock
• Women in Art: Celebrating Female Artists and Their Impact on Art History
• A Great And Mighty Walk Analysis
• Compare Reverend Hale and John Proctor
• Mark Antony's Speech: A Masterclass in Rhetoric
• Iconography and Symbolism in Religious Art
• African Art and Cultural Identity
• Surrealism: Exploring Dreams and the Subconscious in Art
• The Art of Ancient Civilizations: Uncovering the Aesthetics of Egypt, Greece, and Rome
• The Birth of Modern Photography: Pioneering Photographers and Their Contributions to Art
• Investigating the Relationship between Artistic Expression and Sociopolitical Movements
• Postmodernism in Art: Deconstructing Boundaries and Challenging Tradition
• The Harlem Renaissance: African-American Art and Culture in the 1920s
• Pop Art: Examining the Pop Culture Movement and Its Influence on Contemporary Art
• Islamic Art and Architecture: Tracing Aesthetics across Different Eras and Regions
• Asian Art and Cultural Heritage: A Comparative Study of China, Japan, and India
• Exploring the Intersection of Digital Media and Creative Expression
• The Role of Museums in Shaping Art History

📒 History Thesis Topics for Master’s Degree

Choosing an appropriate history dissertation topic for your master's degree is a key step. It is important to choose a subject that matches academic interests and hobbies. The theme should also offer room for originality and contribution to the existing body of historical knowledge. A master's thesis in history is a comprehensive academic work, often 80 to 100 pages or more. This requires careful research, analysis of primary and secondary sources, and critical evaluation of historical arguments. In addition, the dissertation must comply with the guidelines and formatting requirements set by the academic institution. Seeking advice from faculty advisors and professors is invaluable in the dissertation writing process. Their experience and feedback can determine the direction of the research and ensure its scientific rigor. Here are some examples of possible History Thesis Topics for Master's Degree that can serve as a basis for you:

• Abigail Williams: A Villain Analysis
• Early Colonial Government Policies Still in Use Today
• A Kingdom Strange: Analysis
• History of Egypt
• Compare and Contrast Inca and Aztecs
• Positive Effects of Colonialism in Africa
• Benefits of Colonialism to Europeans and the Colonies
• Japan’s Rise and Fall in the Global Electronics Market
• Information On The Holocaust
• An Analysis of the Leadership Style of Mahatma Gandhi
• Comparison and Contrast of Egypt and Mayans
• Oppression: Contemporary Manifestations, and Resistance
• Analyzing Cultural Exchange along the Ancient Silk Road
• Medieval Queens: Agents of Power and Diplomacy
• Ottoman Empire: Socio-Political Changes and Legacy
• The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Africa's Role and Impact on the America
• The Fall of Ancient Civilizations: Lessons from Rome and Greece
• Reevaluating the Causes and Impacts of the American Revolution
• Propaganda in World War II: Shaping Public Perception
• The Impact of the Russian Revolution: Political Ideologies and Social Shifts

In conclusion, theses and dissertations serve different purposes and have different requirements depending on the academic level. Each represents a milestone in the student's academic journey, and mastering the arts of research, analysis, and critical thinking is essential to success at every level. Whether you are writing a short abstract or a comprehensive dissertation, the pursuit of knowledge and scientific contributions remains at the center of all academic research. And of course, to prepare a quality thesis, you will have to start choosing your topic among the many history thesis examples. We hope that we have helped you with finding an idea to start. And in the following articles we will try to develop this topic so that you can write an interesting and individual thesis.

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Navigating the Past: Inspiring History Thesis Topics

History, a narrative woven over millennia, is a fascinating realm of human triumphs, tragedies, and transformations. This tapestry of time brims with tales waiting to be told, making it a rich domain for research. However, zeroing in on the perfect thesis topic can be a formidable challenge for history students. This article aims to lighten this task, suggesting a diverse range of history thesis topics, each with potential for exploration and analysis.

Table of content

The Significance of History Studies

History forms the backbone of our collective consciousness. By unraveling the intricacies of the past, and we learn lessons, recognize patterns, and deepen our understanding of human behavior and societal development. Historical studies impart knowledge and skills – critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication. These competencies prove vital across academic and professional domains. The meticulous process of drafting a history thesis adds another feather to your cap – research proficiency. This skill is essential in an age fueled by knowledge and innovation.

How to Select Your History Thesis Topic: A Detailed Guide

Choosing a thesis topic is like selecting a thread from the elaborate fabric of history to follow and unravel, revealing the design beneath the surface. To help guide this critical process, here are several key points to consider:

• Follow Your Interests

Passion often breeds the best work. Select a topic that genuinely fascinates you, something that you are excited to explore further. Remember, your thesis will likely involve countless research, writing, and revising hours. Passion for your topic will keep you engaged and motivated throughout this process.

• Seek Relevance

Choose a topic that aligns with your academic or career goals. For example, a thesis on diplomatic history or major international events could be beneficial if you intend to pursue a career in diplomacy or international relations.

• Look for Unexplored Areas

Aim for a topic that fills a gap in the current research or brings a fresh perspective to a familiar issue. Innovative, original research is always valued in academia.

• Gauge the Scope

The scope of your topic should be manageable within your available time and resources. A topic too broad might spread your research thin, while a narrow topic might limit your analysis.

• Evaluate Sources

Ensure enough information about your topic is available. The availability of primary and secondary sources is critical to construct a compelling argument.

• Seek Feedback

Discuss your potential topics with your professors or mentors. They can provide valuable insights and guide you toward a suitable thesis topic.

Evolution and Refinement

Remember, choosing your thesis topic is not a one-time event but an evolving process. As you delve deeper into your research, your initial topic might transform, narrowing down or branching out to encompass other related issues. This is a natural part of the research process.

Remember, writing a history thesis is not just an academic exercise; it’s a personal journey into the past. Your chosen topic will become a companion for your thesis, guiding your intellectual growth and enhancing your understanding of history. Choose wisely, and you will find a topic that meets academic standards and provides a fulfilling and enlightening experience.

Thesis Topics on Historical Events

Historical events are not merely footnotes in the annals of time; they are turning points that shape the trajectory of history. Researching such events offers rich insights into the factors that led to them, their immediate repercussions, and their long-term impact on human societies and civilizations.

Topic Examples:

• The Lasting Impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis
• An Analysis of the Causes and Consequences of the Arab Spring
• The Ripple Effect of the American Civil Rights Movement
• Implications of the French Revolution on Modern Democracy
• The Immediate and Long-Term Effects of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
• The Role of the Magna Carta in Shaping British Constitutional Law
• The Impact of the Black Death on Medieval Europe
• The Cultural Revolution in China: Causes and Effects
• The Influence of the American Revolution on Other Colonies
• The Aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
• The Role of the Crusades in Shaping Christian-Muslim Relations
• An In-depth Analysis of the Vietnam War
• The Political and Social Consequences of the Indian Mutiny of 1857
• The Role of the Suez Crisis in Redefining Global Power Dynamics
• The Causes and Consequences of the Fall of the Soviet Union
• The Holocaust: An Examination of the Factors That Led to Genocide
• The Impact of the Spanish Inquisition on Religious Freedom
• The Implications of the Meiji Restoration on Japanese Modernization
• The Partition of India: Causes and Aftermath
• The Influence of the American Civil War on Slavery Abolition Movements
• The Legacy of the October Revolution in Contemporary Russia
• The Influence of the Gold Rush on California’s Development
• The Implications of the Industrial Revolution on Working Conditions
• The Role of the Boston Tea Party in the American Revolution
• The Political and Social Impact of the Watergate Scandal
• The Causes and Effects of the Rwandan Genocide
• The Impacts of the Bubonic Plague on the Byzantine Empire
• The Influence of the Arab-Israeli War on Middle Eastern Politics
• The Effects of the Columbian Exchange on the New World
• The Role of the Punic Wars in the Rise of Rome
• The Impact of the War of 1812 on American National Identity
• The Causes and Consequences of the Peloponnesian War
• The Long-Term Implications of the Napoleonic Wars on Europe

Thesis Topics on Historical Figures

Historical figures are the faces of history. Their decisions, actions, and beliefs shape societies and chart the course of history. Researching these individuals offers an intimate understanding of their lives and times, providing a human touch to the grand narrative of history.

• Gandhi’s Philosophy of Non-violence: Its Impact and Relevance in the Modern World
• The Role of Queen Elizabeth I in Shaping British History
• Winston Churchill’s Leadership During World War II: A Critical Analysis
• The Influence of Cleopatra on Egyptian and Roman Politics
• The Contributions of Galileo Galilei to the Scientific Revolution
• The Life and Work of Leonardo Da Vinci: Impact on Renaissance Art and Science
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement
• The Political and Military Strategies of Alexander the Great
• The Role of Nelson Mandela in Ending Apartheid
• The Scientific Contributions of Isaac Newton
• The Leadership of George Washington during the American Revolution
• The Role of Margaret Thatcher in Modernizing Britain
• The Impact of Napoleon Bonaparte on European Politics
• The Influence of Christopher Columbus on the Age of Discovery
• The Role of William Shakespeare in Shaping English Literature
• The Achievements and Failures of Julius Caesar
• The Role of Mao Zedong in the Chinese Revolution
• The Life and Legacy of Abraham Lincoln
• The Contributions of Nikola Tesla to Modern Electricity
• The Role of Sigmund Freud in Shaping Modern Psychology
• The Influence of Joan of Arc on the Hundred Years’ War
• The Role of Susan B. Anthony in the Women’s Suffrage Movement
• The Literary Contributions of Mark Twain
• The Military Tactics of Genghis Khan
• The Role of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the New Deal
• The Contributions of Charles Darwin to the Theory of Evolution
• The Influence of Pablo Picasso on Modern Art
• The Life and Legacy of Mother Teresa
• The Achievements and Failures of Louis XIV
• The Role of Karl Marx in Shaping Socialism and Communism
• The Contributions of Marie Curie to Physics and Chemistry
• The Influence of Beethoven on Classical and Romantic Music
• The Life and Legacy of John F. Kennedy

Thesis Topics on Social and Cultural History

Social and cultural history offers a nuanced perspective on the past, showcasing the lived experiences of people and societies. It explores customs, social norms, cultural expressions, and societal changes, providing a comprehensive view of history.

• A Comparative Study of Ancient Greek and Roman Education Systems
• The Impact of the Harlem Renaissance on African American Literature
• The Role of Women in World War II
• The Influence of the Enlightenment on Western Thought
• The Impact of the Black Death on Medieval Society
• The Role of Slavery in the Southern US Economy
• The Evolution of Feminism in the 20th Century
• The Social Impacts of the Industrial Revolution
• The Influence of the Renaissance on European Art and Culture
• The Cultural Changes during the Meiji Restoration in Japan
• The Impact of the American Civil Rights Movement on Racial Equality
• The Role of the Church in Medieval Society
• The Influence of the Beatles on Pop Culture in the 1960s
• The Changes in Family Structure in Post-World War II America
• The Role of Propaganda in World War II
• The Cultural and Social Effects of the Cold War
• The Influence of the Romantic Movement on European Literature and Art
• The Role of the Suffragettes in Achieving Women’s Suffrage
• The Social Impacts of the Columbian Exchange
• The Influence of the French Revolution on the Rights of Man
• The Role of Industrialization in Urbanizing 19th-Century Europe
• The Cultural Impact of the American Revolution
• The Social and Cultural Effects of the Vietnam War on American Society
• The Influence of Confucianism on Chinese Society
• The Role of Print Culture in the Spread of the Reformation
• The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement on African American Literature
• The Influence of the Age of Exploration on European Cuisine
• The Role of Victorian Morality in Shaping 19th-Century British Society
• The Cultural Impact of the Jazz Age
• The Social Impacts of the Fall of the Roman Empire
• The Influence of the Islamic Golden Age on Science and Culture
• The Role of Imperialism in Shaping 19th-Century Global Politics
• The Cultural Impact of the Space Race

Remember, a well-crafted thesis begins with a well-chosen topic. With these stimulating history thesis topics, you’re ready to embark on your historical research voyage, discovering tales of the past that continue to shape our world.

Consider digital libraries like JSTOR , academic search engines like Google Scholar , and online archives like The Internet History Sourcebooks Project for comprehensive information and resources.

📎 Related Articles

1. Dive into the Past with Cool History Topics 2. Choosing Inspiring Historical Events to Write About 3. Navigating the Historical Labyrinth of Ancient Rome: Essay Topics 4. Unlocking the Past: World History Research Topics 5. Unleashing Your Potential: Choosing a History IA Topic

Thesis Statements

What is a thesis statement.

Your thesis statement is one of the most important parts of your paper.  It expresses your main argument succinctly and explains why your argument is historically significant.  Think of your thesis as a promise you make to your reader about what your paper will argue.  Then, spend the rest of your paper–each body paragraph–fulfilling that promise.

Your thesis should be between one and three sentences long and is placed at the end of your introduction.  Just because the thesis comes towards the beginning of your paper does not mean you can write it first and then forget about it.  View your thesis as a work in progress while you write your paper.  Once you are satisfied with the overall argument your paper makes, go back to your thesis and see if it captures what you have argued.  If it does not, then revise it.  Crafting a good thesis is one of the most challenging parts of the writing process, so do not expect to perfect it on the first few tries.  Successful writers revise their thesis statements again and again.

A successful thesis statement:

• makes an historical argument
• takes a position that requires defending
• is historically specific
• is focused and precise
• answers the question, “so what?”

How to write a thesis statement:

Suppose you are taking an early American history class and your professor has distributed the following essay prompt:

“Historians have debated the American Revolution’s effect on women.  Some argue that the Revolution had a positive effect because it increased women’s authority in the family.  Others argue that it had a negative effect because it excluded women from politics.  Still others argue that the Revolution changed very little for women, as they remained ensconced in the home.  Write a paper in which you pose your own answer to the question of whether the American Revolution had a positive, negative, or limited effect on women.”

Using this prompt, we will look at both weak and strong thesis statements to see how successful thesis statements work.

While this thesis does take a position, it is problematic because it simply restates the prompt.  It needs to be more specific about how  the Revolution had a limited effect on women and  why it mattered that women remained in the home.

Revised Thesis:  The Revolution wrought little political change in the lives of women because they did not gain the right to vote or run for office.  Instead, women remained firmly in the home, just as they had before the war, making their day-to-day lives look much the same.

This revision is an improvement over the first attempt because it states what standards the writer is using to measure change (the right to vote and run for office) and it shows why women remaining in the home serves as evidence of limited change (because their day-to-day lives looked the same before and after the war).  However, it still relies too heavily on the information given in the prompt, simply saying that women remained in the home.  It needs to make an argument about some element of the war’s limited effect on women.  This thesis requires further revision.

Strong Thesis: While the Revolution presented women unprecedented opportunities to participate in protest movements and manage their family’s farms and businesses, it ultimately did not offer lasting political change, excluding women from the right to vote and serve in office.

Few would argue with the idea that war brings upheaval.  Your thesis needs to be debatable:  it needs to make a claim against which someone could argue.  Your job throughout the paper is to provide evidence in support of your own case.  Here is a revised version:

Strong Thesis: The Revolution caused particular upheaval in the lives of women.  With men away at war, women took on full responsibility for running households, farms, and businesses.  As a result of their increased involvement during the war, many women were reluctant to give up their new-found responsibilities after the fighting ended.

Sexism is a vague word that can mean different things in different times and places.  In order to answer the question and make a compelling argument, this thesis needs to explain exactly what  attitudes toward women were in early America, and  how those attitudes negatively affected women in the Revolutionary period.

Strong Thesis: The Revolution had a negative impact on women because of the belief that women lacked the rational faculties of men. In a nation that was to be guided by reasonable republican citizens, women were imagined to have no place in politics and were thus firmly relegated to the home.

This thesis addresses too large of a topic for an undergraduate paper.  The terms “social,” “political,” and “economic” are too broad and vague for the writer to analyze them thoroughly in a limited number of pages.  The thesis might focus on one of those concepts, or it might narrow the emphasis to some specific features of social, political, and economic change.

Strong Thesis: The Revolution paved the way for important political changes for women.  As “Republican Mothers,” women contributed to the polity by raising future citizens and nurturing virtuous husbands.  Consequently, women played a far more important role in the new nation’s politics than they had under British rule.

This thesis is off to a strong start, but it needs to go one step further by telling the reader why changes in these three areas mattered.  How did the lives of women improve because of developments in education, law, and economics?  What were women able to do with these advantages?  Obviously the rest of the paper will answer these questions, but the thesis statement needs to give some indication of why these particular changes mattered.

Strong Thesis: The Revolution had a positive impact on women because it ushered in improvements in female education, legal standing, and economic opportunity.  Progress in these three areas gave women the tools they needed to carve out lives beyond the home, laying the foundation for the cohesive feminist movement that would emerge in the mid-nineteenth century.

Thesis Checklist

When revising your thesis, check it against the following guidelines:

• Does my thesis make an historical argument?
• Does my thesis take a position that requires defending?
• Is my thesis historically specific?
• Is my thesis focused and precise?
• Does my thesis answer the question, “so what?”

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How to Research and Write a Compelling History Thesis

The Importance of Research for Writing a History Thesis

Just as history is more than a collection of facts about past events, an effective history thesis goes beyond simply sharing recorded information. Writing a compelling history thesis requires making an argument about a historical fact and, then, researching and providing a well-crafted defense for that position.

With so many sources available—some of which may provide conflicting findings—how should a student research and write a history thesis? How can a student create a thesis that’s both compelling and supports a position that academic editors describe as “concise, contentious, and coherent”?

Key steps in how to write a history thesis include evaluating source materials, developing a strong thesis statement, and building historical knowledge.

Compelling theses provide context about historical events. This context, according to the reference website ThoughtCo., refers to the social, religious, economic, and political conditions during an occurrence that “enable us to interpret and analyze works or events of the past, or even the future, rather than merely judge them by contemporary standards”.

The context supports the main point of a thesis, called the thesis statement, by providing an interpretive and analytical framework of the facts, instead of simply stating them. Research uncovers the evidence necessary to make the case for that thesis statement.

To gather evidence that contributes to a deeper understanding of a given historical topic, students should reference both primary and secondary sources of research.

Primary Sources

Primary sources are firsthand accounts of events in history, according to Professor David Ulbrich, director of Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program. These sources provide information not only about what happened and how it happened but also why it happened.

Primary sources can include letters, diaries, photos, and videos as well as material objects such as “spent artillery shells, architectural features, cemetery headstones, chemical analysis of substances, shards of bowls or bottles, farming implements, or earth or environmental features or factors,” Ulbrich says. “The author of the thesis can tell how people lived, for example, by the ways they arranged their material lives.”

Primary research sources are the building blocks to help us better understand and appreciate history. It is critical to find as many primary sources from as many perspectives as possible. Researching these firsthand accounts can provide evidence that helps answer those “what”, “how”, and “why” questions about the past, Ulbrich says.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are materials—such as books, articles, essays, and documentaries—gathered and interpreted by other researchers. These sources often provide updates and evaluation of the thesis topic or viewpoints that support the theories presented in the thesis.

Primary and secondary sources are complementary types of research that form a convincing foundation for a thesis’ main points.

How to Write a History Thesis

What are the steps to write a history thesis? The process of developing a thesis that provides a thorough analysis of a historical event—and presents academically defensible arguments related to that analysis—includes the following:

1. Gather and Analyze Sources

When collecting sources to use in a thesis, students should analyze them to ensure they demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the materials. A student should evaluate the attributes of sources such as their origin and point-of-view.

An array of primary and secondary sources can help provide a thorough understanding of a historical event, although some of those sources may include conflicting views and details. In those cases, the American Historical Association says, it’s up to the thesis author to determine which source reflects the appropriate point-of-view.

2. Develop a Thesis Statement

To create a thesis statement, a student should establish a specific idea or theory that makes the main point about a historical event. Scribbr, an editing website, recommends starting with a working thesis, asking the question the thesis intends to answer, and, then, writing the answer.

The final version of a thesis statement might be argumentative, for example, taking a side in a debate. Or it might be expository, explaining a historical situation. In addition to being concise and coherent, a thesis statement should be contentious, meaning it requires evidence to support it.

3. Create an Outline

Developing a thesis requires an outline of the content that will support the thesis statement. Students should keep in mind the following key steps in creating their outline:

• Note major points.
• Categorize ideas supported by the theories.
• Arrange points according to the importance and a timeline of events addressed by the thesis.
• Create effective headings and subheadings.
• Format the outline.

4. Organize Information

Thesis authors should ensure their content follows a logical order. This may entail coding resource materials to help match them to the appropriate theories while organizing the information. A thesis typically contains the following elements.

• Abstract —Overview of the thesis.
• Introduction —Summary of the thesis’ main points.
• Literature review —Explanation of the gap in previous research addressed by this thesis.
• Methods —Outline how the author reviewed the research and why materials were selected.
• Results —Description of the research findings.
• Discussion —Analysis of the research.
• Conclusion —Statements about what the student learned.

5. Write the Thesis

Online writing guide Paperpile recommends that students start with the literature review when writing the thesis. Developing this section first will help the author gain a more complete understanding of the thesis’ source materials. Writing the abstract last can give the student a thorough picture of the work the abstract should describe.

The discussion portion of the thesis typically is the longest since it’s here that the writer will explain the limitations of the work, offer explanations of any unexpected results, and cite remaining questions about the topic.

In writing the thesis, the author should keep in mind that the document will require multiple changes and drafts—perhaps even new insights. A student should gather feedback from a professor and colleagues to ensure their thesis is clear and effective before finalizing the draft.      

6. Prepare to Defend the Thesis

A committee will evaluate the student’s defense of the thesis’ theories. Students should prepare to defend their thesis by considering answers to questions posed by the committee. Additionally, students should develop a plan for addressing questions to which they may not have a ready answer, understanding the evaluation likely will consider how the author handles that challenge.

Developing Skills to Write a Compelling History Thesis

When looking for direction on how to write a history thesis, Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program can provide the needed skills and knowledge. The program’s tracks and several courses—taken as core classes or as electives in multiple concentrations—can provide a strong foundation for thesis work.

Master of Arts in History Tracks

In the Norwich online Master of Arts in History program, respected scholars help students improve their historical insight, research, writing, analytical, and presentation skills. They teach the following program tracks.

• Public History —Focuses on the preservation and interpretation of historic documents and artifacts for purposes of public observation.
• American History —Emphasizes the exploration and interpretation of key events associated with U.S. history.
• World History —Prepares students to develop an in-depth understanding of world history from various eras.
• Legal and Constitutional History —Provides a thorough study of the foundational legal and constitutional elements in the U.S. and Europe.

Master of Arts in History Courses

Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program enables students to customize studies based on career goals and personal interests through the following courses:

• Introduction to History and Historiography —Covers the core concepts of history-based study and research methodology, highlighting how these concepts are essential to developing an effective history thesis.
• Directed Readings in History —Highlights different ways to use sources that chronicle American history to assist in researching and writing a thorough and complete history thesis.
• Race, Gender, and U.S. Constitution —Explores key U.S. Supreme Court decisions relating to national race and gender relations and rights, providing a deeper context to develop compelling history theses.
• Archival Studies —Breaks down the importance of systematically overseeing archival materials, highlighting how to build historical context to better educate and engage with the public.

Start Your Path Toward Writing a Compelling History Thesis

For over two centuries, Norwich University has played a vital role in history as America’s first private military college and the birthplace of the ROTC. As such, the university is uniquely positioned to lead students through a comprehensive analysis of the major developments, events, and figures of the past.

Explore Norwich University’s online Master of Arts in History program. Start your path toward writing a compelling history thesis and taking your talents further.

Writing History: An Introductory Guide to How History Is Produced , American Historical Association     How to Write a Thesis Statement , Scribbr     The Importance of Historic Context in Analysis and Interpretation , ThoughtCo.     7 Reasons Why Research Is Important , Owlcation     Primary and Secondary Sources , Scribbr     Secondary Sources in Research , ThoughtCo.     Analysis of Sources , History Skills     Research Paper Outline , Scribbr     How to Structure a Thesis , Paperpile     Writing Your Final Draft , History Skills     How to Prepare an Excellent Thesis Defense , Paperpile

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Department of History

College of arts, humanities, and social sciences, recent ma graduates and thesis topics.

SPRING 2024

Martha Berkheimer, Forty-Eighters in Baltimore: German Americans and their Political Ideologies, 1848-1865 Advisor: Melissa Blair

Mark Breeding, “The Demon of Blood and Slaughter:’ Know-Nothing Gangs and Working Class Republicanism in 19th Century Baltimore” Advisor: Anne Rubin

Josh Masser, Sustainable Preservation: The Adaptive Reuse of Historic Industrial Buildings and Spaces in Baltimore City, 1990-2020 Advisor:  Melissa Blair

Brianna Baker, “A Monument to Negro Womanhood:” The Women of the National Training School for Women and Girls, 1879-1961 Advisor: Michelle Scott

George Lewis, “Oh Lord I want to be in that number:” Identity & Jazz Tourism in New Orleans. Advisor: Michelle Scott

SUMMER 2023

Julie Kim, My Kungomo, An Independent “Modern Girl”:  Family Stories From the Japanese Occupation of Korea and World War II Advisor:  Meredith Oyen

SPRING 2023

Austen Edelenbos, Remembering Sacrifice: Veterans of the United States Colored Troops and the Battlefield of Civil War Memory Advisor:  Anne S. Rubin

Garrett Freas, Uncommon Ground: The Image and Reality of the Congress of Racial Equality’s Interracialism During the Long Civil Rights Movement Advisor:  G. Derek Musgrove

Michael Morris, “Leave Her Johnny Leave Her:” The Cold War and the Decline of American Shipbuilding Advisor:  Christy Chapin

Nolan Varee, “More Enduring Structures” The Social and Economic Transformation of Pennsylvania Advisor:  Anne S. Rubin

Nikki Vietz, “Putting on the Posh:” Retail, Crime, Gender, Class, and the Forty Elephants in 19th and 20th Century London Advisor:  Amy Froide

Corey Fitzpatrick , “Is that a Bird or a Plane in the Distance? No, it’s Superman”: Metropolis, Illinois and the Hope in Becoming a Destination as Superman’s Hometown. Advisor:  Melissa Blair

Rogers, Samantha,   Daily Life and the Landscape of Two Maryland Industrial Schools for Girls, 1916-1989. Advisor:  Melissa Blair

SUMMER 2022 Debold, Beth, “According to my True Meaning.”  Emotions & Will-Makers in Southern Britain, 1660-1690. Advisor:  Amy Froide Gasparino-Rodriguez, Fernanda, The Emergency Committee to Aid Latin American Scholars (ECALAS):  Liberal Academics and the Contradictions of Cold War Foreign Policy in Latin America Advisor:  Marjoleine Kars Peterson, Zachary, “The Group is a ‘Fraternal Order’ and Not a Labor Union”.  The 1974 Baltimore Police Strike and the Conservative Turn in Police Labor Union Organizing. Advisor:  Derek Musgrove

SPRING 2022 Hannah Balik, Eating, Public Space, and Identity in Jewish Baltimore, 1900-1930 Advisor: Melissa Blair Jeff Cooley, Charismatic Leaders of the First Crusade: The Use of Preaching and Miraculous Events in Motivating the Crusaders to Take “The Holy Land.” Advisor: Susan McDonough Noah Jaques, Facts Do Not Speak for Themselves: The Challenges to Historical Empiricism and Their Impact on the Teaching of Historical Methodology Advisor: Daniel Ritschel

FALL 2021 Domonique Flowers, “The Reckoning of Republican Allies”: The Collaborative Political Efforts Between Black and White Republican Leaders in Post-Reconstruction Baltimore. Advisor: Michelle Scott Jessica Riley, Louisville’s Black Laborers of the Campbell Tobacco Company, 1915-1930 Advisor: Michelle Scott

SUMMER 2021 Eric Burroughs , “Let No Irreverent Hand Change It”: The Interpretation of Slavery at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 1853 to Present. Advisor: Denise Meringolo Pat Brynes, Renaissance Records: The Communities and Material Culture Behind the Revival of Vinyl Records from the 1980’s to 2010’s. Advisor: Michelle Scott

SPRING 2021 Ana Ilic-Hein , “Themes of Othering in Croatian and Serbian History Textbooks in the 1950’s” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Chris Ragen , “Atomic City: Las Vegas and the Downwinders Advisor:  Andrew Nolan Bria Warren, “Swift and Certain Vengeance”: Lynching Rhetoric in Maryland Newspapers, 1954-1900 Advisor:  Anne Rubin

SUMMER 2020 Saul Espinal-Acosta , Goal!  Americans Embrace the Beautiful Game: How the Upper White Middle Class’ Acceptance of Soccer Affected Minority Communities from the 1980s-2000s Advisor: Andrew Nolan

SPRING 2020 Andrew Arvizu , Historical Simulations and the Mechanics of Conquest Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Morgan Miller , “A Town Within a Forest”: The Walking Tour of Washington Grove, 1873-Present Advisor: Denise Meringolo Kevin Muhitch, “We are the First to Unabashedly Go Out and Ask for a Prison”:  De-industrialization and the Politics of Prison Siting in Maryland, 1975-1996 Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Finny Rocca , Sexuality, Socialism & Sandals: Studying the Obsolescence of Uranian Epistemology, 1867-1933 Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Zachariah Tucker , Quarantined and Sequestered:  Tattoo Charlie’s and Tattoo Regulation in Baltimore, 1938-1970 Advisor: Melissa Blair

SUMMER 2019 David Cunningham , Taming the Desert: Fasting, Reform, and the Search for God Advisor: Susan McDonough Francis Ku , The Price of Dependence: The Deleterious Effects of the Kuomingtang’s Reliance on the United States Aid, 1941-1949 Advisor: Nianshen Song

SPRING 2019 Kayla Piechowiak , An Exhibit of Women, By Women, But for Women?: The Limits of Interpretation at the Smithsonian Advisor: Denise Meringolo Jordan Ritchie , Underwood and Underwood Company: Early Twentieth Century Pioneers of American Photojournalism Advisor: Denise Meringolo Camilla Azucena Sandoval , “What White Nonsense is this?”  Investigating the Seldom Seen or Heard Stories of Latinxs in the National Register of Historic Places. Advisor: Melissa Blair Maayan Rosen , Mistresses of the Press: The Roles of Women in Print Houses in 17th Century England Advisor: Amy Froide

FALL 2018 Heather Crandall , Astronomy’s Great Debate Over the Size of the Universe: Scientists’ and Historians’ Changing Assessments Advisor: Joseph Tatarewicz Alan Gibson ,   Reciprocity Matters During the Civil War: Canadian Raw Goods and the Union Supply Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Marshal Golden , The Life and Times of John Graham Chambers: Sports and Commercialization of Leisure in Victorian Britain Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Samantha Parker , The First Sexual Revolution:  A Comparative Study of Premarital Pregnancy Rates in Maryland and Massachusetts, 1700-1810 Advisor: Terry Bouton

SUMMER 2018 Laina Miller,  Singing Songs and Carrying Candles: The Development of Ashkenazi Jewish Marriage Customs and Rituals from Talmudic and Christian Sources, C. 850-1300 CE Advisor: Susan McDonough Zachary Utz ,   Re-Thinking “The American Dream of Integration” in Suburbia: Race, Class and Resegregation in Randallstown, 1956-2003 Advisor: George Derek Musgrove

SPRING 2018 Jason Aglietti , The Religion the Revolution Forgot: The Persecution of the Maryland Quakers During the American Revolution Advisor: Terry Bouton Sudaba Lezgiyeva , Without a Country: A Stateless Armenian Refugees in the USSR and Russia, 1987-2003 Advisor: Kate Brown Susan Philpott , Pride, Inc.: Black Power and Black Capital in Washington, D.C. Advisor: George Derek Musgrove

FALL 2017 Heidi Carbaugh,  “Mappipng Prostitution in Gilded Age Baltimore” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Sherry Ryan,  “Farms at Gettysburg” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SUMMER 2017 Tucker Foltz , “Freedom and Total Loss:  Tensions, Identity Formation and the Back-To-The Land Movement in 1970’s Vermont Advisor: Denise Meringolo Sydney Jenkins , “The Arabbers: A History of Baltimore Street Peddlers From 1945 to the Present” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Georgia Ladd , “Remembering Dixie in a Border State: Reunion and Reconciliation in Post-Civil War Maryland” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Robin Martin,  “Encounters Through Encroachment: 17th and 18th Century Interactions on Maryland’s Eastern Shore” Advisor: Melissa Blair Molly Ricks , “Buried Memories: The Evolving Symbolic Significance of Black and White Burial Grounds at Mount Vernon, Monticello and Montpelier ” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Stephanie Smith , “The Canadian Bicentennial of the War of 1812: The Problem of Techumseh” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Laquanda Walters Cooper , “Every Evidence of Our Progress”: The North Carolina Negro State Fairs, 1879-1907 Advisor: Michelle Scott

SPRING 2017 Kelly Daughtridge , “Defining Their Past to Immortalize Their Future: Women’s Monuments in Early Modern England” Advisor: Amy Froide Katherine Fusick , “Ladies in Rebellion: Women of the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite Risings” Advisor: Amy Froide Andrew Holter,  “The Vanguard is Never Caught Napping: Informants and Police Inside the Black Panthers in Baltimore, 1968-1972” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Sarah Huston , “The Lives of Enslaved and Free Black Children in Baltimore Under Apprenticeship Laws, 1790-1840” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Jennifer Montooth , “Bridges to Dignity”: Roy Innis, Conservative Black Power, and the Transformation of CORE, 1968-1998 Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Chelsea Mueller , “Ink, Mirrors, and Capes: How Comic Books Mirrored Societal Events in American Culture From 1954-1990” Advisor: Meredith Oyen

FALL 2016 Joshua Fertig , “Bars on the Golden Door: Post WWII Security Screenings and Their Administrations” Advisor: Meredith Oyen

SUMMER 2016 Celso Baldivieso , “Irradiating Eden: The El Verde Experiment and the Atomic Energy Commission’s Nuclear Prospecting in Latin America, 1954-1970” Advisor: Kate Brown

SPRING 2016 Michael Bealefeld , “The Peculiar Fidelity of the Old Line State” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Jacob Benson , “City Architect, County Architect” Advisor: Melissa Blair Conor Donan , “The Streets of Baltimore-The Irish in Baltimore City” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Tyler Peterson , “Bridging the Gap: Culture and Politics in Sino-American Normalization” Advisor: Meredith Oyen Allyson Schuele , “Marrying Down: A Strategy for Aristocratic Widows in Tudor England” Advisor: Amy Froide Michael Stone ,”Understanding the Uprising” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Coleburn Volman , “Child of Man? Child of God?: Adolescence and the Ambiguity of Parenthood in Early Modern England” Advisor: Amy Froide

FALL 2015 Elizabeth Cusick , “Anarchist Heaven:  Barcelona 1936-1937.” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Aiden J. Faust , “Neighborhood Matters:  What Baltimore Learned from the War on Poverty.” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Aunaleah Gelles , “Commemorating the Defense of Baltimore, 1815-2015.” Advisor: Denise Meringolo

SUMMER 2015 Genevieve White , “Gone With Only Memory Left”: The Wartime Memoir of Emily Raine Williams Advisor: Meredith Oyen Nichole Zang , “Holy Temples to Dark Rooms: The origins of Baltimore’s Juvenile Reform Movement of the 19th Century” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SPRING 2015 Jessica E. Deane , “Glory Stands Beside Our Grief:  The Maryland Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy’s Commemoration and Memorial Efforts in Baltimore” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Talbot A. Kuhn , “Maryland and the Moderate Conundrum:  Free Black Policy in an Antebellum Border State” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

FALL 2014 Susan Chumley , “The United States Air Force Band:  Musical Ambassadors on a Cold War Stage” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Sarah Hammersley , “The Family Bond: Benevolent Black Slaveholding in Early National Maryland” Advisor: Terry Bouton Heather M. Steven , “The Use of Gender During the E. G. Wharton Trial” Advisor: Michelle Scott

SUMMER 2014 Megan C. Maxwell , “Black Faces in Blue Uniforms:  Integrating the Baltimore Police Department, 1920-1950” Advisor: Michelle Scott Nancy Watts , “The History of Kindergarten in Baltimore City, Maryland” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Zachary Garceau ,” Johnny Unitas: Baltimore’s Cold Warrior” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove

SPRING 2014 Christopher Brown , “The Writing on the Walls and Other Places: American Civil War Graffiti” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Katherine Dufresne , “Images and Reality: War Brides and Media Representation” Advisor: Meredith Oyen Steve Flint , “The Vietnam War: Communist Mass Mobilization at the Local Level” Advisor: Ka-che Yip Courtney Hobson , “A Mother’s Inheritance: Women, Interracial Identity, and Emancipation in Maryland, 1664-1820″ Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Jacob Hutton ,”The Other Side of the Riots” Advisor: George Derek Musgrove Colin Leach , “Waiting for Supertrain: Trains, Technocracy, and the Great Society” Advisor: Christy Chapin Caitlin McGeeve r, “’That Which is Spirit is Spirit’: Male and Female Quaker Perspectives in Political Context” Advisor: Amy Froide David Warner , “Executive Privilege and the Spirit of Republicanism in the Washington Administration” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars

FALL 2013 Shae Adams,  “Identity in Black and White: Indian Boarding School Postcards” Advisor: Terry Bouton Dorothy Alexander,  “Hilltop:  A Historic African-American Community” Advisor: Denise Meringolo William J. Carroll,  “Beer Wars:  The Fight for Independent Brewing in Baltimore” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Theresa Donnelly,  “George Washington’s Laboring Women:  The Work and Lives of the Enslaved Female Field Workers at Mount Vernon, 1785-1787” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Karl Dotterweich,  “’And the Hand of the Lord Was With Them’:  The Effects of Planters’ Socioeconomic Status on the Capital Trials of Enslaved Africans in Colonial Maryland, 1729-1775” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Gary McMullin,  “Country First:  African Colonization and the Role of Southern Unionists, 1817-1862” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SUMMER 2013 Christy Gretsinger , “Oblivion: An Analysis of the Decline of Feminism Within the Owenite Movement” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel James Reaves , “Making Down: The Life of a Pullman Porter” Advisor: Denise Meringolo John J. Soos , “Jacob Beser: The Forgotten Hiroshima and Nagasaki Crewmember and the Construction of Atomic Memory” Advisor: Joe Tatarewitz

SPRING 2013 Mia Brown , “Lyndon Johnson and the Race for Peace: The 1967 Outer Space Treaty” Advisor: Joseph Tatarewicz Dominique L. Covino ,  “‘In Great Danger of Perishing Through Poverty’: Kinship, Charity and Public Poor Relief in Somerset County, Maryland, 1665-1760” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars Jenny Lee Hansen , “Genocide: What Genocide?” Advisor: Meredith Oyen Elizabeth Pente  – “Death for Dishonor in Danville” Advisor: Michelle Scott Johanna Schein  – “Heeding Hetch Hetchy: A Public History Project” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Amy Zanoni  – “‘Working on Many Levels’: A History of Second-Wave Feminism in Baltimore” Advisor: Michelle Scott

FALL 2012 Brigette N. Cascio , “The More Personal Civil War: The Impact of the Civil War on Marriages” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Meghan Colabella , “Beyond its Southern Border: An Examination of U.S. Immigration Policies (IRLA) and Mexican Migration” Advisor: Meredith Oyen

SUMMER 2012 Kellian Kennedy , “The Civil Rights and Social Justice Movement in Baltimore, Maryland” Advisor: Michelle Scott

SPRING 2012 Vicki Heath ,” Harris’ List as a Source for the Diverse and Entrepreneurial Nature of Prostitution in Eighteenth-Century London” Advisor: Amy Froide Jessica Keene , “Elite Women’s Protestant Networks in Mid-Tudor England” Advisor: Amy Froide Owen Lourie , “A Revolution Without Change:  The Limited Effects of Suffrage Reform in Maryland, 1803-1813” Advisor: Terry Bouton Trisha Okine , “Real vs Real:  How the Concept of Authenticity Has Influenced Hip Hop” Advisor: Michelle Scott Douglas Oppenheimer , “America’s Revolutionary War” Advisor: Terry Bouton Tarin Rudloff , “Regulating Identities:  Governing Women’s Appearance in Early Modern England” Advisor: Amy Froide Allison Seylor , “In Defense of Slavery:  An Exploration of Queen Anne’s County Slave Owners, 1820-1840” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Andrew Young , “Lexington’s Grandsons:  The Northern Response to the Pratt Street Riots” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin

SUMMER 2011 Erin Estep , “A Chesapeake Childhood:  Childhood in the Colonial Chesapeake” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Laura Rice , “The Experience of an Enlisted U.S. Army Soldier During and After the Punitive Expedition and World War I:  Thomas F. Cunningham, A Case Study” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Coleen Walter , “Conserving Memory:  The Civilian Conservation Corps in Western Maryland” Advisor: Kriste Lindenmeyer

SPRING 2011 Bailey Ball , “Never Again:  The Impulse to Commemorate the Holocaust in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the British Imperial War Museum” Advisor: Rebecca Boehling Bethany Bemis , “The People’s House?  Public Access to the White House” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Daniel Burge , “Manifest or Murky? A Reexamination of the Popularity of Manifest Destiny in the Antebellum Era” Advisor: Terry Bouton Martin Cullen , “Nation Building and Insurgency in Southeast Asia” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Teresa Foster , “The Passengers of the Ship Gilbert in 1721:  British Female Convict Transportation From London to Annapolis” Advisor: Marjoleine Kars James Furgol , “An Analysis of Discourse and Disagreement:  The British and American Medical Associations Following WWII” Advisor: Daniel Ritschel Jacob Levin , “Blacks and Jews in the Black Power Movement and its Subsequent Scholarship” Advisor: Michelle Scott Laura Marshallsay , “WAC Voices:  The Transition of the Women’s Army Corps to the Integrated Army, 1973-1978” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Homira Pashai , “For the Sake of Power, Prestige or Oil:  Did Cooperation Among the Governments of the United States and Great Britain Contribute to the 1953 Coup of Iran?” Advisor: Kriste Lindenmeyer James Risk , “Ship to Shore:  Infrastructure and the Growth of American Seaports” Advisor: Anne Sarah Rubin Carol Van Natta , “Slavery and Free Black Labor in Northern Maryland, 1762 to 1864: Rethinking the Focus at Hampton National Historic Site” Advisor: Denise Meringolo

FALL 2010 Peter Bunten , “A Vigil Strange:  The Civil War and the Creation of Memory in Ulster and Greene Counties, New York” Advisor: Denise Meringolo Jessica Ding , “Political Prophecy in Tudor England” Advisor: Amy Froide

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100 History Dissertation Topics

A dissertation is the main project in the academic component of your college experience. It's an opportunity to explore a more in-depth subject that is of particular interest to you as well as an opportunity to showcase your capability to pursue independent research in the academic context. The dissertation may help you to develop a deeper understanding of the scholarship already available or analyze existing scholarship using an entirely new lens of analysis or, if you're lucky, shed an entirely new light on a topic. While your dissertation is evolving in both its scope and objective It is essential that you select a topic that is able to sustain your interest and assist you keep the enthusiasm needed for writing a top-quality work of research. The variety of the historical period covered in your degree program means the narrowing of your focus to one particular subject can be an overwhelming task. To help you choose an area to write your thesis, the article provides various topic ideas that span the entire range of historical times. The suggestions are based on the following historical periods including the Crimean War, Napoleon, Italian Unification, German Unification and the First World War, the Great Depression, Mussolini, Nazi Germany Stalin's Russia and the Second World War.

Structuring Dissertations: Rules & Tips

When you are preparing your dissertation, you need to know what sections should comprise and what they ought to be discussing. The structure of your history dissertation does not really differ from dissertations composed on other subjects, which means you don't need to waste hours finding all the guidelines. Let's look at the main sections that need to be included.

• Introduction. In this section you must present the background of your subject and the reasons you decided to study the topic specifically. Avoid using first person pronouns except in a reflection section or a reflection section, make use of more general phrases. Introduction to your History dissertation should include thesis or hypothesis along with research questions that revolve around the subject you have chosen to study.
• Literature Review. This is where you will present a brief overview and the synthesis of all primary and secondary sources you've gathered in your investigation. This is among the most important ones, and the quality of it is contingent on the subject you chose Be extra cautious and careful when you are evaluating subjects for your history dissertation. This shouldn't be just an overview, however. You must demonstrate your comprehension of the concepts that you have discussed and then synthesize information from a variety of sources. Connect them by comparing similarities or differences, and analyze them and compare them and then answer the "so what" question.
• Methodology. It is a basic but complicated part, as it requires you to write down the method by which you conducted your research. Some students opt to buy their dissertation methodology through EduBirdie since the process of explaining every step and format could be quite time-consuming. It is essential to be objective, rational and honest here.
• Results. Explain everything you've learned during your research, clearly explaining which hypotheses were supported and which ones were questioned.
• Discussion. Discuss your findings. Explain the implications on the field of history as well as how they can be used in the future research and what more is needed to enhance the results.
• Conclusion. Highlight the key points your history dissertation contains. Highlight the importance your research and weaknesses once more.
• Bibliography. Mention every source you've utilized in your work.

History Dissertation Topics Sample

When students at the undergraduate level are looking for topics for their dissertations on history they are often overwhelmed because the subject is huge, finding the topic that is likely to spark interest in the individual is a challenge. To help you with this endeavor, we've picked seven of the most relevant categories for historical dissertations. We've also provided a brief outline along with some topics which could be explored within these categories. Explore them for yourself and then feel free utilize any one you find interesting!

The Crimean War Dissertation Topics

The Crimean War is considered to be the first modern conflict that has affected the course of all subsequent wars. If you're looking to write your research on Crimean War, the topics listed below will give you an indication of where to begin.

• What was the primary motive behind this war? Crimean war?
• What is the reason why this Crimean War be considered to as a "modern" war?
• Was it the single most significant incident of the Crimean War?
• Review and discuss French strategy during Crimean War.
• What were the ramifications from what was the result of Crimean War?
• What was the role of religion the Crimean War?
• Which was the biggest important event that helped settle this conflict? Crimean War?
• What was the reason so many attempts to make peace work? What happened to Crimean War?
• What was the reason why that the Crimean War end when it did?
• What is it that makes the participation by women during the Crimean War considered to be so important?
• What were the goals that the Ottoman Empire during the Crimean War?
• What was the motivation behind those in the French as well as the British empires to fight Russia and join forces with the Ottomans during the Crimean War?
• Did the Crimean War inevitable given the goals of the principal actors?

Historical People & Events History Dissertation Topics

This is a universal category and thrilling because it can be a part of any time period you're interested in. Consider historical figures who made an influence on the world or select a specific incident. The following subjects fall into this category:

• Hitler was born and educated as factors in his wartime views , as well as his results
• Reformation objectives stated or implied
• Why did the Berlin Wall fall after all this time?
• The reasons that resulted in the various American Revolution stages
• Queen Victoria's political policies and how they are affecting Great Britain
• Stalin: a multi-layered path to the pinnacle of power
• Sebastien Michaelis: the emergence and part in French inquisition
• Battle of Waterloo: background and implications
• The most influential politician of the history of modern times
• Slave Trade Act and its historical ramifications for all people of Great Britain
• The personality of Boris Johnson: transformation or stagnation?

The First World War History Dissertation Topics

The events that occurred during the First World War remain relevant in the present, as barely 100 years have been since the war, while the destruction that they caused was a massive one. There are numerous aspects that could be examined under this broad subject.

• The causes that the First World War had: an overview of each side's arguments
• USSR's involvement in WW I
• Effects that the First World War had for everyone involved in it
• Three crucial decisions that influenced the end of the First World War
• soldiers of WW I conditions such as motivations, conditions, and the battles
• Repercussions of fairness for Germany following the First World War
• Assessment of the most powerful unions was completed during WW I
• Hitler's Bavarian Army during the First World War
• The premise for additional aggression was Germany's loss in World War One.
• Methods by which WW1 could be prevented
• What moral values have the people in Great Britain changed after WW I?
• Contemporary biases in portrayal of WWI by the media networks.
• The role of nurses during their role in the First First War: Nightingale's Hereditary.

Italian Unification Dissertation Topics

It was a social and political movement that contributed to the late 19th-century unification of the different nations on the Italian peninsula. It began with the Congress of Vienna and the overthrow of Napoleonic government in 1815, and it concluded with the Franco-Prussian War as Italy made its first steps toward independence. You can select a topic from the list below if you want to switch gears from studying British history and instead concentrate on the Italian Unification.

• What were the major factors that led to Italian unification?
• What were the most pressing challenges facing the newly formed Italian government? And how could they be addressed?
• Examine the contribution of Cavour to Italian unity - was Cavour the main reason Italy was unified?
• The one you consider more crucial in the unification process - foreign policy or economics?
• What effect would the unification process of Italy had on the operation within Vienna? Vienna system?
• What did Italy's attitude to foreign policy mirror that of other countries in the present moment?
• What was the reason why Italy been many years within a state 'disunion'?
• Examine whether Italian unification has helped improve the standard of life of people?
• What was the success rate of Italian unification? What could the unification accomplish?
• Consider the significance of Garibaldi's involvement in the process of Italian unification.
• What impact did the unification process of Italy affect on the Balance of Power in Europe?
• Consider the argument you believe Guiseppe Mazzini is the main driver in the direction of Italian Unification?
• Examine the many social factors that contributed to Italian Unification. What factors can be considered as the most significant?

Mussolini's Italy History Dissertation Topics

Mussolini is another well-known leader who impacted the lives of many individuals and nations. His political views are still being researched due to the close connections that they shared with the Second World War.

• Mussolini and Hitler The connection and its implications for Italy
• Fascism's development within Italy under Mussolini's regime
• The decision of Mussolini to rise to the position of power in Italy
• Those who endured the most suffering under Mussolini's rule
• The most significant Italian leader was Mussolini.
• Two key features that characterize Mussolini's rise to the limelight
• Politics Mussolini implemented while he was in control of Italy
• The fall of Mussolini and his regiment in Italy
• The influence of Hitler on Mussolini's views
• Positive and negative developments Italy experienced under Mussolini
• talks with Mussolini talks with Mussolini: facts and myths
• What kind of social issues that have led to people changing in their opinions in the wake of Mussolini's ideas?
• Mussolini was the founder of Italy's criminal gangs either right or wrong.

Topics for dissertations on the Second World War

The enormous number of lives lost during the Second World War continues to serve as a sad and melancholy reminder. Since the war was a relatively recent occurrence and there are still living individuals who participated in it, its relevance won't diminish anytime soon.

• How would things have changed to the world What would have happened if Germany would have won this Second World War?
• The attitude of the old towards Germans A historical issue
• The force Hitler's army had ensured most of their victory
• Country that was the most affected as WW II results.
• The repercussions that the Second WW caused for Germany and Japan The two countries had a lot in common and differences
• Events that led to Allies triumph over Germany
• Arguments for why there is too much emphasis upon American attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Black people in the Second World War
• Nazi experiments' consequences for prisoners in the current German medical treatments
• US justification for allowing escapees Nazi criminals
• The importance of techniques of communication and the specific units.
• How did reading help keep sanity intact in the Second World War?
• The racial comments made from Nazi Germany.

Stalin's Russia Dissertation Topics

Since Stalin was such a well-known person in the history of mankind You might want to consider picking your subject from the historical dissertation topics listed below. Stalin remains a highly controversial character in Russia even today. Despite being appreciated from a few for his contribution in modernizing Russia as well as for his war management, he's an object of suspicion for historians of the present.

• What factors led to Stalin's rise to power following his death?
• What were the most pressing issues that confronted the Russian/Soviet community following the demise of Lenin and, if so, how did Stalin deal with these issues?
• Was Stalin's repressive method of controlling the Soviet Union at the time of purges even needed?
• What were the most significant successes and failures, and what made them so important?
• What made Russia change from being one of the West's most loyal allies in the Second World War to being widely feared afterward?
• What was the reason for it that the USSR permitted to grow to include other nations when similar policies was in place Nazi Germany led to war?
• Examine the differences between communism versus fascism, by looking at Hitler and Stalin's policy with the intention of determining the degree to which they have political similarities.
• What was the reason why communism spread across to USSR to other regions of the globe?
• In what ways was Stalin's style of governance during Stalin's Soviet Union different from Lenin's?
• How much could the Soviet Union's political objectives in the period of Stalin (1944-1947) could be legally recognized as legitimate under international law?
• Did the 7-10 million deaths during the Ukrainian Holodomor of 1933 a deliberate genocide, ordered by Stalin?
• From the Soviet standpoint what were the main benefits from the Nazi Soviet Pact, 1939?
• Examine Soviet Antisemitism during the Stalin regime.
• A study of the relationship between Stalin and the Church during the Second World War.

15 Interesting Topics for History Dissertations

• The business community in London during World War One.
• Crimean Khanate historical writings.
• historical personalities from various eras.
• the development of social democratic regimes over time.
• The 1894–1895 Chinese War.
• The Indian Constitutional Policy.
• Between the first and eighth centuries, Franks and Anglo-Saxons held the sway of the royals.
• Argentina and the United Kingdom's ties in the 1980s.
• Spirituality, culture and daily living of Scandinavian people living in the XIX century.
• Conflicts between ethnic groups in post-WWII era.
• The growth of the workers movement in Germany in the 1860s as well as the 1870s (from in the formation of the party of workers until the passing of an unusual law that rebuked social democrats).
• Rural migration during the XVII Century Psychological and historical aspects.
• The nineteenth-century American national culture.
• The Ukrainian National Liberation War, 1648–1654.
• National policies in the 19th century for Austria-Hungary.

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Frequently asked questions

How do i choose a dissertation topic for history .

• Make sure the subject pertains to your area of study.
• Determine your level of interest in the subject you plan to write about.
• Make sure your topic is focused enough.
• Do some homework first.
• Asking for help from your dissertation adviser is nothing to be embarrassed about.

What makes a good history dissertation ?

include your core thesis or arguments using a mix of primary sources and some secondary sources. A strong history dissertation should devote a significant amount of time to engaging with and analyzing primary sources. This primary evidence should support and illustrate your core thesis or arguments.

Which topic is best for dissertation ?

Here are 3 excellent dissertation topics.

• Internet influence on pupils' social and spiritual values.
• One of an educational organization's primary goals should be to promote a democratic culture among teenagers.
• High school students' cultural autonomy in the social studies and humanities curriculum.

How long should a history dissertation be ?

Dissertations typically range in length from 75,000 to 100,000 words, or around 300 to 350 typed pages with double spacing, excluding bibliographies.

How long does it take to write a history dissertation ?

Most Ph.D. candidates spend longer than a year finishing the first draft of their dissertation. Before beginning a dissertation draft, students often spend one to two years conducting research and evaluating literature while completing doctorate coursework. Beyond that, the writing process normally takes another year or two.

How do you start a dissertation history ?

Research/writing.

• Get hold of pertinent primary and secondary sources.
• Make thorough notes and analyze them.
• Write an abstract and continually improving your research proposal as you go.
• Map out potential dissertation strategies.
• Talk about the rough outline.
• finish most of the research by the conclusion of the holiday break.

What is methodology in a history dissertation ?

The methodology chapter, a crucial section of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, outlines what you did and how you did it so that readers may assess the validity and dependability of your study. It ought to contain: the kind of study you carried out. how your data was gathered and analyzed

What is a history dissertation ?

A history dissertation is a written analysis of a certain historical topic, concept, person, or event (most colleges stipulate around 10,000 words). A large portion of the third year of an undergraduate degree is made up of it (many universities, including us, double-weight them so they count for two modules).

How do you conclude a dissertation history ?

Length. The average dissertation is between 100 and 300 pages long. Each dissertation should be broken down into the proper portions, and lengthy dissertations may require chapters, major divisions, and subdivisions.

How long should history dissertation chapters be ?

You must be aware that the standard length might range from 130 pages (math) to 500 pages or more (history).

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History: writing a history dissertation.

• Writing a History Dissertation
• Referencing and Style Guide
• Literature Search Plan
• American History

Starting a Literature Search

Conducting a literature search is a great way to find a viable topic and plan your research. It will also give you the opportunity to look for primary and secondary resources that can support the arguments you make in your dissertation. 

Starting your literature search early will help you plan your dissertation and give you an overview of all the resources you might want to consult. Below are examples of how you can start this process and how they can help.

Dissertation Books

Define your Topic

Start your search by identifying a broad subject area, such as a country, period, theme or person. You might do this by looking at reference works, such as a Very Short Introduction , Cambridge Histories , or Oxford Handbooks . These books will give you an insight into the many areas you can investigate in greater depth and they will also provide references to peer-reviewed material on more defined topics. 

Next , look at material which focuses more on the area you have identified from reference works. These might be books, chapters or articles which focus on a more defined area of the subject you have identified. Use these to formulate questions that you can answer in your research.

Then ,  read resources that will help you form your argument and answer the questions you have set. This material should focus on the topic you have chosen and help you explain what has been written on this area before.

Search for Secondary Resources

In order to successfully search for resources relevant to your study, you will need to use search-terms which will retrieve the best results. The tips below will help you do this:

Terms you have found in your reading

Keep a note of terms you have seen when you have been identifying your topic. This could be anything relevant your topic, including: places, people, jobs, religions, institutions, objects, periods, or events. Also, take note of terms that are related to your topic and had an impact on the area you are studying. Write down all the terms which relate to your topic and note which ones provide the most relevant results.

It can also be useful to keep a note of what you are not looking at so that you stay focused on your topic and do not retrieve too many results.

Authors who are written about the topic

You will start to notice that some authors are mentioned as specialists on the topic you are researching. Search a variety of catalogues to find what they have written on the subject in different formats. They might have contributed to edited works, written articles, given presentations to conferences or annotated works. They also might lead you to others who have written about your topic or research groups which are relevant to your studies.

Use subject searches

Most secondary resources have been indexed according to their subject. Through using these subject terms you can search catalogues more efficiently and find relevant resources without just searching the title or author. 

If you find a useful resources, try looking at its catalogue record. See if any of the subject headings look useful and note what terminology they use as this will be consistent across most databases. When you have found a useful term, copy and paste it into a subject search (or select the link) and see what other resources are available.

You can also use an online thesaurus to find search terms. The most commonly used terms are the Library of Congress Subject Headings  which provide uniform terms across international databases.

Use databases

The University subscribes to many databases that focus on different countries and topics. These will provide a comprehensive guide to what has been written in your area and may use different subject headings. Reference databases and bibliographies can be especially useful for finding citations of everything that has been written on a certain area of history. Biographical databases can also help find information about individuals and institutions. For a complete list of all the databases the University subscribes to, look at the A-Z of databases . 

Search for Primary Resources

There are plenty of primary resources that can be used in your dissertation. The University subscribes to many databases that provide access to primary resources and some of our libraries hold special collections which can be used in your research. Below are some examples:

The University subscribes to many newspapers from the past and present. They can be a really useful tool for finding contemporary accounts of events and provide more than just articles (including: advertisements, illustrations, family notices, sports, arts, court cases). Many newspaper databases will also include related content, such as pamphlets and newsbooks.

The University Library has a collection of print newspapers which can be consulted on site. The University also subscribes to electronic databases of national and local newspapers across the world. More information about the newspaper databases we subscribe to is available on our  dedicated website .

Special Collection Material

Many libraries and archives provide access to rare, unique and specialised collections of books and manuscripts. The University Library, for example, provides access to Manuscripts and Rare Books Departments , as do some of the colleges. Some of the more frequently used and important material is also available as part of an online library, such as Cambridge's CUDL .

Official Publications (Government Documents)

Documents produced by governmental and intergovernmental bodies can provide an insight into their decision making and governance. Several libraries in Cambridge have received official publications material and a lot of material is now available online. More information about the official material in Cambridge libraries is available on our Official Publications LibGuide .

Data and Statistics

Figures can be used to help illustrate a point and provide evidence as you answer the central question in your dissertation. You might chose to refer to census data, crime statistics, trade figures, or any other data set that relates to your area of history. This sort of information can be found in databases and replicated in secondary resources. 

Private Papers

If you are researching an individual (or someone who played a prominent role in the area you are focusing on) it is a good idea to see if they have deposited private papers in an archive. These might includes diaries, letters, draft works, or anything else that was kept and not published. These works are normally kept in an archive, so a good starting point is to look at a catalogue that might show where relevant papers are held (such as Archives Hub )

These can include maps, cartoons, paintings and photographs. Images are available both in print and online, but you need to be cautious of the copyright restrictions of images before you use them (check the information given by the source). Some databases will allow you to search images, like ARTstor , so use them as a good starting point for your search. 

Audio-Visual

Similarly to images, the University provides access to a variety of audio-visual resources, including interviews, recordings, radio and films. If there is a particular DVD you would like to use, try searching the title in iDiscover. For example, " Interviews with Historians " will take you to a comprehensive collection of DVDs available at the Seeley. Many films are also available online, such as British Pathe .

Organise and Save Your Research

You will be able to do a comprehensive and efficient literature search if you keep a record of what you have read, where you read it and what each item means to your research. The best way to achieve this is to:

1. Record the key ideas, themes and quotes from what you have read. Try to find a uniform way to do this as it will make it easier to find information when you come to write your dissertation. Some formats are freely available on the internet, such as the Cornell Note Taking System .

2. Save citations you have looked at so you do not struggle to find them again. Also, this will help you when you come to do your references. There are many reference managers available to help you store this information and create a fully formatted bibliography.

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Megamenu featured, megamenu social, sample thesis proposals.

Lanfranc of Bec: Confrontation and Compromise Imperial Expansion and the Evolution of the South and Southeast Asian economies Nantucket’s Role in the War of 1812 Letters Home: Records of the Experiences of Common Soldiers in the American Civil War Writing for Stalin: American Journalists in the USSR, 1928-1941 Dismal Scientists, Diplomats, and Spooks: Bissell, Milliken, and Rostow and Their Impact on U.S. Foreign Policy Media Reflections of Western Public Opinion in the Suez Crisis The Implications, Effects, and Uses of Media in the Emmett Till Lynching Cromwell Lives while Mason Stalks: Irish Nationalism and Historical Memory during the Troubles ‘My broken dreams of peace and socialism’: Youth propaganda, personality, and selfhood in the GDR, 1979-1989.

Lanfranc of Bec: Confrontation and Compromise

The ecclesiastical history of Europe in the 11th century revolves around the investiture conflict and the Gregorian reform effort. These two issues forced their way into religious lives around the continent. Even in England, on the edge of the world, Anglo-Saxon and Norman reformers grappled with these challenges to the construction of a “universal church.” I would like to enter into this world through the case study of Lanfranc of Bec. Lanfranc is an apt choice for this intensive focus because of the apparent philosophical paradoxes that dominated his life.

Early in his career, Lanfranc was a staunch supporter of Pope Leo IX in the Eucharistic controversy with Berengar of Tours. The doctrine of transubstantiation was, however, less important to Lanfranc than the idea of “the universal church.” Significantly, this new church was to be united under the stronger and more demanding popes in Rome who were early supporters of the young Italian monk. Lanfranc’s transformation began when was appointed abbot of St. Etienne, Caen in 1063 under the direct patronage of William the Conqueror. This relationship continued with Lanfranc’s promotion to Archbishop of Canterbury in 1070. In this role, Lanfranc severed all most traditional ties with Rome. He did command the right to supervise and veto any papal synods planned for England. In addition, Lanfranc even skipped the mandatory pilgrimage to Rome to receive the pallium, a tradition for English bishops that dated back to Gregory the Great and the 6th century.

Traditional scholarship has tended to portray this break as pragmatic. Lanfranc’s new master, William, demanded a more present loyalty than the faraway Church of St. Peter’s. Loyalty in turn led to advancement and a place in religious governance of countless souls in England. To justify these mercenary considerations scholars described the admittedly conservative Lanfranc as a Carolingian bishop, a relic of an empire then dead for two centuries. The Carolingian era was a time of dramatic expansion for the church, largely under the protections of its secular Christian protector, Charlemagne. It is easy to see parallels, at least from the Norman point of view, between the conquest of England in 1066 and the forceful conversion of the Saxons in 8th century. Both these invasions brought subject peoples in line with a new, larger Christendom. Historians have written about Lanfranc as a player within this system of sacred reform spearheaded by the secular.

In my study I plan to reexamine this view. Although the Archbishop did abandon Gregory VII at the time of his greatest need, the investiture conflict, Lanfranc’s role in the English reform need not be seen as driven by Normandy rather than Rome. For example, William’s concern for the piety of his new subjects was at best secondary to an interest in appointing bishops who would maintain order on the tumultuous island in place of the absentee king. Thus it was with a relatively free hand that Lanfranc directly reformed both Canterbury and England as a whole. Some of these changes, like his emphasis on clerical celibacy, were directly in line with the Gregorian reforms that he had supposedly renounced upon his arrival. In other instances, Lanfranc was more open minded to the religious practices that preceded him. Unlike other Norman bishops that arrived after the conquest, the Archbishop was far more accommodating to both local English saints and the institution of monastic cathedrals. These examples create a far more complex picture of Lanfranc. It is clear that he was more loyal to the Gregorian reform movement than to any particular pontiff occupying the See of St. Peter. At the same time, his syncretistic approach would have been at odds with any of the uncompromising popes that he had dealings with. These incongruous details suggest the need to revise traditional interpretations of Lanfranc’s life. Within a wider scope, I hope to demonstrate how the clergy positioned themselves in the larger conflict between the church and state at this time.

In pursuing this topic I want to integrate traditional and less traditional sources in an attempt to create a fresh portrayal. Any study of medieval political and ecclesiastical history will rely heavily on the chroniclers. Specifically I will use the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Eadmer’s Vita Anselmi for the Anglo-Saxon perspective. For the Norman point of view I will use chronicles by William of Jumièges and Gilbert Crispin. To supplement these more formally produced histories, I will read Lanfranc’s own works including his major treatise on the Eucharist, the Liber Corpore et Sanguine Domini, which I fail to believe he so easily abandoned on his arrival to England. In addition, his personal correspondence and monastic constitutions, both of which have been recently republished, will be usefully in understanding his own views, whether they be practical or theological. Lastly, I want to use architectural analyses of the church that Lanfranc built at Canterbury and studies of relic worship surrounding the remains of local saints like Dunstan and Theodore. These less traditional sources, while harder to obtain, will, I hope, provide new insight into Lanfranc’s life and, at the very least, provide social and cultural context for this specific period. The result will be a study that uses the analysis of Lanfranc to address larger question concerning the orientation of individuals within 11th century conflicts.

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Imperial Expansion and the Evolution of the South and Southeast Asian economies

The arrival of Vasco De Gama in 1498 on the beaches of modern-day Calicut marked the beginning of the intensification of economic relations between East and West, and the first encounter of Europeans with an ancient and complex commercial network reaching by land and sea from Europe to China, handling trade and traffic of far greater value than anything known in the West. Luxury products from China, silk and precious metals from Iran, the cotton textiles of India, the gold and ivory of East Africa, and the spices of Indonesia were all connected through highly advanced and dense trading networks. While the Indian economy is often represented as having stagnated under the weight of European intrusions, it is clear that particularly in coastal areas, a brisk and dynamic coastal trade flourished under the aegis of European rule. The creation of a world market in commodities such as rice gold, silver, spices, textiles and other raw materials occurred simultaneous with displacement of local markets as European imperial reach was extended over an increasingly wide part of the globe.

By the mid 18th century, the two great chartered companies, the British East India Company and the VOC (Dutch East India Company) had transformed from mere commercial trading ventures to entities that dominated economic relationships with Asian economies and began to acquire auxiliary governmental and military functions. By 1765 the British East India Company was effectively the de facto sovereign in Bengal by virtue of its overwhelming military power in the region, and its acquisition of the diwani, or the right to collect territorial revenues. For both the Dutch and British East India Companies, it is clear that the acquisition of territorial empires and quasi-governmental functions had profound effects upon the nature, scope, and distribution of investment within the Companies from Europe, but also upon the character of the relationship between indigenous traders, merchants, and financiers, and Europeans. Lakshmi Subramanian, a historian who has published some of the most important works dealing with the relationship of the Marathas and the British in Bombay, mentions how Law de Lauriston, the ex-Governor General of French India, “recognized the local banking community in 1777 as the decisive factor in any future alliance of the French and Indian States against their inveterate antagonist the English East India Company.” In a recent paper Chaudhury asserts how the local credit markets of eastern India, particularly Bengal, were seminal in rescuing financially several of the European Companies in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries from chronic shortages of working capital, yet with victory at Plessy and the transformation of the British role in Bengal, the nature of the relationship between local creditors and European merchants changed dramatically.

This project will comparatively look at the Dutch and British East India Companies and their relationships with groups such as the Marathas, the Chettiars, and the Chinese banking and mercantile families, and will draw upon resources that deal with the relationships of other European powers with indigenous merchants and financiers. By examining the interaction of indigenous financial institutions and capital with Europeans in Asia, particularly South and Southeast Asia, I am hoping to explore many aspects of the Asian economies of the 17th-19th century under the aegis of this broader topic, such as the different development paths between European and Asian societies, the dynamics of the extension of European power in south and southeast Asia, and the radically different financial and economic structures that characterized Asian societies prior to the expansion of Europe, and how the imposition of colonial rule altered (or didn’t) the dynamics of indigenous capital. This project will look at the relationship from the European perspective by utilizing Dutch and British East India Company records. Particularly in recent years, several historians have sought to expand our understanding of the relationship between European traders and Indian merchants and financiers, and this project will attempt to both build upon their work and form a more global and far-reaching conclusion about the role of indigenous capital in imperial expansion by looking at the phenomenon from a comparative perspective.

The chief question I am seeking out to answer is to define and delineate the nature of the relationship between indigenous credit institutions and imperial expansion; effectively, examine the relationship between native bankers, financiers, and traders, and the Europeans who came to trade and later colonize. Above all, I hope to posit a link between these economic relationships, and changes to the political and economic map of Asia.

Nantucket’s Role in the War of 1812

I am a junior history major currently studying abroad at the Williams-Exeter in Oxford Programme. Since August, I have been casually researching the whaling industry on Nantucket during the late 18th to mid-19th century. I am committed to Nantucket as a general topic not only because its history is exceedingly interesting to me but also because there is a wealth of primary data. For example, the Nantucket Historical Association boasts 5000 volumes (ship logs, diaries, legal documents, etc.) that are accessible to scholars.

Although I have explored a number of topics within Nantucket history, I find myself returning again and again to the whaling industry. In particular, I am intrigued by Nantucket’s role in the 1812 war. Nantucket was the only US territory to seek and receive a truce with Great Britain, formally withdrawing from the war in 1814. The islanders were motivated to pursue neutrality because of the importance of the whaling industry as the island’s livelihood and the British fleet’s threat to Nantucket ships. Furthermore, the US government not only offered little to no protection for the islanders but also alienated them by taxing them heavily. In order to understand the1814 treaty, I anticipate needing to research two other areas that I believe are connected: first, how did Nantucket’s experiences in the American Revolution inform and shape its course of action in 1812? During the Revolution, the island declared neutrality, probably because Nantucket whalers did not care which side was victorious, so long as the whaling industry survived the war. The whalers had appealed to other Quakers in England and won an amendment to the parliamentary motion to restrict whaling in New England. However, because the law was not enforced properly, the island fell into economic depression. British naval ships not only prevented Nantucket whalers from selling spermaceti oil to London, its biggest market, but also captured many of their ships. Any threat to the whaling industry would be a true moment of crisis because most of the island was directly or indirectly involved in whaling, and many of the islanders were not rich enough to relocate their families to the mainland. Certainly, there were members of the community in 1812 who would have remembered this treatment by the British and the economic depression.

The second issue that I anticipate addressing pertains to Nantucket’s sense of identity: how “American” did they feel? The circumstances under which the island declared neutrality makes the issue of patriotism more oblique because the “betrayal” of the US can be explained by the need for economic stability without addressing the issue of identity. In these early stages of nationhood, the island seems to have acted very differently from other whaling communities in the US. Socially and politically, Nantucket seemed to be more liberal than the mainland, especially in terms of the role of women and the political (but not always social) equality of African Americans. For example, racial segregation in schools was banned in the 1850s in a legal case that resembles Brown vs. Board of Education. As I have mentioned above, American policies also sometimes alienated the islanders. In the first two years of the 1812 war, Nantucket whaling was almost exclusively threatened not by the British fleet but by American policy, as Congress placed an embargo on trade with Britain; unfortunately, only days after Congress lifted the embargo, Britain enforced is own against New England. During the American Revolution, Nantucket toyed with the idea of becoming either an independent or a British territory. Did it face the same choices in 1812?

Primary Sources :

A Selection from the Nantucket Historical Society Manuscripts Collection:

Allen Family Papers, 1790-1930. Banks on Nantucket, 1804-1985. Barker Family Papers, 1720-1853. Benevolent Society’s Papers, 1814-1976. Carey Family Papers, 1809-1894. Citizens News Room Record. Charles Congdon Collection, 1671-1844. Clapp Family Papers, 1804-1896. Margaret Coffin Papers/Small Collection, 1761-1913. Mary M Coffin Collection, 1806-1865. William Coffin Letter Book, 1811-1833. Coleman Family Papers, 1729-1873. Crosby Family Papers. 1812-1893. Ewer Family Papers, 1813-1875. Fish Family Papers, 1708-1916. Paddock Family Papers, 1755-1853, Phebe Coffin Hanaford Papers, 1848-1929. Jones Family Papers, 1817-1868. Joy Family Papers, 1806-1880. Keziah Coffin Fanning Papers, 1775-1812. Macy Family Papers/ Cloyes Collection, 1812-1869. Myrick Family Papers, 1796-1863. Nantucket Censuses Collection, 1796-1900. Nantucket Monthly Meeting of Friends’ Papers, 1664-1889. Nantucket Monthly Meeting of Friends’ Records, 1672-1944. Ray Family Papers, 1776-1844. Starbuck Family Papers, 1662-1973. Worth Family Papers, 1743-1912. Henry Barnard Worth Collection, 1641-1905.

(I’ve only gone through half of the list of available manuscripts, so I expect that there should be a lot more sources of interest from the Nantucket Historical Society collection. Information about Nantucket Historical Society archives found on www.nha.org)

Annals of Congress, 13th Congress, 2d session. Hutchinson, Thomas. History of Massachusetts, Vol. II, Boston: Thomas & Andrews, 1767. Journal of Samuel Swain, 1813-1837. “Keziah Coffin Fanning’s Diary,” Historical Nantucket 6 (July 1958). Macy, Obed. The History of Nantucket (New York: Research Reprints, 1970 [1835]). Napier, Henry Edward. New England Blockaded in 1814: The Journal of Henry Edward Napier, Lieutenant in H.M.S ‘Nymphe,’ ed. Walter Muir Whitehill. Salem, MA: Peabody Museum, 1939. “Notes on Nantucket. August 1st 1807,” Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society 3 (1815). Scoresby, William. History and Description of the Northern Whale Fisheries, Vol. II. Edinburgh, 1820.

Secondary :

Anderson, Florence Bennet. Through the Hawse-Hole: The True Story of a Nantucket Whaling Captain. New York: Macmillan Co., 1932. Byers, Edward. The Nation of Nantucket: Society and Politics in an Early American Commercial Center, 1660-1820. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1987. Graham, Gerald S. “The Migrations of the Nantucket Whale Fishery: An Episode in British Colonial Policy.” The New England Quarterly 8, no. 2 (Jun. 1935):179-202. Davis, Ralph. The Rise of the English Shipping Industry in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries. London: David & Charles, 1972. Hegarty, Reginald B. Returns of Whaling Vessels Sailing from American Ports: A Continuation of Alexander Starbuck’s “History of the American Whale Fishery” 1876-1928. New Bedford, MA: Old Dartmouth Historical Society and Whaling Museum, 1959. Hickey, Donald R. “American Trade Restrictions during the War of 1812.” Journal of American History 68, no. 3 (Dec. 1981): 517-538. Hohman, Elmo Paul. The American Whaleman: A Study of the Life and Labor in the American Whaling Industry. New York: Longmans, Green & Co., 1928. Horsman, Reginald. “Nantucket’s Peace Treaty with England in 1814.” New England Quarterly 54, no. 2 (Jun. 1981): 180-198. Horsman, Reginald. The War of 1812. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1969. Johnson, Robert. “Black-White Relations on Nantucket.” Historical Nantucket (Spring 2002). Taken from www.nha.org. Kugler, Richard C. “The Whale Oil Trade, 1750-1775,” Boston: Colonial Society of Massachusetts, 1980. Main, Jackson Turner. The Social Structure of Revolutionary America. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1965. McDevitt, Joseph L. The House of Rotch: Whaling Merchants of Massachusetts, 1734-1828. New York and London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1986. Morison, Samuel Eliot. The Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783-1860. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1979. Tower, Walter. A History of an American Whalefishery, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1907. Starbuck, Alexander. History of Nantucket, Boston: C. E. Goodspeed Co.,1924. ______. History of the American Whale Fishery from Its Earliest Inception to the Year 1876. Repr., 2 vols., with preface by Stuart C. Sherman. New York: Argosy Antiquarian, 1964. Vickers, Daniel Frederick. “Maritime Labor in Colonial Massachusetts: A Case Study of the Essex County Cod Fishery and the Whaling Industry of Nantucket, 1630-1775.” Ph.D. Thesis, Princeton University, 1981.

Letters Home: Records of the Experiences of Common Soldiers in the American Civil War

The idea for my honors thesis project is inspired by my work last summer in the Chapin Library of Rare Books at Williams. I spent the summer reading and organizing the library’s collection of Civil War soldiers’ letters—a group of about one thousand letters written by men in army camps to the loved ones they left behind at home. Besides a cursory chronological arrangement, no one before me had touched these letters since the library acquired them. For me they represented a vast untapped historical resource—they were sitting in a closet waiting to be discovered, and I was the first to explore their possibilities. I found myself completely absorbed, squinting at line after line of cramped, faded script and imagining the words flowing haltingly from the authors’ pens as they crouched by the light of a sputtering campfire, the booming of cannon fire echoing in the distance. It fascinated me how these young men portrayed their experiences to family members back home—reassuring them of their safety and expressing enthusiasm for their causes while also betraying paralyzing fear and devastating homesickness. In one particularly memorable series of letters a Union soldier continued to write home to his wife from the battlefield during a siege of a Confederate fort, knowing that no mail was running and suspecting that the days he spent crouching under fire in the brush of a Louisiana forest would be his last. But somehow his letters did get through, and the final letter in the sequence told of his harrowing escape to a field hospital, giving me the hope that he and his wife were reunited soon afterwards.

The words of letters like these haunted me after I left work everyday, and stayed with me even after I left Williams for the year. As I started thinking about my plans for my honors thesis, I knew that I wanted to work closely with the letters in the Chapin collection. In my thesis, I plan to explore the average soldier’s experience of the war, using Union and Confederate sources in the form of the letters soldiers sent home to their families and friends. The Chapin Library’s collection is mainly made up of Union letters, so the Union side will be heavily based upon that resource. For the upcoming summer, I have been granted a summer research fellowship from Williams. My plan for this project is to gather resources from the Confederate side, visiting facilities in Virginia that hold extensive collections of Confederate letters. I am deeply interested in letting the authors of the letters speak for themselves so I will be comparing and contrasting specific experiences related by specific soldiers in relation to broader questions such as what reasons Union and Confederate soldiers gave for fighting, whether the views they express in their letters aligned with the professed views of their respective causes, what they knew—if anything—about these causes, and what they thought of one another. Perhaps most of all I would like to use these primary documents to emphasize how the soldiers on opposing sides were alike—how they commonly identified with certain ‘American’ values and ambitions, and how their views on the War were shaped significantly by the coincidence of which side of the divided country they happened to be born on.

I believe letters like these offer historians an invaluable means for stepping inside the minds of the actors who participated in historical events. And the particular set of letters I will examine in my project is important because it does not tell the ‘great man’ version of the Civil War, governed by figures like Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee. Instead, it gives us a broader sense of the common man’s—in this case the common soldier’s—experiences of events that fundamentally shaped the American past. This is a version of the past that is often inaccessible to us, so it is important for historians to take advantage of resources like those housed in the Chapin Library. It is impossible for me to encompass all the perspectives and experiences offered by surviving Civil War letters, which is why I have chosen to focus my research closely on the Chapin collection, which is manageably sized and within convenient proximity to me for research during the academic year. After working with those letters for several months, I feel that I have a general sense of what they have to offer—a representative sample of the experiences of the common soldier in the war. In my research in the South this summer, I plan to supplement the Chapin collection with more Confederate examples. I also plan to draw inspiration from secondary sources, a small collection of which I have listed below. Many scholars have worked from Civil War soldier’s letters in the past, and they have even infiltrated popular culture to a considerable extent—most famously through Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary. These authors will help me to get a sense of wider patterns in the experiences of soldiers, but I will rely upon my reading of primary sources to draw out specific examples.

The most exciting thing about my proposed thesis for me is that I really do not know what I will find or where my research will take me. I suspect that there are an inexhaustible number of topics that may be drawn out from Civil War soldiers’ letters, and I am confident I will find many things in my research that will inspire me. I am deeply committed to approaching history through contact with authentic documents and artifacts, and I look forward to the opportunity to do this over the course my project next year.

Preliminary Bibliography :

Primary sources: I will rely heavily upon the collection of approximately one thousand Civil War letters in the collection of the Chapin Library of Rare Books at Williams for the Union perspective. For the Confederate point of view, I will use collections of letters held by the Virginia Historical Society, the Museum of the Confederacy, and the Library of Virginia, all in Richmond, as well as the library of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. There are also collections of letters accessible online, in particular The American Civil War: Letters and Diaries at http://solomon.cwld.alexanderstreet.com/.

Secondary sources :

Barton, Michael, and Larry M. Logue, eds. The Civil War Soldier: A Historical Reader. New York: New York University Press, 2002. Manning, Chandra. What This Cruel War Was Over. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. McPherson, James M. The Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. ______. For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War, New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. ______. What they Fought For, 1861-1865, Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1994. ______, ed. The Mighty Scourge: Perspectives on the Civil War. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. ______ and William J. Cooper, Jr., eds. Writing the Civil War: The Quest to Understand. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1998. Mitchell, Reid. Civil War Soldiers, New York: Viking, 1988. ______. The Vacant Chair: The Northern Soldier Leaves Home. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Rosenblatt, Emil & Ruth, eds. Hard Marching Every Day: The Civil War Letters of Private Wilbur Fisk, 1861-1865, Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1992. Sheehan-Dean, Aaron. The View From the Ground: Experiences of Civil War Soldiers, Wiley, Bell I. The Life of Billy Yank. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2008. ______. The Life of Johnny Reb, the Common Soldier of the Confederacy. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1943. ______. The Plain People of the Confederacy. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2000.

Writing for Stalin: American Journalists in the USSR, 1928-1941

“There is no famine or actual starvation nor is there likely to be.” So wrote the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times, Walter Duranty, on November 15, 1931. By the end of 1933, between six and eight million Soviet citizens, at least half of them Ukrainians, had perished in the wake of consecutive failed harvests and official repression, in one of the worst man-made famines in history. Duranty won his Pulitzer Prize a year before the end of the famine. Duranty was not alone in his whitewashing of the Soviet Union in general and Stalinist policy in particular. Journalists from all over the world writing from the USSR depicted a land of noble struggle, where the working class, guided by leader and Party, were forging a utopia free from the injustice and squalor of capitalism. Why did so many Western visitors to the USSR allow themselves to become mouthpieces for the Soviet regime, with evidence of political repression and hideous suffering all around them, while only a few observers spoke out against the communist regime? What was the appeal of Stalinism in this age of the great crisis of capitalism? The 1930s were a time of uncertainty for liberal democracy, with the Great Depression causing misery across the world and calling into question the old liberal creeds of free market capitalism, while democracy itself was under siege from totalitarianisms of the left and right. To attempt to encompass this immense crisis in an entire book, let alone a thesis, would be a daunting task. Instead, I propose to probe this crisis through the microcosm of the men and women who visited the Soviet Union hoping to find a workers’ utopia. Many Westerners came to the USSR at the invitation of the regime, as journalists, technical experts, and travel writers who left behind an impressive body of news reports, diaries, letters, and memoirs. My thesis project will examine a particular subset of these visitors—the American journalists writing for US papers like The Nation, Harper’s, The Atlantic Monthly, and The New York Times, or English-language publications in the USSR like The Moscow News. The time frame discussed will open with the launch of the first Five Year Plan in 1928, and conclude with the entry of both the Soviet Union and the United States into the Second World War in 1941. I will further focus my project on the coverage of two particular events: the much-denied famine taking place in the Ukraine, and Stalin’s Purge-era show trials, where many observers wrote either that those on trial really were saboteurs and agents of foreign powers, or that their guilt or innocence was of little consequence in the grand historical drama that was unfolding. I choose these two events because they represent indictments of the Soviet system’s claim to legitimacy—its ability to feed all its people, and its claim to be a truly fair society. The gymnastics of fact and logic undertaken by the regime’s apologists on these points are thus of particular significance.

So far, the question of what it was about most journalists visiting the USSR in this period, and what it was about Soviet communism, that made most reporters toe the Party line has not been addressed in particularly great depth. Today, those who favored the regime, like Walter Duranty, Maurice Hindus, and Anna Louise Strong, tend to be dismissed as ideological hacks, either willfully ignorant or purposely lying in the service of socialism. Those who see through the regime’s cloud of deception are by contrast heroic truth-tellers. A certain amount of work has been done on official Soviet efforts to win over liberal-minded Westerners in this period, and the Duranty Pulitzer Prize controversy has generated a number of articles and books in recent years, most notably S.J. Taylor’s Stalin’s Apologist. However, the historiography leaves open a number of questions. Were the journalists reluctant to speak against the regime because they could lose their access to the leadership, because their families might be targeted (many married in Russia), or similar, practical causes? To what extent did the practical intersect with the ideological as reporters sympathized with the official ideology and goals of the regime, and were prepared to forgive a little gangsterism on the part of the leadership if it would bring about a genuinely fair and equal society? As Duranty put it in his article of May 14th, 1933, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.” Was there something about the generally well-meaning liberalism of the American journalists that led them in droves to whitewash the crimes of Stalinism in service of some genuinely laudable social projects like universal literacy and the welfare state, as well as a powerful vision of a society that could come to be? Moreover, how were these journalists’ points of view informed by the society that produced them? What, if any, were the differences in the attitudes of those who were foreign-born, like Duranty and Hindus, and those like Strong who were natural-born citizens? To what extent did the reporters’ experience of Depression-era America, with all its hunger and inequality, influence their perception of the Soviet Union, which claimed to eliminate all such evils of capitalism?

In seeking an explanation of why so many American reporters upheld the Stalinist line in this period, I plan to explore three distinct sets of sources. First, I will examine the actual newspaper reports produced by these journalists. Americans reporting from Moscow were well aware that they were virtually the only source of information about events inside the USSR available to Americans, and their articles naturally give a great deal of insight into how they hoped to explain the Soviet system to the American public. Next I will consider more private sources like the reporters’ diaries and letters, which may shed light on the internal thoughts, goals, motivations, and reservations of the journalists, and include thoughts that were left out of their news articles or later memoirs. Finally, I will consider the memoirs that many journalists wrote during or directly after this period about their experiences in the USSR. The memoirs that I have read so far are extremely rich sources, raising a number of important questions of methodology. How far can we trust these reporters, who often wrote several years after the events they witnessed? Were the memoirs published before or after the Soviet Union had become engaged in the battle against fascism, either indirectly in Spain, or directly after 1941? Are these memoirs little more than cases of special pleading by journalists hoping to prop up both the great idea of communism and their own reputations? The memoirs by those reporters like Eugene Lyons who defied the safe consensus of their colleagues and wrote against Stalinism (often at the price of their careers) present a fascinating set of outliers. Can we trust such former sympathizers to report the truth as they saw it, or do conversions from fellow traveler to anticommunist attack dog represent swings between extremes of endorsement and repulsion, implying unreliability? These sources, both the ones I encountered and wrote about in my tutorial last term with Robert Service, as well as those I have come across since, will constitute a very rich base for my research.

Using this source material, I am seeking to tie together the grand political and ideological debates of the 1930s and the personal lives of the journalists in question to explain why so many of these men and women embraced Stalinism, while a few wrote furious condemnations of the Soviet system. This project will in many ways be an exploration of the crisis of capitalism and seeming rise of socialism in microcosm, driven by the particular nuances and intricacies of my particular material. In 2010, it seems all too obvious to us that Stalinism was a nightmare for millions of Soviet citizens, but eighty years ago, it was still very much an open question whether the future belonged to capitalism or communism. Those who made excuses for Stalinism sometimes did so for the best of reasons. However, that so many people could be so wrong about Stalinism demands an explanation.

Dismal Scientists, Diplomats, and Spooks: Bissell, Milliken, and Rostow and Their Impact on U.S. Foreign Policy

As the current global economic crisis shakes countries around the world, its effects resonate beyond the realms of financial regulators, central banks, and finance ministries. This crisis has created a number of foreign policy challenges for the United States government, and Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair recently declared to the Senate intelligence committee, “The primary near-term security concern of the United States is the global economic crisis and its geopolitical implications.” Blair, however, is not the first representative of the U.S. intelligence apparatus, or even the foreign policy-making establishment of the country as a whole, to advocate for incorporating economics into the conduct of U.S. foreign relations.

Richard Bissell, Max Milliken, and Walt Rostow share a number of similarities; all three, born in the beginning of the twentieth century, graduated from Yale University, became economics professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and later worked as researchers at a number of the same think tanks. More remarkably, all three of these men wandered from academia and into influential roles in the foreign policy-making establishment of the U.S. government during the early Cold War. Between them, these former economists developed strong ties to the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department, and the White House during the formative years of the United States’ as a global hegemon.

This commonality opens a number of interesting questions. What motivated their decisions to become economists and then to transition from academics to Cold Warriors? Was their overlap coincidental or does some common thread or societal trend connect their journeys? And, most important and relevant to questions at hand today, what role did these social scientists see for economic theory and analysis in the planning and practice of foreign policy? I plan to explore how world events shaped the career decisions and ideologies of these men, and, in turn, what effect their ideas and contributions had on the development of U.S. foreign policy.

I expect to mainly explore their ideas on economic intelligence, especially with regard to Milliken and Bissell, who both spent significant periods in the CIA, and modernization theory, for which both Rostow and Milliken served as strong advocates to the White House and State Department. With current debates in the U.S. on rebuilding our economic intelligence capacities, correctly using foreign aid, and coping with the current financial crises, the insights gleaned from these former scholars and Cold Warriors could shed light on contemporary issues.

As sources for my investigation, I plan on utilizing the papers of Max Milliken and Walt Rostow, which are both available at the John F. Kennedy Library. Bissell’s memoir and several oral interviews in which he participated are also publicly available. Furthermore, several working papers, which these men produced as officials of the U.S. government and as researchers at numerous think tanks, are known to exist. And, finally, I plan to utilize the rich existing scholarship on modernization theory and its role in U.S. foreign policy.

Bibliography

Central Intelligence Agency On-line Library. Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room. Personal Papers of Max Millikan (1913-1969), John F. Kennedy Library. Walt W. Rostow (#8.24), John F. Kennedy Library. Wilson, Theodore A. and Richard D. McKinzie. “Oral History Interview with Richard M. Bissell, Jr.” Harry S. Truman Library. Works by all three at various think tanks, including one collaboration between Bissell and Milliken at the Center for International Studies (CENIS). Bissell, Jr., Richard M. Reflections of a Cold Warrior: From Yalta to the Bay of Pigs. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996. Fialka, John J. War by Other Means: Economic Espionage in America. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1999. Latham, Michael. Modernization as Ideology. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2000. Light, Jennifer S. From Warfare to Welfare. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003. Pearce, Kimber Charles. Rostow, Kennedy, and the Rhetoric of Foreign Aid. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2001.

Media Reflections of Western Public Opinion in the Suez Crisis

In the years following the Second World War, the global balance of power shifted significantly; following conflict amongst the traditional Great Powers, a bipolar power struggle emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union. The military and financial costs of the Second World War made it extremely difficult for European powers to hold their colonial empires, the loss of which compounded their economic downfall and ensured their decline as world powers. These material conditions were certainly a major factor in determining the new balance of power, as was the relative strength of the U.S.’s economic position, but less quantifiable factors were also importantly at play, namely the ability of each of the new and old powers to reconceptualize its role in the world and adapt its attitudes toward other nations accordingly. As decolonization occurred and Cold War conflicts began to arise across the globe, the Cold War powers and the traditional Great Powers were facing novel foreign policy challenges, mostly in the vein of trying to establish influence overseas when using force to do so was no longer feasible or morally acceptable. Thus each nation contending for global influence was forced to reassess its identity as a player on the world stage. Government officials developing policy carried out this reassessment as a conscious process, but it also occurred spontaneously within national populations responding to the obvious shifts in global power dynamics, begging the question: how well did government reconceptions of identity reflect public attitudes in the early Cold War era? The emergence of many new nations and nationalisms in the postwar world created ample cases which exemplify how modern national self-perceptions developed on different levels and how that led to the consolidation of a new world order. My thesis will focus on the 1956 Suez Crisis, due to its location in the strategically important and materially rich Middle East, which resulted in the involvement of many countries, and within that conflict, on the Western powers involved, for whom government was supposedly representative- England, France, and the United States.

Despite historiographical debates about precipitating and intermediate causes, the Suez Crisis of 1956 can be traced at least in part to the joint U.S.-British decision to discontinue their planned funding for the Egyptian government’s Aswan High Dam project, leaving the Egyptians in need of ready money, which served to justify Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser’s nationalization of the Suez Canal. The proposed Aswan High Dam project was exemplary of the new state of relations between Egypt and the western powers following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The new Egyptian leadership was anti-colonial, but not opposed to productive relations with the Western world. Thus, it hoped cooperative projects like the construction of the Aswan High Dam could usher in a new type of relationship between Egypt and the West. For Britain, this would mean relations based on voluntary economic cooperation rather than exploitation by force, while for the U.S. the change of policy consisted not in promoting an anti-colonial position but in doing so quite actively, as opposed to its former stance of relative isolationism. Britain and the U.S. tried to advance anti-colonial economic relations as per Egyptian requirements in order to maintain and create, respectively, a presence in the region, which was important in order to protect financial interests in the Middle East that were highly dependent on access to the Suez Canal, and to keep the Soviets from establishing rival influence there.

However, when the U.S. and Britain ultimately deemed the Aswan High Dam project inopportune and Nasser nationalized the canal in the summer of 1956, the ensuing Suez Crisis featured the British, influenced by the French, playing a traditional colonial imperialist role, while the U.S. took on a novel modern role, acting as an international arbitrator in pursuit of its own Cold War related interests. That Britain aligned with France rather than U.S. during the Suez Crisis is not entirely surprising given each nation’s recent history in international relations; careful study has reflected the extent to which French and British politicians were misguided in their political calculations by thought processes that were still largely driven by outmoded colonial considerations. There is also debate about the extent to which they based their policies on false assumptions about the U.S. position. The leaders involved in the Suez Crisis based their decisions about how best to serve their material interests without losing political capital not only on analysis of other nations’ official positions but also on their reading of public opinion at the time. No Western government wanted to act against national will and lose popularity with its constituents over Suez. It is therefore natural to wonder to what degree the western leadership’s gauge of popular thought was skewed by historicism, or conversely, how closely public attitudes in Britain, France, and the U.S. towards the developing crisis in the Middle East actually tended to match official ones in judging what action each nation should take.

For my thesis, I would like to examine this question: to what extent were policy-influencing perceptions of public opinion about the Suez Crisis in Britain, France, and the U.S. accurate? To fill out the high command side of the picture I would use mostly secondary sources, and when necessary the primary documents they are based upon (such as sources available in the U.S. National Archives, British Public Records Office, and French Foreign Ministry Archives), focusing my original research on French, British, and U.S. newspaper and perhaps radio coverage as indicative of trends within the field of public opinion in each country. To manage the scope of this study, I intend to concentrate on the two most publicly controversial time periods within the months of the Suez Crisis, the week after the canal was nationalized on July 26, 1956 (up to and including August 2) and the week after Israel invaded Egypt on October 29, 1956 (up to and including November 6). By analyzing the straight news coverage of, and the range of editorial responses to, the decision taken by Nasser to nationalize the canal, the decision of Israel to invade Sinai, and the subsequent statements and actions taken by France, Britain, and the U.S., I hope to determine the tenor of each national discourse about the crisis, and to place all three within a comparative framework in order to determine the relative degree to which elite and mass perceptions corresponded over the appropriate role for each Western power to play in Suez. The degree to which the press (on a national and local level, across the full spectrum of political stances), condoned and encouraged official decisions taken during the Suez Crisis will hopefully illuminate how well the political development of the crisis matched mainstream contemporary attitudes not merely about the situation, but about where the world powers now stood as arbiters of international relations and, thereby, how far long-serving leaders with deeply rooted beliefs about the role of their nations in the world were able to conform to the demands of a world in which the ideological as well as material environment had recently undergone major changes.

Preliminary Reading List :

Relevant Primary Sources to be located through:

The Times online archives, at http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/archive/ British Library Integrated Catalogue: Newspapers, at http://catalogue.bl.uk ProQuest Historical Newspapers (US) including The New York Times, at http://proquest.umi.com French sources through Gallica, the French National Library’s Digital Browser, at http://gallica.bnf.fr/?&lang=FR

Azar, Edward E. “Conflict Escalation and Conflict Reduction in an International Crisis: Suez, 1956.” Journal of Conflict Resolution 16 (1972): 183-201. Cockett, R. “The Observer and the Suez Crisis.” Contemporary British History 5, no.1 (Summer 1991): 9-31. Gorst, Anthony, and Lewis Johnman. The Suez Crisis. London: Routledge, 1997. Louis, Wm. Roger, and Roger Owen. Suez 1956: The Crisis and its Consequences. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. Lucas, W. Scott. Divided We Stand: Britain, the United States and the Suez Crisis. Sevenoaks: Hodder and Stoughton, 1991. Negrine, Ralph. “The Press and the Suez Crisis: A Myth Re-Examined.” Historical Journal 25, no. 4 (1982): 975-983. Oneal, John R., Brad Lian, and James H. Joyner, Jr. “Are the American People ‘Pretty Prudent’? Public Responses to U.S. Uses of Force, 1950-1988.” International Studies Quarterly 40, no. 2 (Jun., 1996): 261-279. Owen, Jean. “The Polls and Newspaper Appraisal of the Suez Crisis.” Public Opinion Quarterly 21 (1957): 350-354. Parmentier, Guillaume. “The British Press in the Suez Crisis.” Historical Journal 23, no. 2 (1980): 435-448. Rawnsley, G. D. “Cold War Radio in Crisis: the BBC Overseas Services, the Suez Crisis and the 1956 Hungarian Uprising.” Historical Journal of Radio and Television 16, no.2 (Jun., 1996): 197-219. ______. “Overt and Covert: The Voice of Britain and Black Radio Broadcasting in the Suez crisis, 1956.” Intelligence and National Security 11, no. 3 (July, 1996): 497-522. Shaw, Tony. Eden, Suez and the Mass Media: Propaganda and Persuasion During the Suez Crisis. London: Tauris, 1996.

The Implications, Effects, and Uses of Media in the Emmett Till Lynching

I propose to write an Honors Thesis in History during the xxxx academic year. After researching topics that interest me and consulting with Professor xxxx, I have developed a project that analyzes the uses and effects of media during the Civil Rights Movement. More specifically, my project will investigate how children, and the American media’s depiction of them, greatly impacted the American consciousness of the Civil Rights Movement. Children were a part of some of the most widely televised and reported Civil Rights events such as the lynching of Emmett Till, the use of water cannons and police dogs on children, the deaths of four black girls in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, the desegregation of Central High School, and the Selma marches where children were trampled by police horses.

Taking on a project with all these events would be beyond the scope of a senior thesis, so Professor Long and I have narrowed our focus to the lynching of Emmett Till in 1955. To briefly summarize this event, after allegedly whistling at a white woman, fourteen year old Emmett Till was shot and his body thrown in the Tallahatchie River in Mississippi by a group of white men. Emmett’s great-uncle identified two of these men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, as those who had forced Emmett into their car the night he was killed. The trial lasted a mere five days, and the all-white jury acquitted both men of Emmett’s death in about an hour.

Media coverage served very important roles in Emmett Till’s death. In The Chicago Defender, Emmett’s hometown newspaper, the first articles on Emmett Till include pictures of his inconsolable mother being held upright by family members in front of Emmett’s casket. The newspaper articles focusing on Emmett also refer to the recent lynchings of black voting rights activists and the recent Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case. In effect, these articles attached a name, face, and picture to individuals affected by racist violence in the South while incorporating and increasing the visibility of large-scale race issues. Television crews broadcast Emmett’s mutilated face at his open-casket funeral, sparking outrage and horror throughout the country. Viewing these images in white America’s living room made the Jim Crow South more visible across white America. Media coverage of Emmett’s death further motivated black America to take a stand against white supremacy, all the more so after both white men confessed to Emmett’s murder in Look Magazine. This event raises myriad questions regarding race relations in the South, but I want to focus my efforts on a few that interest me most. I want to explore the reasons, implications, and effects of Emmett’s mother’s decision to display Emmett’s mutilated and decomposed face at his open-casket funeral. This investigation leads to the history, reasons, and importance of open-casket funerals in the African-American community. My project will also analyze the response of the white community in the immediate area where Emmett was murdered. His murder has been well documented in television coverage, newspaper articles, and magazine interviews; however, very little research has examined the media’s impact on the regional, national, and international levels. I want to examine how these communities responded to Emmett’s death and how the white South was viewed as a result of different reactions according to race and location.

Furthermore, Emmett Till’s murder raises questions regarding white masculinity and femininity and their relationship to black masculinity. Another aspect to this project may include how the image of Emmett Till has been remembered and reconstructed by the media more recently in the form of television series and movies. I seek to investigate these issues primarily through primary sources such as photographs, television coverage, newspaper articles, and interviews of individuals. Secondary resources, particularly in the field of media studies will be helpful to my project. Overall, my project will become part of a greater dialogue that explores the media’s perception of the white response to black life and culture in the Jim Crow South.

Since the summer after my sophomore year at Williams, I have laid the foundation for this project. My independent research through the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship has allowed me to develop my research skills, work closely with a professor, and read over a dozen seminal primary and secondary sources in the field of race relations in the United States. I have already written two research papers, (with a third on the way) about these books.

I am interested in writing an Honors Thesis in History for many reasons. Most importantly, I want the opportunity to immerse myself in a subject that greatly interests me while contributing to a larger body of academic work in the field. Writing a thesis is also important because it will allow me to dedicate an extended period of time to a very specific subject. I enjoy historical research and want the satisfaction of knowing that I thoroughly understand the intricacies and nuances of a particular topic, even though it may be a small fraction of a larger whole. Additionally, I want to complete a large historical project to show history graduate schools of my seriousness in pursuing a Ph.D. in American History.

Cromwell Lives while Mason Stalks: Irish Nationalism and Historical Memory during the Troubles

In my proposed thesis I want to ask how significant perceptions of Irish history were in perpetuating the Troubles. Often, the pieces of history that get retold vindicate the present. I believe that perceptions of Irish history are significant in perpetuating the conflict in Northern Ireland because both Unionists and Nationalists created their own versions of history which they use to give legitimacy to their political visions for the future. Within the communities, different interest groups manipulate and re-manipulate history and each separate reading of the past justifies the present actions of its perpetuators. In this sense, the issue of history is an issue of legitimacy, and legitimacy is directly linked to political power. In their book The Northern Ireland Conflict: Consociational Engagements, John McGarry and Brendan O’Leary write that Northern Ireland is “a site of competing analogies and norms. Neither of its communities… have been able to achieve hegemonic legitimacy. This is one reason why the conflict continues.” It’s a trope that history is written by the winners, and in Northern Ireland, both sides are trying to write themselves as winners. Far from just an intellectual debate, the separate readings of history are crafted to justify political action, perpetuating the conflict.

Partition is a classic example of how Unionists and Nationalists use history to justify their current political positions. The Unionists perception of history accentuates the continuity of partition as a social force. Historian A.T.Q. Stewart uses the election of 1886 to emphasize the innate nature of partition. In it, seventeen out of thirty-three Ulster members of parliament elected were for Home Rule. That emphasized to Protestants that they were characteristically different from the rest of the inhabitants of Ireland. Stewart writes, “from 1886 to 1920, Ulster Protestants were a minority under threat.” By stressing the deep, cultural roots of partition, Stewart justifies it as a logical action and just solution that was a long time coming.

In contrast, the general Nationalist reading of the same period of history frames partition as “the arbitrary division of the country”, to quote the New Ireland Forum Report. “In the period immediately after 1920,” the Report continues, “many saw partition as transitory.” Nationalists tend to blame British imperialism or other exogenous factors as the cause of the conflict. In this way, they are able to represent partition an illegitimate action imposed on Ireland. The emphasis on exogenous factors allows Nationalists to imply that partition is the problem. Generally, they argue that by removing it and restoring the territorial integrity of Ireland, the conflict would be solved.

Both Unionists and Nationalists construct elaborate historical myths that legitimate their claim to the territory of Northern Ireland. Andy Tyrie, the supreme commander of the Ulster Defense Association in the early 1980s, broke from the traditional Unionist position of supporting union with Great Britain and advocated for an independent Ulster in the early 1980s. He created historical justification for his position by arguing that the areas of Scotland where Ulster Protestants came from were originally colonized by tribesmen from Ulster in the early middle ages—so in a sense Ulster Protestants were just returning to their ancestral homeland when they re-colonized in the seventeenth century. “Many people are convinced that the Protestants arrived here in 1607,” he said. “But their ancestors arrived here long before that. The Ulster people have always been here.”

Tyrie’s myth about Ulster was designed to compete with the traditionally Republican version of history of centuries of Irish resistance to British imperial rule. The Nationalist myth, as summarized by Padraig O’Malley, begins with the invasion of Ireland by England 800 years ago. In it, O’Malley writes, “history is linear. Thus, Ireland was subdued by superior arms and resources, but not beaten; the struggle to re-establish a free and united Ireland was carried forward from generation to generation.” The H-Block Song, written for the Republican prisoners in the maze perpetuates this view of events. The song ends with the question, “Does Britain need a thousand years of protest, riot, death, and tears?” emphasizing the long history of Irish oppression at the hands of British invaders. Lines like “Black Cromwell lives while Mason stalks” create a sense of the historical continuity of the fight against British imperialism, linking Oliver Cromwell with Roy Mason, the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the H-Block song was written in 1976.

Both of these “ancestral tribe” myths are designed to support current claims to the island. Neither one is particularly valid historically, but the point is not historical accuracy. These myths are designed to create legitimacy for current political claims. Thus, history has become a tool allowing each side to perpetuate and justify their view of the conflict.

In my proposed thesis I’d ask the significance of perceptions of Irish history in perpetuating the Troubles. Much of the scholarship that I’ve read concentrates on specific historical occurrences and doesn’t directly investigate Irish historiography, or the link between historical memory and political action. I’d begin with a definition and explanation of the Nationalist myth of unbroken struggle. I’d draw on the writings of Irish Nationalists such as Padraig Pearse, as well as later scholarship by historians such as Padraig O’Malley. I’d also study how this historical myth has been created and perpetuated both inside Ireland and also abroad. On the international front, I’d specifically focus on how Irish Nationalists draw historical analogies to oppressed-native minority/settler-oppressor conflicts such as comparing their situation to the struggle over apartheid in South Africa. I’d study memoirs and interviews, like Adrian Kerr’s book Perceptions: Cultures in Conflict, and scholarship, such as Adrian Guelke’s book on comparative politics, Northern Ireland: An International Perspective. I’d also draw on art and propaganda: music, street murals, accounts of parades, 1916 commemoration posters issued by Sinn Fein and other Republican groups, and films, such as the 1980 documentary The Patriot Game, which gives a Nationalist account of the Troubles.

The well-established historical myth of Nationalist struggle presupposes an almost inevitable pattern to history: “Ireland unfree will never be at peace.” Therefore, I’d next investigate how the Nationalist reading of Irish history has affected political events during the Troubles. I’d focus on two important historical occurrences, the 1974 Ulster Worker’s Council strike that brought down the Sunningdale power-sharing agreement and the 1981 Republican hunger strikes. According to the strike bulletins, the main reason the UWC wanted to stop Sunningdale was because of the provisions it made to involve the Irish Free State in Northern Ireland’s affairs, which it characterizes as “the main danger.” I’d investigate if this anti-Irish attitude was affected by the striker’s perceptions of Ulster history and the North’s relationship to the South.

With the hunger strikes, I’d research the connection between the strikers’ experiences and Irish history. I’d specifically ask if the hunger strikers appealed to historically Irish motifs of martyrdom in an attempt to gain political legitimacy for the Provisional IRA. My hunch is that the Nationalist movement consciously used history as a practical tool in order to get political status for their prisoners, but it would take further research to figure this out. Not Meekly Serve My Time, the remembrances of Republican H-Block prisoners and hunger strikers would be invaluable, as would the diaries of Bobby Sands and the writings of Gerry Adams, as well as the memoirs of SDLP party leader John Hume.

Through these two specific incidents, I’d study how perceptions of Irish history affected the politics of Northern Ireland during the 1970s and early 1980s and also investigate how Nationalists and Unionists used interpretations of history to generate political legitimacy.

Adams, Gerry. Selected Writings. Kerry: Brandon, 1994. Bew, Paul and Patterson, Henry. The British State and the Ulster Crisis. New York: Verso, 185. Patrick Bishop and Eamonn Mallie. The Provisional IRA. Aylesbury: Corgi Books, 1989. Campbell, Brian, Laurence McKeown, and Felim O’Hagan, ed. Not Meekly Serve My Time: The H Block Struggle 1976-1981. Belfast: Beyond the Pale Publications, 1998. Farrell, Michael. Northern Ireland: The Orange State. London: Pluto Press Limited, 1976. Gallagher, AM. “Majority Minority Review 2: Employment, Unemployment and Religion in Northern Ireland.” CAIN Web Service, http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/csc/reports/mm210.htm. Guelke, Adrian. Northern Ireland: An International Perspective. New York : St. Martin’s Press, 1988. Hepburn, A.C., ed. The Conflict of Nationality in Modern Ireland. London: Edward Arnold Ltd., 1980. Hume, John. Personal views, Politics, Peace and Reconciliation in Ireland. Dublin: Town House, 1996 Kerr, Adrian, ed. Perceptions: Cultures in Conflict. Derry: Guildhall Press, 1996. McAllister, Ian. The Northern Ireland Social Democratic and Labor Party. London: Unwin Brothers Ltd., 1977. MacDonagh, Oliver. States of Mind. London: Pimlico, 1992. McGarry, John and Brendan O’Leary. Explaining Northern Ireland. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1995. ______. The Northern Ireland Conflict: Consociational Engagements. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Mulchaly, Aogan. “Claims-Making and the Construction of Legitimacy: Press Coverage of the 1981 Hunger Strikes.” Social Problems 42, No. 4 (Nov. 1995): 467-499. “The New Ireland Forum Report,” CAIN Web Service, http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/ issues/politics/nifr.htm. O’Malley, Padriag. Biting at the Grave. Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1990. ______. The Uncivil Wars. Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1983. O’Neill, Terence. Ulster at the Crossroads. Faber and Faber: London, 1969. Rose, Richard. Governing without Consensus. London: Faber and Faber, 1971. Sands, Bobby. Writings from Prison. Cork: Mercier Press, 1998. Stewart, A.T.Q. The Narrow Ground: The Roots of the Conflict in Ulster. London: Faber and Faber, 1997. “Strike Bulletins of the Ulster Worker’s Council Strike, No 1.” CAIN Web Service. http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/uwc/uwc-pdfs/one.pdf. Sweeney, George. “Irish Hunger Strikes and the Cult of Self-Sacrifice.” Journal of Contemporary History 28, No. 3 (Jul. 1993): 421-437. Wichert, Sabine. Northern Ireland Since 1945. London: Longman, 1999.

‘My broken dreams of peace and socialism’: Youth propaganda, personality, and selfhood in the GDR, 1979-1989.

“I was a young citizen in a young nation, and it was my duty to advance the cause of socialism,” writes Jana Hensel in her memoir of childhood during East Germany’s final decade of socialism. The molding of youth and children like Hensel into healthy “socialist personalities” desirous of political stability and unity had been the object of the Socialist Unity Party’s (SED) most ardent ideological efforts ever since the foundation of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in 1949. By the 1980’s, however, when the GDR could no longer rely on brute force to secure the loyalty of its subjects, the very survival of the Communist East German regime had come to depend on the success of the socialist mentality building project. To urge the new generations of East Germans to develop personal qualities essential for the advancement of socialism, the SED mobilized all of its resources: the school system, youth organizations, mass events, and leisure time activities. Unlike the youth of the 1960’s, however, “Honecker’s children” turned out to be much more concerned with personal matters than with the fulfillment of their social and political obligations. Moreover, with the assimilation of new psychological models and concepts of individuality throughout the 1980’s, the anachronism and absurdity of SED’s personality building project became increasingly apparent.

In my Honors thesis, I plan to examine the manifold ways in which the ideological prescriptions disseminated by the SED during the 1980’s actually shaped the lived experience and affected the sense of selfhood of young members of East German society. I also wish to reflect on the lasting effects of GDR’s preoccupation with character building on the sense of identity of “Honecker’s children” twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. My work thus aims to complement current historical literature on the politics of the GDR’s youth project with a thorough investigation of the cultural, psychological, and sociological aspects of socialist character building in the GDR. To this end, I plan to relate my investigation of the ways in which the youth responded to new ideas about the socialist East German self to sociological and anthropological works on identity and selfhood, as well as to psychological theory on childhood and memory. By examining the ideas about selfhood lying at the very heart of East German youth policies and focusing on the ways in which the youth understood them and responded to them, I hope to challenge current understandings of the overarching roles of culture and ideology in postwar German history.

I will begin my research by examining official documents printed by the GDR Ministry of Education, to reveal how state-sanctioned ideas about selfhood were engendered and promoted by the East German school system throughout the 1980’s. I will then explore the inner workings of mass youth organizations such as the Free German Youth (FDJ) to trace the manifestation of these ideas in party-monitored extracurricular and leisure time activities. By investigating children’s letters to relatives, diaries, and anthologies of poems, I plan to shed light on the kinds of interpretive categories that children and youth were using in turn to make sense of their own experiences and evolving personalities. I will then examine memories of GDR’s personality building project in their natural context by conducting interviews with the protagonists of my research during my stay in Berlin and Jena this summer.

Among the secondary sources central to my research are the works of social historians such as Anna Saunders, Alan McDougall, John Rodden, and Alan Nothnagle, who have previously explored the dynamics of youth policy in the GDR and delineated the evolution of propaganda techniques employed by communist youth organizations and schools to communicate Marxist-Leninist values and ideology. Equally significant are the works of Alon Confino and Daphne Berdahl, which examine the consequences of the rigorous program of socialist patriotic education in the GDR on the sense of national and personal identity of the youth before and after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. My research aims to respond to debates that have concerned not only German historians, but also scholars of international youth politics. Some of the questions I will be asking are: how much autonomy did the East German youth of the 1980’s have in shaping their sense of self, in what ways were they influenced by the personality models put forward by the SED, how did they conceive of themselves as historical subjects before and after the collapse of the East German regime, and what may explain their reactions to the personality building project?

Agee, Joel. 1981. Twelve years: an American boyhood in East Germany. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. Andresen, Sabine. 2006. Sozialistische Kindheitskonzepte: politische Einflüsse auf die Erziehung. München: Ernst Reinhardt. Annen, Niels, Björn Böhning, Kai Burmeister, and Sven Frye. 2007. 100 years of International Socialist Youth: struggle for peace and equality in the world. Internationale Politik (Vorwarts Buch (Berlin, Germany)). Berlin: Vorwärts Buch. Baehr, Vera-Maria. 1990. Wir denken erst seit Gorbatschow: Protokolle von Jugendlichen aus der DDR. Recklinghausen: G. Bitter. Berdahl, Daphne. 1999. Where the world ended: re-unification and identity in the German borderland. Berkeley, Calif: University of California Press. Berdahl, Daphne. 2000. Altering states: ethnographies of transition in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. Ann Arbor: Univ. of Michigan Press. Confino, Alon, and Peter Fritzsche. 2002. The work of memory: new directions in the study of German society and culture. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. Confino, Alon. 2006. Germany as a culture of remembrance: promises and limits of writing history. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. Franke, Klaus, and Gerhard Krause. 1976. Kommunisten und Jugend in der DDR. ABC des Marxismus-Leninismus. Berlin: Dietz Verlag. Freie Deutsche Jugend. 1987. Fragen und Antworten zum Programm der SED. Berlin: Dietz. Friedrich, Walter. 1975. Jugend, FDJ [i.e. Freie Deutsche Jugend], Gesellschaft: Beiträge zur sozialistischen Persönlichkeitsentwicklung junger Arbeiter und Studenten in der DDR. Berlin: Verlag Neues Leben. Fulbrook, Mary. 2005. The people’s state: East German society from Hitler to Honecker. New Haven: Yale University Press. Hellbeck, Jochen. 2006. Revolution on my mind: writing a diary under Stalin. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Hensel, Jana. 2004. After the Wall: confessions from an East German childhood and the life that came next. New York: Public Affairs. Intertext, Fremdsprachendienst der DDR. 1985. Free German youth, the GDR’s all-embracing youth organization. Berlin: Panorama DDR. Jahnke, Karl Heinz. 1986. Partei und Jugend: Dokumente marxistisch-leninistischer Jugendpolitik. Berlin: Dietz. Jarausch, Konrad Hugo. 1994. The rush to German unity. New York: Oxford University Press. Jarausch, Konrad Hugo. 1999. Dictatorship as experience: towards a socio-cultural history of the GDR. New York: Berghahn Books. Leiby, Richard A. 1999. The unification of Germany, 1989-1990. Greenwood Press “Guides to historic events of the twentieth century”. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. Leidecker, Gudrun, Dieter Kirchhöfer, and Peter Güttler. 1991. Ich weiss nicht, ob ich froh sein soll: Kinder erleben die Wende. Stuttgart: Metzler. Macleod, David I. 1983. Building character in the American boy: the Boy Scouts, YMCA, and their forerunners, 1870-1920. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Maier, Charles S. 1997. Dissolution: The crisis of Communism and the end of East Germany. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. McAdams, A. James. 1993. Germany divided: from the wall to reunification. Princeton studies in international history and politics. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. McDougall, Alan. 2004. Youth politics in East Germany: the Free German Youth Movement, 1946-1968. Oxford historical monographs. Oxford: Clarendon. Meier, Andreas. 1998. Jugendweihe–JugendFEIER: ein deutsches nostalgisches Fest vor und nach 1990. München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag. Michalzik, Martin. 1994. An der Seite der Genossen–: offizielles Jugendbild und politische Sozialisation im SED-Staat : zum Scheitern der sozialistischen Erziehung in der DDR. Melle: Knoth. Mothes, Jörn. 1996. Beschädigte Seelen: DDR-Jugend und Staatssicherheit : mit 136 Dokumenten und einer Audi-CD mit Original-Tonunterlagen. Bremen: Edition Temmen. Nothnagle, Alan L. 1999. Building the East German myth: historical mythology and youth propaganda in the German Democratic Republic, 1945-1989. Social history, popular culture, and politics in Germany. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Pelka, Anna. 2008. Jugendmode und Politik in der DDR und in Polen: eine vergleichende Analyse 1968-1989. Osnabrück: Fibre. Pence, Katherine, and Paul Betts. 2008. Socialist modern: East German everyday culture and politics. Social history, popular culture, and politics in Germany. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. Rodden, John. 2002. Repainting the little red schoolhouse: a history of Eastern German education, 1945-1995. New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press. Rodden, John. 2006. Textbook reds: schoolbooks, ideology, and Eastern German identity. University Park, Pa: The Pennsylvania State University Press. Rodden, John. 2008. The walls that remain: Eastern and Western Germans since reunification. Boulder: Paradigm Publishers. Saunders, Anna. 2007. Honecker’s children: youth and patriotism in East(ern) Germany, 1979-2002. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Schmemann, Serge. 2006. When the wall came down: the Berlin Wall and the fall of Soviet communism. Boston: Kingfisher. Schneider, Gisela. 1980. Jugendbrigaden, Bahnbrecher des Neuen. Berlin: Verlag Tribüne. Solms, Wilhelm. 1992. Begrenzt glücklich: Kindheit in der DDR. Marburg: Hitzeroth. Thomson-Wohlgemuth, Gaby. 2009. Translation under state control: books for young people in the German Democratic Republic. New York: Routledge. Turner, Henry Ashby. 1987. The two Germanies since 1945. New Haven: Yale University Press. Urban, Detlef, and Hans Willi Weinzen. 1984. Jugend ohne Bekenntnis?: 30 Jahre Konfirmation und Jugendweihe im anderen Deutschland 1954-1984. Berlin: Wichern-Verlag. Walter, Michael. 1997. Die Freie Deutsche Jugend: ihre Funktionen im politischen System der DDR. Freiburg im Breisgau: Arnold Bergstraesser Institut. Weyer, Jochen. 1974. Youth in the GDR: everyday life of young people under socialism. Berlin: Panorama DDR. Zahra, Tara. 2008. Kidnapped souls: national indifference and the battle for children in the Bohemian Lands, 1900-1948. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Zilch, Dorle. 1994. Millionen unter der blauen Fahne: die FDJ : Zahlen, Fakten, Tendenzen : Mitgliederbewegung und Strukturen in der FDJ-Mitgliedschaft von 1946 bis 1989 unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Funktionäre. Rostock: Norddeutscher Hochschulschriften Verlag.

A Collection of Dissertation Topics in American History: A Comprehensive Guide

Our comprehensive guide is here to help illuminate a vast array of topics within American history that may inspire and drive your research. Our aim? To keep you focused, fuel your passion, and to make your writing process an enjoyable academic adventure.

Colonial and Revolutionary America

We suggest starting the journey by considering the period spanning from the early European settlements in North America to the exciting events of the American Revolution. You can choose to scrutinize the socio-economic and political catalysts that shaped the foundation of American colonies, or dive deep into the impact European colonization had on Native American populations. A fascinating aspect to explore is the role religion, such as Puritanism and the Great Awakening, played in early American society. You can also explore the causes and consequences of the American Revolution, which can become an exhilarating research from the Stamp Act to the Treaty of Paris. Our list of topics for a dissertation in history concludes with suggestions to research how the United States Constitution was drafted and ratified, which can shed light on the intriguing debates, compromises, and the formulation of the Bill of Rights.

Topic Examples:

• The role of the British colonial policy in shaping the American Revolution
• Native American-European relations during early colonization
• The economic impact of the Triangle Trade on the American colonies
• The role of women in colonial America
• The impact of the Great Awakening on colonial society
• The influence of Enlightenment thought on the American Revolution
• The significance of the Stamp Act in sparking colonial rebellion
• The role of Benjamin Franklin in the development of the United States
• The Battle of Saratoga: A turning point in the American Revolution
• George Washington’s leadership during the American Revolution
• The role of African Americans in the American Revolution
• The impact of the French and Indian War on colonial tensions
• The ideological foundations of the Declaration of Independence
• The role of propaganda in shaping public opinion during the American Revolution
• The contributions of the Sons of Liberty to the revolutionary cause
• The impact of the Boston Tea Party on the American Revolution
• The challenges faced by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War
• The significance of the Treaty of Paris in establishing American independence
• The drafting and ratification of the United States Constitution
• The development and impact of the Bill of Rights

The Early Republic and Antebellum Period

The period between the American Revolution and the Civil War, often referred to as the Antebellum period, suggests a wide array of events that indeed deserve separate research within a dissertation. Thus, you can dive deep into studying the inception and development of the American political parties as well as the emergence of the two-party system. You can also consider exploring in depth the westward expansion as the whole, or studying the concept of Manifest Destiny, Louisiana Purchase, the Oregon Trail, and the Mexican-American war separately and in connection to each other. Another captivating area to choose a topic for your dissertation research is the growth of the American economy during the period, including the Industrial Revolution, development of transportation system, and growth of urban centers. You can also examine the poignant reality of slavery and the abolitionist movement, along with its key figures, events, and the Underground Railroad. Lastly, you can navigate through the causes and profound impact of the Civil War, trailing from sectional tensions to Reconstruction. A sample list of topics to choose from is given below.

• The rise and fall of the Federalist Party in early American politics
• The impact of the Louisiana Purchase on westward expansion
• The economic and political factors driving the War of 1812
• The role of the Second Bank of the United States in the early American economy
• The impact of the Erie Canal on American transportation and trade
• The emergence of the two-party system in American politics
• The significance of the Missouri Compromise in the sectional debate
• The role of Andrew Jackson in shaping the modern presidency
• The development and impact of the American System of Henry Clay
• The causes and consequences of the Nullification Crisis
• The role of women in the abolitionist movement
• The impact of the Mexican-American War on American expansion
• The role of the Underground Railroad in the antebellum period
• The development and impact of the Compromise of 1850
• The significance of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the rise of the Republican Party
• The influence of the Dred Scott decision on the sectional crisis
• The role of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry in escalating sectional tensions
• The election of 1860 and its impact on the secession crisis
• The causes and consequences of the American Civil War
• The successes and failures of Reconstruction in the post-Civil War era

Progressive Era and the Roaring Twenties

The period between the late 19th century and 1920s, which is also called the Progressive era, offers numerous worth attention events and development of social, political, and economic nature. This period in American history offers you to delve into its key reforms, influential figures, and the subsequent impact on American society. Another area for exploration is the role of women during this era, from suffrage and the temperance movement to women’s rights. Further, examine the rise of big businesses and the labor movement, focusing on trusts, monopolies, and labor unions. The impact of World War I on American society and politics, including changes in domestic and foreign policies, warrants detailed investigation sufficient for dissertation research and further work. Lastly, the cultural changes that defined the Roaring Twenties, including the Harlem Renaissance, the dawn of consumer culture, and the emergence of mass media, are worth exploring.

• The impact of the Progressive movement on American society and politics
• The role of muckrakers in exposing corruption and advocating for reform
• The development and impact of the Square Deal under Theodore Roosevelt
• The significance of the 19th Amendment and women’s suffrage
• The influence of the temperance movement on Prohibition
• The role of labor unions in the Progressive Era
• The impact of the Pure Food and Drug Act on consumer protection
• The role of the Federal Reserve System in stabilizing the American economy
• The significance of the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act
• The impact of the Great Migration on African American communities
• The influence of the Harlem Renaissance on American culture
• The development and impact of the automobile industry
• The role of jazz music in shaping the cultural landscape of the Roaring Twenties
• The impact of the Lost Generation on American literature
• The significance of the Scopes Trial in the debate over evolution and education
• The role of mass media in shaping public opinion and popular culture
• The impact of consumer culture on the American economy during the 1920s
• The influence of the flapper movement on women’s rights and fashion
• The development of the Hollywood film industry in the Roaring Twenties
• The role of Prohibition in the rise of organized crime

Great Depression and World War II

The next era in American history that’s ripe for dissertation research spans the challenging times of the Great Depression and the global turbulence of World War II. You can choose to unravel the factors of the Great Depression, covering the stock market crash, the surge in unemployment, and the implementation of New Deal policies suggested by President Roosevelt.

Also, we suggest to consider delving into the series of events leading up to World War II as they offer a critical narrative on America’s initial stance of neutrality, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the country’s plunge into the war. This period is incredibly rich in events and historical implications and has the potential to extend well beyond a typical dissertation project. Another engaging angle to focus your research and writing on is the domestic front during the war. When studying U.S. domestic aspects during the WWII, you can dive deep into analyzing the multifaceted roles of women and minorities, the boost in wartime production, and the essential role of rationing. To wrap up the list of possible topics to choose from for this period, we offer you to consider examining the far-reaching influence of the World War II on American society, politics, and foreign policy, including the creation of the atomic bomb and the start of the Cold War.

• The causes and consequences of the 1929 stock market crash
• The impact of the Great Depression on American society and the economy
• The role of the New Deal in addressing the crisis of the Great Depression
• The significance of the Social Security Act in the development of the American welfare state
• The influence of the Dust Bowl on the American agricultural industry
• The role of the Works Progress Administration in combating unemployment
• The impact of World War II on the American economy
• The role of American women in the workforce during World War II
• The significance of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
• The impact of the Lend-Lease Act on American foreign policy
• The role of the United States in the Allied victory in World War II
• The influence of the Yalta Conference on the post-war order
• The development and impact of the Manhattan Project
• The significance of the Nuremberg Trials in establishing international law
• The role of the GI Bill in shaping post-war America
• The impact of the Marshall Plan on European recovery
• The influence of the United Nations in the post-war era
• The role of the Truman Doctrine in shaping American foreign policy
• The development and impact of the Bretton Woods system
• The beginning of the Cold War and its implications for American society

Cold War and Contemporary America

This section of our topics for dissertation research includes suggestions that will allow exploring the events and major themes in the post-World War II America. To start off from the previous historical period, it is totally worth researching the Cold War in depth. You can unravel the intricate ideological warfare waged between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the pulse-quickening arms race that set the world on edge. You can choose to research and write about the Civil Rights Movement with its iconic figures and milestone events that shook up the very essence of American society. Dare to step into the whirlwind of social and cultural transformation that was the 1960s and 1970s, and you’ll encounter the free-spirited counterculture, the empowering feminist movement, and the nascent rise of environmentalism. Contrast this with the ascension of conservatism in the 1980s, a period defined by Ronald Reagan’s impactful presidency and the political shift that echoed across the United States. Finally, you can explore contemporary American history, focusing on the effects of globalization, the digital revolution, and ongoing debates surrounding immigration, healthcare, climate change, and the role of the United States on the global arena.

Topics Examples:

• The impact of the Cold War on American society and politics
• The role of the Red Scare and McCarthyism in shaping American culture
• The significance of the Korean War in the context of the Cold War
• The influence of the Civil Rights Movement on American society
• The role of the Space Race in the Cold War competition
• The impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis on American-Soviet relations
• The role of the Vietnam War in shaping American foreign policy
• The significance of the Watergate scandal in American political history
• The influence of the feminist movement on American society and culture
• The role of the environmental movement in shaping public policy
• The impact of the Reagan Revolution on American politics and society
• The significance of the end of the Cold War for American foreign policy
• The role of the Gulf War in shaping American military strategy
• The impact of the 9/11 attacks on American society and foreign policy
• The influence of the War on Terror on civil liberties and human rights
• The role of the 2008 financial crisis in shaping American economic policy
• The significance of the Affordable Care Act in American healthcare reform
• The impact of the digital revolution on American culture and society
• The influence of immigration policy on American demographics and politics
• The role of climate change in shaping American environmental policy

Tips for Selecting a Dissertation Topic in American History

Choice of a topic for your dissertation can be difficult. Thus, consider the following tips to ensure you select a subject that aligns with your interests and academic goals:

• Focus on your interests: Select a topic that interests you; your passion about the subject matter will help you stay motivated throughout the research and writing process.
• Consider the availability of resources: Ensure that sufficient primary and secondary sources are available to support your research.
• Consult with your advisor: Discuss potential topics with your academic advisor to ensure they suit your program and receive guidance on refining your research question.
• Assess the scope: Choose a topic with a manageable scope that can be adequately addressed within the constraints of your dissertation.
• Seek originality: Aim for a unique and original research question that contributes to American history’s existing body of knowledge.
• Review past dissertations: Browse through previously written dissertations in American history to gain inspiration and identify potential research gaps you can address in your work.
• Evaluate the relevance: Select a topic relevant to current historical debates or one that has practical implications, as this can help make your research more impactful and engaging.
• Consider interdisciplinary approaches: Feel free to explore topics that intersect with other disciplines, such as economics, sociology, or political science, to provide a fresh perspective on a historical issue.
• Develop a clear research question: Ensure your topic has a focused and well-defined research question that can guide your investigation and provide a clear direction for your dissertation.
• Stay flexible: Be open to adjusting your topic as you progress through the research process. Sometimes, new information or perspectives can lead you to refining your research questions or shifting its focus.
• Balance complexity and simplicity: Aim for a topic that is both intellectually challenging and manageable. Avoid overly simplistic or complex subjects that may be difficult to research and write about.
• Keep your timeline in mind: When selecting a topic, consider the time available for research and writing. Ensure the topic can be reasonably addressed within your allotted timeframe.

By following these tips and exploring the diverse range of topics in this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a compelling and engaging dissertation on American history.

In conclusion, selecting the perfect dissertation topic in American history requires a thoughtful and deliberate approach. This comprehensive guide has provided you with an extensive range of potential topics spanning various periods and themes in American history and valuable tips to help you make the right choice. You can embark on an exciting and rewarding research journey by considering your interests, evaluating resources and relevance, and consulting with your advisor. As you delve into the rich tapestry of American history, remember to stay focused, maintain a clear research question, and keep your timeline in mind. Ultimately, your passion and dedication to your chosen topic will shine through in your finished dissertation, contributing to the academic discourse and enriching our understanding of the past.

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Te Kura Aro Whakamuri, Rapunga Whakaaro, Matai Tōrangapū me te Ao

School of --> school of history, philosophy, political science and international relations, suggested topics for postgraduate theses in history.

History staff members offer a range of topics that Master of Arts and PhD students may want to pursue.

Catherine Abou-Nemeh

European history, 1500–1750.

I am available to supervise a range of topics in the history of early modern Europe, early modern sciences, technology, and medicine, from around 1500 to 1750. I am open to discussing topics with students and welcome student use of primary sources in foreign languages, especially in Dutch, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish, German, and Latin.

Postgraduate students at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington have access to a wide variety of primary sources and documents. The Alexander Turnbull Library holds a rare books collection rich in materials on Europe’s early sciences. Collection highlights include publications of the Royal Society of London, including Robert Hooke’s pioneering work on microscopy, Micrographia , and his Posthumous Works ; John Flamsteed's celestial atlas; and Book Three of Isaac Newton's Principia .

The University's Library has a number of modern scholarly editions of early modern texts. These include works by Francis Bacon, Robert Boyle, John Evelyn, John Aubrey, Margaret Cavendish, and Richard Bentley, among others. The Library also houses all issues of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London.

Online databases include Early English Books Online, Eighteenth Century Collections Online, Burney Collection of Seventeenth-Eighteenth Century Newspapers. Digital projects—such as Mapping the Republic of Letters, Newton Project, and Perdita Manuscripts of Women Writers, 1500–1700—offer access to manuscript and printed sources.

Potential topics

History of medicine, 1500–1750

• Early studies of mental health and medicine, or ‘diseases of the soul’
• Social responses to animal vivisections and experimentation
• Medicine, domestic science and women's recipe books
• Representations of quack doctors in the 17th and 18th centuries
• Comparison of seventeenth and eighteenth century botanical collections

History of science, 1500–1750

• Controversies, priority disputes, and public debates in natural philosophy
• Newtonian sciences and their many afterlives
• The Royal Society of London in satires
• Studies of earthquakes in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
• Evolving practices of observation and experiment

Early modern Europe, 1500–1750

• The early modern diplomat's tradecraft
• Aspects of urbanisation, pollution, and politics
• Seventeenth-century pedagogy and education reforms
• The art of physiognomy and ‘books of complexions’ in the 16th century
• Cultural responses to the introduction of new spices and substances

See Catherine Abou-Nemeh’s profile page .

Steve Behrendt

British atlantic maritime history, 1650–1850.

Topics concerning British Atlantic maritime history in the period 1650–1850, based on analysis of sources contained in online book collections (such as Early English Books Online, Eighteenth Century Collections Online, Making of the Modern World), rare books and microfilms held at the Alexander Turnbull Library, ship registers, newspapers, trade lists, colonial records, ships’ muster rolls and parliamentary papers from the Houses of Commons and Lords.

• Particular maritime businesses (for example, the slave trade, the sugar trade, or whaling)
• Interconnections between maritime commerce and the Navy
• Medical history, or the development of ports in the Atlantic world.

The University holds the largest collection of slave trade-related materials in Australasia.

See Steve Behrendt’s profile page .

Kate Hunter

Aspects of social and cultural history of world war i.

There are a great many photographs, official records, and personal papers of soldiers, nurses, and families affected by war in Wellington repositories that could form the basis of a postgraduate thesis. Theoretical considerations and frameworks could include:

• Manliness, femininity, ideas/representation of the body during World War I
• Remembrance and commemoration, educating children about the war during the interwar years
• Changing attitudes around death and dying, grieving, and bereavement
• The experience of and changes in rural communities during the war, especially the manifestations of modernity.
• A comparison of Kai Tiaki (journal of NZ nursing) and the Gazette of the British First-Aid Nursing Yeomanry (available through 'Women, Work and Society, 1914–18' database held at the Library) and/or the Royal Nursing Journal (UK) now fully digitised
• A comparison of British, New Zealand, and Australian women’s adventure writings about their war experiences as published in women’s magazines, journals, and school journals
• Using the Dorothy Neal White collection of children's literature (at National Library), examining aspects of juvenile fiction before and after the war; perhaps in combination with the children's columns/pages in various newspapers
• An exploration of domestic sewing, and the role of sewing in providing ‘comfort’ to soldiers, especially to wounded soldiers (and/or pre-war sewing for families if you wish). Whole hospitals were fitted out with bed linen and pyjamas for patients through the efforts of sewing women
• Aspects of culinary history. Cooking, butchery and dressing, domestic service, home economics education, kitchen design, cookbooks as sources, account books, diaries, advice columns, and so on
• Aspects of environmental and gardening history and other transformations of the landscape through burning, ploughing and planting (using magazines and gardening literature eg New Zealand Gardener which began in 1947 or Brett's Colonists' Guide, farming newspapers, diaries, personal papers, photographs: entering 'gardening' as a subject in Tapuhi reveals a great number of 19th and 20th century records from gardening diaries, clippings and scrap-books to ledgers from seed companies—all rich source material)
• Other topics in this area that deserve more scholarly attention include fishing (both commercial and recreational, sea or freshwater) in New Zealand and hunting. A comparison of conservation and wildlife policies of settler colonies, particularly Canada and New Zealand, also New Zealand hunters’ and fishers’ visits to other countries such as Africa, Australia and India, all lend themselves to rich thesis topics.

See Kate Hunter’s profile page .

Dolores Janiewski

Potential topics—19th century.

• Debate over slavery, 1830–1865
• the Media and Literary construction of ‘race’ in US History, 1830s–1900s
• US Civil War. soldiers’ experience, the home front, gender and civil war, slavery and civil war racial violence, 1865–1900
• lynching; Ku Klux Klan; disfranchisement and segregation, 1890–1900
• Women’s rights and woman suffrage, 1848–1920
• US Empire and the Pacific, 1820–1900, Hawaii, Samoa; frontier conflicts
• Wounded Knee and the end of the ‘Indian Wars’, 1880s–1890s
• Comparisons between New Zealand and the US West.

Potential topics—20th century

• The Better America Federation and anti-Communism in the 1920s US
• Cold War US culture, foreign policy; involvement in Vietnam
• SEATO treaty, 1954–1975
• Détente and its enemies; Civil Rights movement, 1954–1965
• Second wave feminism, 1967–1982
• The religious right as transnational network, 1940–2007
• Conservative movements in US History, 1934–2005
• Conservatism and US Foreign Policy, 1934–2004
• Gender and US literature, 1830–1900
• Race and US literature, 1830–1900
• Advertising and US culture, 1870–1940
• Political cartoons and US politics, 1830–1870s
• Sexuality and US politics, 1830–1870s
• The debate over empire and anti-imperialism in the US, 1870–2007
• Religious Right: New Zealand–US connections, 1970s–2005
• Freedom Summer, 1964
• The US–New Zealand peace and anti-nuclear movements.

See Dolores Janiewski’s profile page .

Charlotte Macdonald

I am available to supervise in a range of topics in New Zealand History, histories of empire and colony in the 19th century, and histories of gender and women.

• Aspects of the 19th-century garrison world. Looking beyond the military to the wider ambit of garrison life across the British Empire. Topics might include disease, consumption, trade, surgeons, garrison towns, garrison masculinity, sites and memories, and much more.
• Domestic service and colonial labour. Exploring the value of labour in settler colonies. The enigma of the New Zealand story.
• 20th-century protest and dissent. The Alexander Turnbull Library contains a rich Ephemera collection of posters, pamphlets, manifestoes.
• Print culture: this is a rich and growing area linking writing and reading with politics and culture. There are many angles to explore in the New Zealand setting where reading and writing has been at the centre of national life for over 200 years.
• Ngā Taonga Archives of Film, Sound, and Television offers many options for projects that take up the life of these powerful media as histories and in history. Ngā Taonga is located in Wellington.
• An aspect of the history of radio in New Zealand focusing on broadcaster–audience relations, sports broadcasting, or the history of radio 'soap' series. Existing cultural histories of radio in Australia and the US alongside Patrick Day's two-volume history of broadcasting in New Zealand provide a foundation in secondary sources.
• The sporting press in New Zealand and Australia. Little work has been done on the extensive sporting press which developed in Australasia from the 1880s. Titles ranged widely, often combining gentlemen's illustrated magazines with sporting reports, licensed victuallers' papers with sporting titles, racing, and other sporting coverage. As the daily press took up sports reporting the weekly press responded with new and different titles. Through the 20th century, sporting coverage continued to be an innovative area for publication, with motoring and radio-related titles appearing in the 1920s and lavish photographic weeklies enjoying popularity in the post-World War II years. Another angle would be to look at the sporting pages within the major daily and weekly newspapers, charting their place within the commercial and political world of print culture. Rich sources exist for a variety of thesis projects at MA or PhD level.
• Drinking and playing. A study examining the long relationship between alcohol and competitive and recreational sport. To what extent has New Zealand's sporting culture relied on alcohol? This could be framed around a particular time period, event, sporting activity, or set of recreational institutions (pubs as well as playing fields).
• Lost Cases. Horse stealing, 'unnatural offences', petty theft, libel, murder, concealment of birth, and other matters of dispute: a study using the sources identified in the 'Lost Cases' database of legal cases heard in New Zealand's Supreme Court, 1842–1883 (there are a number of possible angles and areas of focus though the broad field is one of the conjunction of law and history). See New Zealand's Lost Cases as a starting point.
• 19th-century negotiator, politician, and administrator Donald McLean (1820–1877) left a huge quantity of correspondence and papers, now a major collection in the Alexander Turnbull Library's manuscript collection . These have been digitised, a portion transcribed, and those written in Māori translated. A thesis would draw on a selection of these documents to investigate an aspect of New Zealand's history from the 1840s to the 1870s. See also the entry on McLean in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (DNZB on teara.govt.nz) and Ray Fargher, The best man who ever served the Crown? A life of Donald McLean , Wellington, 2007.

See Charlotte Macdonald’s profile page .

Alexander Maxwell

The habsburg, romanov, soviet, and ottoman empires.

East European Empires offer many interesting research topics, including ethnic tensions in a multi-ethnic state, the modernisation of peasant societies, struggles for democratisation or socialism, or the question of dynastic loyalties.

Students could address such questions either from the perspective of the imperial courts in Istanbul, Vienna, Moscow, or St Petersburg, or from the perspective of a specific national community: Russian, German, Turkish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Greek, Armenian, and so on.

Extensive sources are available online for several of these topics. While I am particularly skilled in Slovak, Hungarian, and Macedonian history, I am interested in supervising topics anywhere in Eastern Europe.

Theories of nationalism

The study of nationalism poses many theoretical problems, and can be approached from many different angles. Nationalism has an intellectual history, but also a social and organisational history.

Students may wish to study the spread of nationalist feeling, the relationship of patriotic intelligentsias to the people they claim to lead, the relationship between national ideology and patriotic action, or the social and gender composition of national movements.

I have special expertise in the relationship between nationalism and linguistic loyalties, corporeal practices, consumption habits, and clothing, but am willing to supervise topics investigating other aspects of nationalism.

Social and gender history during the long 19th century

Some of the most exciting historical research occurs in the field of gender studies. My research on nationalism and clothing, as well as nationalised sexuality, make me eager to work with students looking at the relationship between gender identities and other social variables.

The University's Library and the Turnbull Library together have rich resources on Anglophone social history. Sources include the Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music, and Romance (first published in 1832), the Child's Own Magazine (1832–1871), Leisure Hour (1852–1905), Boy's Own Paper (1876–1967), Gentlewoman (1898–1920), and the Girls' Empire: An annual volume for English-speaking girls (1902–04) all offer rich pickings for political analyses of gender and society.

Eastern Europe during and after Communism

The Soviet Union and its empire in Eastern Europe attracted considerable attention during the Cold War, but the collapse of Communism has created a new discipline of 'transition studies'. Students may wish to examine political or social aspects of the transition, ethnic or ideological tensions in the newly independent states, or cultural developments in this vibrant and exiting region of the world. Post-Communist states have been very active in creating online repositories and archives, and considerable resources are also available in English.

East European diasporas in New Zealand

Students interested in the relationship between immigrant communities and the 'old country' may wish to examine East European ethnicities. Turnbull library has copies of the Czechoslovak émigré newspaper Střípky Čriepky, the Polish émigré papers Solidarność na Antypodach (1985) and Krzyż południa (1990) and the Hungarian papers Ujzélandi Magyar híradó (started in 1958) and Magyar szó (1990).

A student taking an interest in one of these communities could even bypass the language barrier through the techniques of oral history, and Krzyż południa has also published articles in English. While my own research primarily concerns European history, the resources of the Antipodean East European Study Group might benefit students interested in this region.

See Alexander Maxwell’s profile page .

Jim McAloon

Potential topics in new zealand history.

• New Zealand regional history, especially 19th century
• Histories of business in New Zealand (including farming)
• Labour history, including histories of unions, of work, and of workplace cultures
• Political history, including policy issues, parliamentarians and political parties, and also extra-parliamentary political movements. Comparative approaches are welcomed
• Migration from Britain and Ireland to New Zealand, particularly with a regional focus.

See Jim McAloon’s profile page .

Adrian Muckle

19th-century travel (and travellers’ accounts) in the pacific.

The Turnbull Library has extensive holdings.

Pacific Islands’ history post-1942/Aspects of decolonisation in the Pacific

This is emerging as an important area of research. Possible topics include: Wartime thinking about future political statuses; regionalism; social and political developments in the post-war era (the 1940s to 1960s) and prior to independence. Quite a lot of research has been done about the political and legal dimensions of decolonisation, but not so much has been done about the social, cultural, and economic dimensions of this process.

New Zealand–Pacific relations and regionalism

Possible topics include: New Zealand's relations with particular Pacific Island territories and states; New Zealand and the development Pacific regionalism post-1945; New Zealand's involvement in the Institute of Pacific Relations (See Beaglehole Room archives re IPR and NZIIA); Important connections are also provided by trade/labour union connections; media, health organisations, and churches.

The Pacific war

This is an area of growing public interest. There is work that could be done on the experiences of New Zealanders in the Pacific during World War II; and the literature (and other media) associated with the war in the Pacific.

New Caledonia and French Polynesia

Students with French language skills may be interested in topics relating to New Caledonia and French Polynesia. Possible sources/areas of study include: Catholic mission records up to c1956 (for example, missionary responses to World War I or World War II in New Caledonia and the development of particular mission stations); New Caledonian historiography (for example, a study of the Bulletin de la Société d'Études Historiques de la Nouvelle-Calédonie ); history and literature (depending on published sources available at the Turnbull Library); relations between New Zealand and New Caledonia or French Polynesia (for example, during the 1980s); New Zealand's response to the Kanak independence movement.

Historiography

There is a need for critical (and comparative) historiographies of Pacific island nations (for example, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia).

Other topics

War histories.

Two kinds of study might be thought of under this heading—studies of official war histories taking advantage of the recent digitisation of the complete Official History of New Zealand in World War II series; studies of either WWI or WWII personal letters and diaries given the large collection at the ATL, and the possibility of setting these alongside the growing body of oral history on WWII (and some of WWI).

Historical geography

The geography of the 1913 strike in Wellington—where did activity take place, was it geographically specific, or dispersed? 'When we looked at the Waihi strike for the atlas, we found that strikers and strikebreakers were completely mixed up in terms of where they lived. The strikebreakers were not 'outsiders'. Wellington would be different of course—but how much?' Malcolm McKinnon, editor, New Zealand Historical Atlas , 1997.

Histories of suburbs

There is a good secondary literature on suburbanisation in the library. It could be applied to any Wellington suburb/cluster of streets, in a particular period. Adrian Humphris's geography MA on Kilbirnie suggests some ways of approaching it. (He is currently working as an archivist at WCC archives.)

Consumption

History of milkbars, cinemas, department stores.

See Adrian Muckle’s profile page .

Collections as a starting point for topics

The University Library is acquiring additional collections of direct value to postgraduate research in History. See, for example:

• British Parliamentary Papers on line
• Early English Books on line (EEBO)
• Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO)
• Women, War and Society, 1914–1918, from collections of the Imperial War Museum, London.
• Empire On-Line
• Defining Gender
• Recent purchases of Adam Matthew microfilms
• Alexander Turnbull Library. The Turnbull library holds copies of several major collections of microfilmed materials relating to the Pacific, notably the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau (PMB) microfilm series. PMB indexes are available at the Victoria University of Wellington Library and online.

The number of digital collections is also growing. Recently the following have become available:

• Te Ao Hou - the complete collection of Te Ao Hou the Māori Affairs magazine from 1952 to 1976
• Te Ara - the new New Zealand Encyclopedia.

The National Register of Archives and Manuscripts (NRAM) provide a listing of archives and manuscripts in many of the major New Zealand research repositories.

The following are all to be found in the JC Beaglehole Room Special Collection, Victoria University of Wellington Library:

• Springbok Tour archives. The 20-year restriction ended in 2001, so there are now only Privacy Act implications to using this material. Tapes would need to be copied and some might need restoration, but there are transcripts. The papers of Lindsay Wright are related.
• Wellington Investment and Trustee Association papers 1886–1968. This is an excellent source. It is long-running and has a name index to the Investors' Ledger. The papers were literally rescued from going to the tip. One researcher has used them so far.
• Kelburne and Karori Tramway Company Ltd and Kelburne-Karori Motor Bus Company
• Papers of Angus McCurdy - Originally collected by Les Cleveland for a study of McCurdy as a lobbyist and this angle might appeal to someone.
• Many pamphlets and some MSS. material for Sir Robert Stout.
• Papers of Geoffrey Joseph Schmitt re Tasman Pulp and Paper etc. Geoffrey Schmitt (1921-2000), later Emeritus Professor of Economics at Waikato University, was employed by Tasman Pulp and Paper Company Limited from 22 August 1953 to 31 December 1967, first as Secretary, later as General Manager, and from June 1963 as Managing Director. 23 bundles of papers originally deposited per Gary Hawke, plus 'Tasman: Early years of Tasman Pulp and Paper Company Limited: a personal history' and further papers deposited later.
• NZ Institute of International Affairs
• NZ Institute of Architects records 1906–1967 (later records are in Auckland)
• Student drama—'Extravaganza' scripts from the 1940s and so on. Other student records: NZUSA (NZ Universities Students Assoc.) and VUWSA, NZ Student Arts Council posters, various Victoria University of Wellington clubs, for example the caving club, the Biological Society, the Anglican Society, Debating Club.
• New Zealand Library School Students Association records
• Graduates’ Association (University of New Zealand). The stated objects of the Association were to further the interests of University Education in New Zealand and to promote friendly intercourse among the students and graduates of the University. 1885–1892 (that is, pre-VUC). 'A meeting of graduates of the New Zealand University was held in the Congregational schoolroom, on the invitation of the Revd W H West BA LLB, on Thursday June 18th 1885. The graduates present were Rev. W H West BA, LLB, PS Hay MA, HB Kirk MA, JC Webb BA, W P Evans MA, JT Barnicoat BA, TR Fleming BA
• Imperial Universities' Rifle Match Committee records 1945–1967
• In the architectural history field, the Architecture and Design School Library holds papers and plans and so on from Gray Young architects.

Contact the librarian in the J C Beaglehole Room.

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60+ History Research Paper Topics From Our Top Writers

Finding that fascinating topic for history research paper can be a pain in some students’ necks. In this article, we reveal our only suggestions of ideas for good history research topics.

Whether you need United States history research paper topics, Europe and across the world, we have you covered. We have selected relevant topics with a clear statement to jumpstart your writing process. Check out our ultimate list of American history research paper topics for college students:

US History Research Paper Topics

• What was the history and culture of Native Americans before the invasion by Europeans?
• How did 9/11 change the US foreign policy?
• Why did Japan target Pearl Harbor and how significant was it to the US?
• Why did American Revolution leaders fail to achieve equality for everyone?
• What traditions define Independence Day in the US?
• What events led to the abolishment of slavery?
• Who were the initial inhabitants of the US, and how was it found?
• Did the US have to use two atomic bombs on Japan?

World History Research Paper Topics

• What happened in Germany after the fall of Hitler and the Nazis?
• Communism and why it is considered it is considered a lousy system historically.
• Explain why nationalism is a primary source of identity everywhere else but has failed among the Arab States
• In what ways did the assassination of John F. Kennedy change the course of US politics?
• Who was Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, and what were the impacts of his ideas on the Islam world?
• What was the primary intention of the US dropping atomic bombs on Japan? Was it to end the war or to prevent the Soviet Union from amassing influence in Asia?
• Why is the fall of Constantinople in 1453 perceived as the saddest moment in the history of humankind?

European History Research Paper Topics

• Why Eastern Europe has always trailed Western Europe in terms of development
• Which other country used women in World War Two other than Russia?
• What was Hitler’s reasoning for attacking the Soviets during WWII?
• What European nation has the most influential culture in history?
• What are some of the events that shifted France and England’s relationship from enemies to allies?
• Point out some of the differences between feudalism in Eastern Europe and Western Europe
• How were European countries affected by the Industrial Revolution?
• Define the factors the led to the mass degradation of French women in the aftermath of WWII

Ancient History Research Paper Topics

• Explain how philosophy became so popular in Ancient Greece
• What are some of the similarities between Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome?
• Alexander the Great; who was he, and why is he considered one of the most outstanding leaders in history?
• In what way was ancient Egypt unique from Ancient Rome and Greece?
• Point out the difference and similarities between Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome
• What is the origin of democracy in Ancient Greece, and how did it come to be in general?
• What is the story of Theagenes of Thasos, the strongest fighter in Ancient Rome?

Modern World History Research Topics

• What was the status of women in the USSR through the 20th century?
• Why didn’t any western countries intervene in Communist China in the mid-20th century?
• What was the necessity of using an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
• What are some of the reasons behind US policies towards immigrants in the 21st century?
• What is the price of industrialization to the American nation?
• What are some of the most prominent inventors and industrialists in the modern-day world?
• How did industrialization influence social movements in the USA?
• Explain American foreign policy from the start of the 21st century

History Topics To Write About Africa

• How Idi Amin did change the world’s attitude to Uganda
• In what ways is the Democratic Republic of Congo different from its neighboring countries?
• Why did it take until the 19th century for European powers to start colonizing Sub-Saharan Africa?
• How were oil and petroleum discovered in Ethiopia?
• Explain why North Africa went from the wealthiest regions during times of the Roman Empire to a regional backwater
• Historically speaking, what are the wealthiest countries in Africa, and what contributed to the wealth in those counties?
• What are some of the post-colonial drawbacks that Africa has had to deal with in recent times?
• What was the African continent’s state in the 1600s? Was it similar to Asia and Europe?
• What religions were practiced in Africa before being influenced by Europe and Asia?
• What were some of the most potent African empires between the 6th and the 8th century?
• What were the consequences of German Warfare in Africa in 1884?

Middle East Historical Research Paper Topics

• The Sumerians; what made the first great civilization of humankind?
• What are some of the less known facts about the Byzantine Empire?
• Explain how the Ottoman Empire spread to the Middle East
• Which countries in the Middle East have been powerful economically throughout history?
• In what ways were the Byzantine and Roman cultures adapted to and incorporated in the Middle East?
• What are the main events that altered the Middle East in modern history?

African American History

• What were some of the impacts of Martin Luther King’s speech on the African American community?
• What was the position of black Americans during the industrial age?
• What were the struggles of the African American population after the Civil War?
• What are some of the beliefs and traditions of African American culture?
• In what way did the African American women help during WWII?
• What did the 14th amendment have to offer the black community?
• What are some of the legends and cultural traits in black history?

Music History Research Paper Topics

• What is the history of the film industry and classical composers?
• How Classical German composers influenced further music development
• How classical melody has been impacted by technology
• Discuss the origins of classical composing
• Analyzing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
• A study of early music history and the evolution of musical instruments

History papers carry a lot of weight, allowing college students to learn the culture, traditions, and past of other nations. With our vast range of ideas, you should have a smooth time selecting an ideal topic.

Remember, you can always find research paper writing help online. Online writing services provide cheap, yet quality research papers that are carefully crafted by expert writers. What are you waiting for when help is only a few clicks away?

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• The Archive

Department of the History of Art

You are here, dissertations, completed dissertations.

1942-Present

DISSERTATIONS IN PROGRESS

As of July 2024

Bartunkova, Barbora , “Sites of Resistance: Antifascism and the Czechoslovak Avant-garde” (C. Armstrong)

Betik, Blair Katherine , “Altars on the Roman Frontiers: Ritual Objects in Real Space.” (M. Gaifman)

Burke, Harry , “The Islands Between: Art, Animism, and Anticolonial Worldmaking in Archipelagic Southeast Asia” (P. Lee)

Boyd, Nicole , “Science, Craft, Art, Theater: Four ‘Perspectives’ on the Painted Architecture of Angelo Michele Colonna and Agostino Mitelli” (N Suthor). 

Chau, Tung , “Strange New Worlds: Interfaces in the Work of Cao Fei” (P. Lee)

Cox, Emily , “Perverse Modernism, 1884-1900” (C. Armstrong, T. Barringer)

Datta, Yagnaseni , “Materialising Illusions: Visual Translation in the Mughal Jug Basisht, c. 1602.” (K. Rizvi)

de Luca, Theo , “Nicolas Poussin’s Chronotopes” (N. Suthor)

Del Bonis-O’Donnell, Asia , “Trees and the Visualization of  kosmos  in Archaic and Classical Athenian Art” (Yale University, M. Gaifman)

Demby, Nicole , “The Diplomatic Image: Framing Art and Internationalism, 1945-1960” (K. Mercer)

Donnelly, Michelle . “Spatialized Impressions: American Printmaking Outside the Workshop, 1935–1975” (J. Raab)

Epifano, Angie , “Building the Samorian State: Material Culture, Architecture, and Cities across West Africa” (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Fialho, Alex , “Apertures onto AIDS: African American Photography and the Art History of the Storage Unit” (P. Lee, T Nyong’o)

Foo, Adela , “Crafting the Aq Qoyuniu Court (1475-1490) (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Franciosi, Caterina , “Latent Light: Energy and Nineteenth-Century British Art” (T. Barringer)

Frier, Sara , “Unbearable Witness: The Disfigured Body in the Northern European Brief (1500-1620)” (N. Suthor)

Galdone, Isabella , “Interwoven: Women Makers at the Intersection of Needlework and Painting in Victoria Britain” (T. Barringer, E. Cooke, Jr.)

Gaudet, Manon , “ Property and the Contested Ground of North American Visual Culture, 1900-1945” (E. Cooke, Jr.)  

Haffner, Michaela , “Nature Cure: ”White Wellness” and the Visual Culture of Natural Health, 1870-1930” (J. Raab)

Herrmann, Mitchell , “The Art of the Living: Biological Life and Aesthetic Experience in the 21st Century” (P. Lee)

Higgins, Lily , “Reading into Things: Articulate Objects in Colonial North America, 1650-1783” (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Hodson, Josie , “Something in Common: Black Art under Austerity in New York City, 1975-1990” (P. Lee)

Hong, Kevin , “Plasticity, Fungibility, Toxicity: Photography’s Ecological Entanglements in the Mid-Twentieth-Century United States” (C. Armstrong, J Raab)

Horwitz, Vu , “Palm Wine Cups from the Kuba Cultural Region” (Edward Cooke, Jr.)

Kim, Adela , “Beyond Institutional Critique: Tearing Up in the Work of Andrea Fraser” (P. Lee)

Kitlinski, Sophia , “The Bureaucracy of Ritual: Spanish Administrative Iconography and Afro-Cuban Sacred Drawing in Nineteenth-Century Cuba” (J. Raab)

Keto, Elizabeth , “Reconstruction’s Objects: Art in the United States South, 1861-1900.” (J. Raab)

Koposova, Ekaterina , “Triumph and Terror in the Arts of the Franco-Dutch War” (M Bass)

Levy Haskell, Gavriella , “The Imaginative Painter”: Visual Narrative and the Interactive Painting in Britain, 1851-1914” (T. Barringer, E. Cooke Jr)

Marquardt, Savannah , “Chthon: Material Eschatologies of Burial in Colonial Southern Italy (5th-4th c BCE)” (M. Gaifman)

Miraval, Nathalie , “Sacred Subversions: Martha, Monsters, and Domestic Devotion in the Early Modern Afro-Iberian Atlantic” (C. Fromont)

Mizbani, Sharon , “Mediated Waters: Architectures of Thirst and Nourishment in Late-Ottoman Istanbul” (K. Rizvi)

Molarsky-Beck, Marina . “Seeing the Unseen: Queer Artistic Subjectivity in Interwar Photography” (C. Armstrong)

Nagy, Renata , “Remaking Natural History in Seventeenth-Century Northern Europe” (M. Bass)

Olfat, Faraz , “Eclecticism in Architecture and the Politics of Nation Building, 1870-1920” (C. Buckley, E. Cooke, Jr.)

Petrilli-Jones, Sara , “Drafting the Canon: Legal Histories of Art in Florence and Rome, 1600-1800” (N. Suthor)

Phillips, Kate , “American Ephemera” (J. Raab)

Potuckova, Kristina , “The Arts of Women’s Monastic Liturgy, Holy Roman Empire, 1000-1200” (J. Jung)

Rapoport, Sarah , “James Jacques-Joseph Tissot in the Interstices of Modernity” (T. Barringer, C. Armstrong)

Robbins, Isabella , “Relationality and Being: Indigeneity, Space and Transit in Global Contemporary Art” (P. Lee, N. Blackhawk)

Sellati, Lillian , “When is Herakles Not Himself? Mediating Cultural Plurality in Greater Central Asia, 330 BCE – 365 CE” (M. Gaifman)

Valladares, Carlos , “Jacques Demy” (P. Lee)

Wang, Xueli , “Performing Disappearance: Maggie Cheung and the Off-Screen” (Q. Ngan)

Werwie, Katherine , “Visions Across the Gates: Materiality, Symbolism, and Communication in the Historiated Wooden Doors of Medieval European Churches” (J. Jung)

Wisowaty, Stephanie , “Painted Processional Crosses in Central Italy, 1250-1400: Movement, Mediation and Multisensory Effects” (J. Jung)

Webley, John , “Ink, Paint, and Blood: India and the Great Game in Russian Culture” (T. Barringer, M. Brunson)

Young, Colin , “Desert Places: The Visual Culture of the Prairies and the Pampas across the Nineteenth Century” (J. Raab)

Zhou, Joyce Yusi , “The Art and Material Culture of Women in Early Modern Batavia” (M. Bass, E. Cooke, Jr.)

Module 4: Imperial Reforms and Colonial Protests (1763-1774)

Historical thesis statements, learning objectives.

• Recognize and create high-quality historical thesis statements

Some consider all writing a form of argument—or at least of persuasion. After all, even if you’re writing a letter or an informative essay, you’re implicitly trying to persuade your audience to care about what you’re saying. Your thesis statement represents the main idea—or point—about a topic or issue that you make in an argument. For example, let’s say that your topic is social media. A thesis statement about social media could look like one of the following sentences:

• Social media are hurting the communication skills of young Americans.
• Social media are useful tools for social movements.

A basic thesis sentence has two main parts: a claim  and support for that claim.

• The Immigration Act of 1965 effectively restructured the United States’ immigration policies in such a way that no group, minority or majority, was singled out by being discriminated against or given preferential treatment in terms of its ability to immigrate to America.

Identifying the Thesis Statement

A thesis consists of a specific topic and an angle on the topic. All of the other ideas in the text support and develop the thesis. The thesis statement is often found in the introduction, sometimes after an initial “hook” or interesting story; sometimes, however, the thesis is not explicitly stated until the end of an essay, and sometimes it is not stated at all. In those instances, there is an implied thesis statement. You can generally extract the thesis statement by looking for a few key sentences and ideas.

Most readers expect to see the point of your argument (the thesis statement) within the first few paragraphs. This does not mean that it has to be placed there every time. Some writers place it at the very end, slowly building up to it throughout their work, to explain a point after the fact. For history essays, most professors will expect to see a clearly discernible thesis sentence in the introduction. Note that many history papers also include a topic sentence, which clearly state what the paper is about

Thesis statements vary based on the rhetorical strategy of the essay, but thesis statements typically share the following characteristics:

• Presents the main idea
• Most often is one sentence
• Tells the reader what to expect
• Is a summary of the essay topic
• Usually worded to have an argumentative edge
• Written in the third person

This video explains thesis statements and gives a few clear examples of how a good thesis should both make a claim and forecast specific ways that the essay will support that claim.

You can view the  transcript for “Thesis Statement – Writing Tutorials, US History, Dr. Robert Scafe” here (opens in new window) .

Writing a Thesis Statement

A good basic structure for a thesis statement is “they say, I say.” What is the prevailing view, and how does your position differ from it? However, avoid limiting the scope of your writing with an either/or thesis under the assumption that your view must be strictly contrary to their view.

Following are some typical thesis statements:

• Although many readers believe Romeo and Juliet to be a tale about the ill fate of two star-crossed lovers, it can also be read as an allegory concerning a playwright and his audience.
• The “War on Drugs” has not only failed to reduce the frequency of drug-related crimes in America but actually enhanced the popular image of dope peddlers by romanticizing them as desperate rebels fighting for a cause.
• The bulk of modern copyright law was conceived in the age of commercial printing, long before the Internet made it so easy for the public to compose and distribute its own texts. Therefore, these laws should be reviewed and revised to better accommodate modern readers and writers.
• The usual moral justification for capital punishment is that it deters crime by frightening would-be criminals. However, the statistics tell a different story.
• If students really want to improve their writing, they must read often, practice writing, and receive quality feedback from their peers.
• Plato’s dialectical method has much to offer those engaged in online writing, which is far more conversational in nature than print.

Thesis Problems to Avoid

Although you have creative control over your thesis sentence, you still should try to avoid the following problems, not for stylistic reasons, but because they indicate a problem in the thinking that underlies the thesis sentence.

• Hospice workers need support. This is a thesis sentence; it has a topic (hospice workers) and an argument (need support). But the argument is very broad. When the argument in a thesis sentence is too broad, the writer may not have carefully thought through the specific support for the rest of the writing. A thesis argument that’s too broad makes it easy to fall into the trap of offering information that deviates from that argument.
• Hospice workers have a 55% turnover rate compared to the general health care population’s 25% turnover rate.  This sentence really isn’t a thesis sentence at all, because there’s no argument to support it. A narrow statistic, or a narrow statement of fact, doesn’t offer the writer’s own ideas or analysis about a topic.

Let’s see some examples of potential theses related to the following prompt:

• Bad thesis : The relationship between the American colonists and the British government changed after the French & Indian War.
• Better thesis : The relationship between the American colonists and the British government was strained following the Revolutionary war.
• Best thesis : Due to the heavy debt acquired by the British government during the French & Indian War, the British government increased efforts to tax the colonists, causing American opposition and resistance that strained the relationship between the colonists and the crown.

Practice identifying strong thesis statements in the following interactive.

Supporting Evidence for Thesis Statements

A thesis statement doesn’t mean much without supporting evidence. Oftentimes in a history class, you’ll be expected to defend your thesis, or your argument, using primary source documents. Sometimes these documents are provided to you, and sometimes you’ll need to go find evidence on your own. When the documents are provided for you and you are asked to answer questions about them, it is called a document-based question, or DBQ. You can think of a DBQ like a miniature research paper, where the research has been done for you. DBQs are often used on standardized tests, like this DBQ from the 2004 U.S. History AP exam , which asked students about the altered political, economic, and ideological relations between Britain and the colonies because of the French & Indian War. In this question, students were given 8 documents (A through H) and expected to use these documents to defend and support their argument. For example, here is a possible thesis statement for this essay:

• The French & Indian War altered the political, economic, and ideological relations between the colonists and the British government because it changed the nature of British rule over the colonies, sowed the seeds of discontent, and led to increased taxation from the British.

Now, to defend this thesis statement, you would add evidence from the documents. The thesis statement can also help structure your argument. With the thesis statement above, we could expect the essay to follow this general outline:

• Introduction—introduce how the French and Indian War altered political, economic, and ideological relations between the colonists and the British
• Show the changing map from Doc A and greater administrative responsibility and increased westward expansion
• Discuss Doc B, frustrations from the Iroquois Confederacy and encroachment onto Native lands
• Could also mention Doc F and the result in greater administrative costs
• Use Doc D and explain how a colonial soldier notices disparities between how they are treated when compared to the British
• Use General Washington’s sentiments in Doc C to discuss how these attitudes of reverence shifted after the war. Could mention how the war created leadership opportunities and gave military experience to colonists.
• Use Doc E to highlight how the sermon showed optimism about Britain ruling the colonies after the war
• Highlight some of the political, economic, and ideological differences related to increased taxation caused by the War
• Use Doc F, the British Order in Council Statement, to indicate the need for more funding to pay for the cost of war
• Explain Doc G, frustration from Benjamin Franklin about the Stamp Act and efforts to repeal it
• Use Doc H, the newspaper masthead saying “farewell to liberty”, to highlight the change in sentiments and colonial anger over the Stamp Act

As an example, to argue that the French & Indian War sowed the seeds of discontent, you could mention Document D, from a Massachusetts soldier diary, who wrote, “And we, being here within stone walls, are not likely to get liquors or clothes at this time of the year; and though we be Englishmen born, we are debarred [denied] Englishmen’s liberty.” This shows how colonists began to see their identity as Americans as distinct from those from the British mainland.

Remember, a strong thesis statement is one that supports the argument of your writing. It should have a clear purpose and objective, and although you may revise it as you write, it’s a good idea to start with a strong thesis statement the give your essay direction and organization. You can check the quality of your thesis statement by answering the following questions:

• If a specific prompt was provided, does the thesis statement answer the question prompt?
• Does the thesis statement make sense?
• Is the thesis statement historically accurate?
• Does the thesis statement provide clear and cohesive reasoning?
• Is the thesis supportable by evidence?

thesis statement : a statement of the topic of the piece of writing and the angle the writer has on that topic

• Thesis Statements. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/wp-admin/post.php?post=576&action=edit . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Thesis Examples. Authored by : Cody Chun, Kieran O'Neil, Kylie Young, Julie Nelson Christoph. Provided by : The University of Puget Sound. Located at : https://soundwriting.pugetsound.edu/universal/thesis-dev-six-steps.html . Project : Sound Writing. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Writing Practice: Building Thesis Statements. Provided by : The Bill of Rights Institute, OpenStax, and contributing authors. Located at : https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:L3kRHhAr@7/1-22-%F0%9F%93%9D-Writing-Practice-Building-Thesis-Statements . License : CC BY: Attribution . License Terms : Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected].
• Thesis Statement - Writing Tutorials, US History, Dr. Robert Scafe. Provided by : OU Office of Digital Learning. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hjAk8JI0IY&t=310s . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

• How it works

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History Dissertation Topics

Published by Grace Graffin at January 9th, 2023 , Revised On June 3, 2024

Choosing the most appropriate topic for a history dissertation can be tricky. Before selecting a topic, it is imperative to have an in-depth knowledge of the historical events or phenomena you wish to evaluate. Complete comprehension of a topic area is necessary before you can go about the task of completing your dissertation.

To help you get started with brainstorming for history topic ideas, we have developed a list of the latest topics that can be used for writing your history dissertation.

PhD qualified writers of our team have developed these topics, so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the topic,  research question ,  aim and objectives ,  literature review,  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  dissertation examples  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of  dissertation topics here.

Topic 1: Who was Responsible for the European Civil Wars? An Exploratory Study Identifying the Determinants of the 1870 Franco-Prussian War

Research Aim: This research aims to determine various political, social, and economic factors which caused European civil wars. It will use the 1870 Franco-Prussian War as a case study to analyse which political, social, or economic forces played their part in exaggerating this war. Moreover, it will use various historical lenses to evaluate the available evidence in this area to determine the factors objectively. Lastly, it will recommend ways through a historical viewpoint that could’ve saved lives in these wars.

Topic 2: What were the Socio-Economic Discontents of the Second Industrial Revolution? A Marx-Engels Perspective

Research Aim: This study identifies various socioeconomic discontents of the Second Industrial Revolution through the Marx-Engels communist lens. It will analyse how the second industrial revolution brought undesirable socio-economic changes in Europe and the rest of the world. It will develop a socio-economic framework by using Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’s critique of capitalism and social class theory to show the second industrial revolution divided the entire world into two classes. Moreover, it will show how imperialist powers used the Second Industrial Revolution to change the world order.

Topic 3: Did Mongols Bring Social Change in Ancient Arab? Impact of Mongol Invasion on Ancient Arab Culture and Traditions

Research Aim: This research intends to analyse the social change brought by Mongols in ancient Arab. It will find the impact of the Mongols’ invasion on ancient Arab culture and traditions by identifying channels such as slavery, forced marriages, etc., through which Mongols brought a cultural change. Moreover, it will find whether Arabs could come back to their original state or whether modern Arabs have their traits. And through which ways did ancient Arabs resist those changes?

Topic 4: What is Common among the United States’ Iraq, Japan, Afghanistan, and Cuba Invasions? A Comparative Study Finding the United States Common Political and Economic Motives

Research Aim: This study compares the United States’ Iraq, Japan, Korea, Afghanistan, and Cuba invasions. It will identify the United States’ common political and economic motives among these invasions, which gave it an incentive to pursue. It will be a multidisciplinary study exploring geopolitical, geo-economic, geo-strategic, and historical aspects of the invasions. Moreover, it will also compare the post-invasion situation of these countries to show how these countries dealt with it.

Topic 5: The Life and Work of William Shakespeare: His Influence on The Modern Theater- A Critique of Dr. Johnson

Research Aim: This study sheds light on the life and work of William Shakespeare by analysing his role in modern theatre. It will try to highlight his contribution to the field of literature and theatre but through the approach of Dr Johnson. Johnson’s works will be evaluated to see whether William Shakespeare has done something significant for modern theatre or it is just a one-sided view of William Shakespeare’s followers. It will analyse various works of William Shakespeare from Johnson’s critical lens to provide an objective assessment.

COVID-19 History Research Topics

Topic 1: the history of coronavirus..

Research Aim: This study will explore the historical facts and theories related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Topic 2: History of Spanish flu

Research Aim: In 1918, a deadly pandemic called Spanish flu hit the world, and many people lost their lives. This study will highlight the history of the disease, its symptoms, and similarities with the present crisis of COVID-19.

Topic 3: The history of various types of pandemics and their consequences

Research Aim: This study will investigate the history of various types of pandemics and their consequences on people’s health, the economy, and the world’s transformation after it.

New History Research Topics

Topic 1: types of communications in history.

Research Aim: This research aims to identify the types of communications in history

Topic 2: Terrorism and its impact on people's life

Research Aim: This research aims to address terrorism’s impact on people’s life

Topic 3: Treaty of Lausanne and the world's predictions about Turkey in 2023

Research Aim: This research aims to conduct a study on the Treaty of Lausanne and the world’s predictions about Turkey in 2023

Topic 4: Mythological stories and their impact on the youth

Research Aim: This research aims to study the impact of mythological stories on the youth.

Dissertation Topics from the Nineteenth Century

Topic 1: analysis of church wealth expropriation and political conflict in 19th-century colombia..

Research Aim: The research will explore the events of political violence after independence in Colombia regarding the redefinition of the Catholic Church’s property rights. The study primarily focuses on the country after 1850 to measure the influence of that expropriation of the Church’s assets on political violence.

Topic 2: Exploring the impact of the 19th-century development of refrigeration on The American meatpacking industry.

Research Aim: The city of Chicago in the United States is known to be the centre of modern refrigeration development due to it being the hub of the meatpacking industry. The proposed research will analyse Chicago’s meatpacking sector’s development and its significant role in developing critical technologies such as refrigeration. The study will examine the development of refrigerated transport and cold storage units to comprehend the city’s meatpacking industry’s local and later global success throughout the 19th century.

Topic 3: Examining the impact of the telegraph in the United States of America

Research Aim: The research uses document analysis to examine the influence of the invention of the telegraph in the United States of America. Specifically, the study will analyse how the telegraph revolutionised communication and news broadcasting to newspapers over national and international networks.

Topic 4: The impact of industrial conflict and technology on the development of technical education in 19th-century England.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the role that 19th-century employers played in training and educating young industrial workers in England. The purpose of the study is to comprehend the various factors that influenced the development of technical education while discovering the reason for antagonistic relations with skilled workers, which may have caused the Great Strike and Lockout of 1897.

Topic 5: The impact of changing gender relations on childbearing populations in the 19th-century Netherlands.

Research Aim: The research will look to comprehend the changes in childbearing patterns using a sequence analysis approach. The study will also try to understand the association between gender relations, historical fertility records, and women’s reproductive patterns in the 19th-century Netherlands.

Topic 6: Examining the shift of hierarchical and ethnocentric foreign relations to the Western model of international relations in 19th-century Japan.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the 19th century, a period of transition in Japanese foreign policy. The study will mainly focus on Russo-Japanese relations using document analysis to assess the four stages of shift that led Japan from an ethnocentric foreign policymaker to the Western type without colonisation and defeat in war.

History and Religious Dissertations

Topic 1: the impact of popular culture on evangelical christians in america..

Research Aim: The research uses document analysis to examine the impact that popular culture has had in shaping Evangelical Christian thought in the United States from the 1960s to the 2000s. The study focuses on analysing the variables that have allowed Evangelicalism to become a middle-class populist movement.

Topic 2: Fertility, feminism, and the American revolution

Research Aim: The research using document analysis, analyses the impact of the American Revolution on declining birth rates in the colonies and the increase of family limitation among white free women. The research will investigate the intentions of founding American women in their rejection of abundant fertility and a patriarchal family and the existent or non-existent role that colonial Christians played.

Topic 3: The decline of irrational and magical ideologies in England 1500-1600.

Research Aim: The research analyses how the introduction of religion, specifically early Christianity, had an impact on declining the conventional thought processes that used irrationality or magic as their basis. The research will use document analysis as its research method.

Topic 4: The impact of religion on innovation, 1604.

Research Aim: The research examines how Sir Frances Bacon’s epistle “Of Innovations” argues for the positive potential of innovation from the understanding of the Biblical scriptures. The study will also explore the relationship between Bacon and the English Protestant Church.

Topic 5: The role of churches and religion in World War II.

Research Aim: The research looks to examine the role of churches in Europe during WWII. The study will also analyse their religious ideologies and their deeds as institutions to impact the perceptions of World War II. The research will be conducted using document analysis.

History and Sociology Dissertations

Topic 1: race, poverty, and food deserts in cardiff, 1980-2016..

Research Aim: The research examines the demographic and spatial patterns that have shaped access to supermarkets in low-income neighbourhoods in Cardiff from 1980 to 2016. The research methods used will be quantitative.

Topic 2: Impact of World War II rationing on British cuisine

Research Aim: The research analyses the impact of rationing items by the British Ministry of Food on the specific culture from the 1940s to the 1980s. The research uses variables of socio-economic classes and geographic locations of the country to examine the cultural impacts it had on the British palate during the time. The research methods will include quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Topic 3: Impact of religious doctrines and ideologies on racism and racist factions in the USA.

Research Aim: The research analyses the relationship between different Christian sects and racial prejudice among groups of Christians based on geographic location (North or South) in the United States after the 2016 presidential elections. The research will be quantitative in nature but will incorporate qualitative techniques of historical document analysis to examine how racism in the country has changed since the Civil Rights Era of the United States.

Topic 4: The historical development and impact of public transportation in Shanghai, China, 1843-1937.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the impact of public transportation on the development of Shanghai’s urban landscape using the variables of tradition vs modernity, state and social relationships, and technology and society relations. The research will provide a historical analysis of the city from the British and the Opium Wars’ colonisation to the 20th century. The study will use qualitative document analysis and quantitative techniques as research methods.

Topic 5: The impact of water resource management, technological solutions, and urban growth after World War II on Atlanta, Georgia.

Research Aim: The purpose of the dissertation is to examine the origins of water-related issues in Atlanta by discovering the challenges that public officials, activists, and engineers faced in the area in terms of planning and enacting an effective environmental policy after World War II in the metropolitan area of Atlanta. The research will use historical document analysis as its methodology.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service !

Historical People and Events Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: examining the events and people giving rise to winston churchill.

Research Aim: The research examines the network of friends and colleagues of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill on how they influenced the primer’s reputation after his retirement and death. The study will analyse the history of the Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge, and the influence that Sir John Colville had on shaping Churchill’s image.

Topic 2: The rise of the right-wing woman in 20th-century Britain- Analysing Margaret Thatcher and Mary Whitehouse

Research Aim: The relationship between conservative powerhouses Margaret Thatcher and Mary Whitehouse was well known to the public for its traditional undertones. The research will examine the relationship between the two women using document analysis, particularly the public presentation relationship, to better understand the importance of conservative women in Britain. The research will analyse the twentieth-century political and cultural contexts that gave rise to these two women.

Topic 3: Examining the cooperative transformational leadership of Nelson Mandela and F. W. de Klerk.

Research Aim: The research will study the transfer of power in South Africa by focusing on the cooperative leadership strategies, policies, and personal characteristics of leaders such as Nelson Mandela and F. W. de Klerk. The research will examine how these two leaders could bring systematic revolution through democratic and peaceful means.

Topic 4: Pablo Picasso- The making of “Guernica” and its historical context.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the history of paintings of people suffering from the convulsion of war, explicitly focusing on Goya. The paper will examine the factors and influences on Pablo Picasso that led to the development of “Guernica.” The research will analyse how Picasso depicted real history snatches with symbolism that resonated with people.

Topic 5: Analysing the role of women in the Crusade Movement.

Research Aim: The research examines women’s contribution to the Crusades and its impact on propaganda, recruitment, organisation of the crusades, and financing of the campaigns. The study will also survey their roles in looking after families and properties while also giving liturgical support at home for those on the crusade campaigns.

Topic 6: The impact of the Harlem Renaissance on urban landscaping, Jazz music, and literature.

Research Aim: The research will examine the Great Migration of the 1910s in the United States, where a concentration of African American population moved North, causing demographic shifts. The study will analyse Toni Morrison’s Jazz, Persia Walker’s Black Orchid Blues, and other works regarding music and urbanisation.

Topic 23: John F. Kennedy- Rise of American foreign power and South Vietnam.

Research Aim: The research will analyse John F. Kennedy’s foreign policy strategies’ central themes. The paper examines the themes of counterinsurgency, credibility, and commitment in South Asia, particularly South Vietnam, to improve his credibility after the Bay of Pigs incident. The paper will observe the president’s fascination regarding psychological warfare, military forces, and countering ‘communism’ aggression in Southeast Asia.

Italian Unification History Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: the preservation of italy- analysing the fragility of italian unity 1866-68..

Research Aim: The research analyses the impact of the Austro-Prussian War at its conclusion in July 1866. The paper analyses factors such as the fall of the Liberal government in Britain that impacted the fragility of the Italian Unification. The paper examines the historical event through the bilateral relationship between a newly rising Italy and Britain.

Topic 2: Analysing the Italian post-unification period- Racial and colonial factors influencing modern Italians.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the rise of Italian fascism with the premise that it rose from the failures of previous liberal governments. The study particularly examines the first Liberal period after unification, which led to the explosion of civil war in the South of Italy. The study will analyse the racial and colonial factors that influenced the competition with Western European nations for imperialistic endeavours.

Topic 3: Prison system management in 19th-century Italian prisons after unification.

Research Aim: The research analyses accounting practices in prisons using documentation analysis of the prison management system of major Italian States in the early 19th century. The study aims to use various accounting methods to uncover the potentially socially damaging tools of accounting in prison reforms to discipline individuals of lesser status.

Topic 4: The impact of the mafia on Italian education after unification.

Research Aim: The research will use historical point data to analyse the impact the Mafia had on the level of education between 1874 and 1913. The particular geographic constraint of the study will be restricted to Sicily, Italy, after the unification of the Italian Kingdom in 1861.

German Unification History Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: examining the parties and problems of governance in the german empire..

Research Aim: The research will examine, using document analysis, the various processes for political restructuring that caused the founding of many political parties, interest groups, and civic associations. The research analyses how the Federal Republic strategised to transfer German Democratic Republic citizens’ sovereign rights to international institutions and the Federal Republic institutions.

Topic 2: Analysing the collapse of the GDR and the reunification of Germany.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the factors and influences surrounding the collapse of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1898 to 1990 and the reunification of East and West Germany. The research will also analyse the role of businesses with regard to the collapse, particularly the German business elites and their relationship with the Soviet Union.

Topic 3: Analysing the impact of Bismarck on the capitulation of German liberalism.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the impact the German National Liberal party of 1866 to 1867 had on supporting Otto von Bismarck’s policy of German unification. The study will examine the political stakes involved and the philosophy of Realpolitik in the Unification of the German Empire.

Topic 4: The impact of radical nationalism and political change after Bismarck.

Research Aim: The research will examine the factors that gave rise to the radicalisation of the German right under the politics of Otto von Bismarck. The study looks to find evidence of German fascism prior to World War II. To conduct the research, a thorough document analysis will be done with an extensive literature review.

World War I Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: the response of german immigrants to discrimination in the usa during world war i.

Research Aim: The research will examine the impact of caste-based discrimination on assimilation patterns of immigrant minorities, specifically German immigrants in the United States during WWI. The study will understand if discriminated minority groups increase their assimilation efforts to avoid discrimination and public harassment. The research will use naming patterns of children and records of petitions of naturalisations to conduct the study empirically.

Topic 2: Analysing the impact of affective experience and popular emotion on WWI International Relations.

Research Aim: The research will examine the factors of communal emotion and mass emotion during the outbreak of WWI to demonstrate the political significance of widespread sentiment. The research looks to study the factors with regard to contemporary populism.

Topic 3: The impact of military service in WWI on the economic status of American Veterans?

Research Aim: The research will analyse the different registration regimes during the WWI draft to find their impact on economic outcomes. The research will use empirical from 1900 to 1930 United States to study short-term impact of military service, while the United States census of 1960 is used to determine the long-term impacts. The data collected will be of household income and draft population of the time in WW1.

Topic 4: Examining the Impact of Quarrying Companies Royal Engineers in WWI to support British armies on the Western Front.

Research Aim: The research will examine the history of the Quarrying Companies unit within the Royal Engineers in WWI. The study will analyse the impact that the group had on British armies on the Western Front, particularly for the aid of the British Expeditionary Forces until its disbandment in 1919.

The Great Depression (Britain 1918-1939) Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: the impact of the great depression on labour productivity..

Research Aim: The research will examine the labour productivity of the UK manufacturing industry during the Great Depression. The research will be of empirical methodology and collect data on actual hours of work, real output, and employment statistics. The study will prove that during the Great Depression, output per work hour was counter-cyclical between 1929 and 1932.

Topic 2: Analysing the discourse of British newspapers during the Great Depression.

Research Aim: The research will use document analysis and text analysis to examine the rhetoric of British newspapers when unemployment rises. The study will accurately analyse the Great Depression in Britain by determining how the stigmatisation of poverty changes in the rhetoric of newspapers when discussing unemployment.

Topic 3: The Impact of the Great Depression on British Women Migration 1925-1935.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the impact that the Great Depression had on the migration of women out of Britain to the rest of its empire. The study will use empirical data to analyse the Society for Overseas Settlement of British Women (SOSBW). The research will assess if the society’s training programme influenced the employment and migration of women.

Topic 4: The Great Depression and British industrial growth- Analysing economic factors contributing to the Great Depression in Britain.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the British deceleration of industrial growth and the percentage rate of growth as the cause of the Great Depression in Britain. The research will examine the contribution of the Industrial Revolution and its initial rapid percentage of rate of growth causing ‘retardation.’ The study will be empirical and analyse historical patterns of Britain’s national economy.

Second World War Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: analysing brazilian aviation in world war ii.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the extent to which Brazilians were actively engaged in combat on the Brazilian coast and in the European theatre. The study will primarily focus on the global conflict through the Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB, or the Brazilian Air Force development before participation in the Second World War.

Topic 2: The impact of invention secrecy in World War II.

Research Aim: The research will examine the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patent secrecy orders which put over 11,000 US patent applications given secrecy orders. The study will analyse how this policy impacted keeping technology from the public during the war effort, specifically radar, electronics, and synthetic materials.

Topic 3: Analysing aerial photographic intelligence in WWII by British geologists.

Research Aim: The research will examine the period of WWII from 1939 to 1945 when intelligence was collected from aerial photographs by the Allied Central Interpretation Unit. The study will assess the history of aerial photographic information based on geology contributing to the Allied landings in Normandy in 1944.

Topic 4: Analysing British propaganda in the United States during WWII.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the strategies that British propagandists used to understand the American opinion of WWII during the war and for post-war relationships. The study will investigate the policies and factors that contributed to keeping the wartime alliance and creating an acceptable political climate in the United States for post-war cooperation.

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History of Nazi Germany Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: the impact of discrimination against jewish managers on firm performance in nazi germany..

Research Aim: The research will examine the large-scale increase in discrimination in Nazi Germany to cause the dismissal of qualified Jewish managers in large firms. The study will analyse the persistent stock prices of firms, dividend payments, and return on assets after the discriminatory removal of Jewish managers.

Topic 2: Examining children’s literature in Nazi Germany

Research Aim: The research will analyse children’s literature which was propagandised between 1933 and 1945 under the National Socialists party. The paper will examine the various themes, specifically the Nordic German worldview, and how German values were distorted to produce a homogenous folk community.

Topic 3: Shifting from liberal education of the Weimar Republic to Nazi educational reforms- Analysing educational reforms under the Nazi government.

Research Aim: The research will examine education reform that the National Socialist government implemented in elementary education. The research will look to accumulate personal accounts of families and students who experienced the era to better comprehend the educational reforms. The study seems to under how these educational reforms moulded student ideologies.

Topic 4: The effects of antisemitism in film comedy in Nazi Germany.

Research Aim: The research will explore the themes of antisemitism in film comedy produced during the reign of the Nazi party in Germany. The research will study how themes impacted the perceptions of people living in Germany post-war. The research will use document analysis and empirical analysis to document and examine the themes and attitudes.

History of Cinema Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: analysing the history and politics of bollywood..

Research Aim: The research will explore the various events in Indian film history that have allowed it to become a global sensation. The paper will analyse its market-driven triumph against Hollywood imports starting from the 1930s. The paper will also examine the nationalist social views of films produced in Bollywood during the 1950s.

Topic 2: The role of cinematic depictions influencing popular understanding of the Spanish Civil War.

Research Aim: The research will examine the role that cinema played in shaping the understanding of the Spanish Civil War. The study will focus on fictional films that were produced in Spain and Hollywood between the 1940s and the early years of the 21st century.

Topic 3: Analysing distinctive characteristics of Korean films.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the characteristics of Korean films and examine their historical development. The research will focus on the eras of the Japanese colonial period to 1945 when the American army occupied South Korea. The study will analyse the role of censorship throughout this time period in producing Korean films.

Topic 4: Examining the history of cinema in Britain since 1896.

Research Aim: The research will explore the development of cinema exhibitions and cinema-going in Britain in 1896. They will analyse various factors that led to the rapid growth of cinema in Britain just before WWI. The study will examine factors such as the position of cinema, the development of modern spaces, artistic respectability, the invention of sound, and cinema as individual entertainment.

History of Racism Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: analysing the factors influencing institutional racism in america..

Research Aim: The research will explore the complicated history of racism in the United States. It will analyse how racism has become embedded throughout American society, from land ownership, education, healthcare, employment, and the criminal justice system. The research will use a mixed-methods research approach to gather data.

Topic 2: Examining the relationship between racism and environmental deregulation in the Trump Era.

Research Aim: The research will analyse the possible relationship between environmental deregulation and racism between 2016 and 2017 under the Trump Administration. The study will primarily collect data from executive actions, ecological events, and tweets from the President during this time period. The study will document racist events that were targeted at people of colour, Asians, Arabs, South Asians, Muslims, and indigenous persons.

Topic 3: Analysing the experience of racism in English schools towards Eastern European Migrants.

Research Aim: The research will use qualitative design to analyse the experience of racism faced by students of Eastern European descent. The research will use the framework proposed by the Critical Race Theory and Critical Conceptions of Whiteness to conduct the study. The research will focus on the racism experienced by these students as marginal whiteness for their various linguistic accents.

Topic 4: The impact of racism on Afro-Italian entrepreneurship.

Research Aim: The research will use qualitative data to analyse the participation of Afro-Italian women entrepreneurs in start-ups relating to beauty, style, and hair care lines. The study explores the obstacles that young black women entrepreneurs face in Italian due to racism and how their inclusion in small economies changes the perception of Blackness and Black womanhood related to Italian material culture.

Also Read: Religion, Theology and Philosophy Dissertation Topics

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History of Spanish Civil War Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: examining the role of international nurses during the spanish civil war..

Research Aim: The research will use document analysis, primarily memoirs, to explore the life and work of international nurse participation during the Spanish Civil War. The study will examine their role with regard to contributions made to Spanish nursing during the war.

Topic 2: Examining republican propaganda during the Spanish Civil War.

Research Aim: The research will explore the propaganda used by the Republicans of the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939 to support their ideology of the war. The paper will focus on three primary forms of media – newspapers, cinema, and music. The study will conduct the analysis using historical context to examine its effectiveness in propagating the Republican messages.

Topic 3: The history of British Battalions in the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War.

Research Aim: The research will examine the role, experiences, and contributions of British volunteers to the Spanish Republic through the British Battalion of the 15th International Brigade. The study will accurately analyse the motivations of the volunteers to join the International Brigades and participate in the Spanish Civil War.

Topic 4: British cultural perspectives on the Spanish Civil War.

Research Aim: The research will explore the cultural perspectives of the political understanding of the British responses to the Spanish Civil War. The study will examine the mass culture and personal experiences of British visitors to Spain in the 1930s.

History of the United States Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: the impact of ‘the frontier’ on american expansion and imperialism..

Research Aim: The research explores the idea of ‘manifest destiny, its connection to the American frontier, and its impact on imperialism. The study focuses on how the American perception of savagery and civilisation is related to expanding the American frontier.

Topic 2: Analysing the American public opinion on the War in Vietnam.

Research Aim: The research uses empirical data to analyse the American public attitude with regard to the Vietnam War. The data will be analysed using demographic groups and perception studies. The study will investigate how these perceptions eventually shaped government policy preferences during the Vietnam War.

Topic 3: Analysing the inaugural speeches of re-elected US presidents since WWII.

Research Aim: The research identifies, analyses, and assesses the use of individual style in inaugural speeches of re-elected US presidents since WWII. The research will be conducted using document analysis of lexical and semantic levels. The study will assess how the inaugural addresses are shaped to reflect the public policy of re-elected presidents.

Topic 4: Analysing the rise of white power and paramilitary groups in the United States.

Research Aim: The research analyses the rise and expansion of white nationalists and racist far-right groups using government publications, journalistic accounts, and archival records. The research focuses on the failure in Vietnam, giving rise to white power movements. The study will examine various events to assess the factors and significance that caused an increase in paramilitary groups in the United States.

Topic 5: Examining the rise of new white nationalism in America.

Research Aim: The research will use data acquired from speeches, books, and internet sources written by white nationalists to assess the shift of white nationalist ideas of oppression of other races to a view of victimhood of white nationalists. The research will use an extensive literature review to document the development of white nationalism in American history while also considering the development of social media.

Historic Events of Early Twentieth-Century Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: the creation of uniquely american musical sounds; changes in classical music from the 19th to 20th century..

Research Aim: The research explores the changes in American classical music, shifting from its traditional European origins to a more defined American sound. The study will contend that historical events such as the upheaval and shifts of society during the American Civil War were the main factors in the creation of new American classical music.

Topic 2: The influence of political parties on democracy and party-state relations in the 20th-century.

Research Aim: The research will analyse institutional reforms of party-state relations, including constitutions, electoral laws, and party laws in France and Italy during the 20th century. The study will examine the impact of party entanglement on contributing to democratisation in Europe.

Topic 3: The impact of suspicion and distrust on conflict coverage- A case study of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Research Aim: The research will use inductive-qualitative analysis to examine the journalistic narratives of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To do so, the factors of suspicion of information sources, awareness of being under suspicion, and distrust of peer journalists are used to examine the trust of journalists and the dilemmas they face in hostile environments.

Also Read: Project Management Dissertation Topics

List Of Top Trending Dissertation Topics For History Students

• Decolonisation Movements and the Reshaping of Global Power Dynamics
• The Rise of Social Media and Its Influence on Historical Narratives
• Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Historical Research
• The Cold War’s Legacy in the Context of Contemporary Geopolitical Tensions
• Redefining National Identity in a Globalised World
• A Long-Term Analysis of The Environmental Consequences of Industrialization
• The Representation of Race and Gender in Historical Film and Television
• The Ethics of Cultural Appropriation in Museums and Historical Sites
• Space and its Influence on International Cooperation
• Cyberwarfare and its Implications for Global Security
• The Role of Technology in Shaping Revolutions Throughout History
• The Power of Propaganda and its Role in Shaping Public Opinion
• The Interconnectedness of Global Trade Routes and Historical Exchange
• The Black Death’s Devastating Impact and its Long-Term Social Repercussions
• The Rise of Populism and its Challenges to Democratic Institutions
• The History of Censorship and its Impact on Freedom of Expression
• The New World and its Devastating Consequences on Indigenous Populations
• The Scientific Revolution and its Challenges to Religious Authority
• The French Revolution’s Legacy: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, and Their Unfinished Business
• The Unintended Consequences of Technological Advancements Throughout History
• The Power of Social Movements in Driving Political and Social Change
• The History of Espionage and its Influence on International Relations
• The Role of Diplomacy in Resolving International Conflicts
• The Vietnam War’s Legacy and its Enduring Impact on American Society
• The Civil Rights Movement in the United States and its Global Influence
• The History of LGBTQ+ Rights and the Ongoing Fight for Equality
• The Challenges and Opportunities of Urbanisation Throughout History
• The History of Mental Health and the Changing Attitudes Towards Treatment
• The Role of Religion in Shaping Historical Events and Social Development
• The History of Education and its Impact on Social Mobility
• The Power of Literature and Art in Reflecting and Influencing Historical Change
• The Role of Espionage in Shaping the Outcomes of Major Historical Events
• The Challenges of Preserving and Interpreting Historical Artifacts for Future Generations

Important Notes:

As a student of history looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing history theories – i.e., to add value and interest to your research topic.

The field of history is vast and interrelated to so many other academic disciplines like literature , linguistics , politics , international relations , and more. That is why it is imperative to create a history dissertation topic that is particular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic; it is the basis of your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, and there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation as you may end up in a cycle of rejection at the very initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best history dissertation topics that fulfils your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalising your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and can also be practically implemented. Take a look at some of our sample history dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure Your History Dissertation

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems to be addressed. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic, in light of research questions to be addressed. The purpose is to highlight and discuss the relative weaknesses and strengths of the selected research area while identifying any research gaps. Break down of the topic, and key terms can have a positive impact on your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology : The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes research design , research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis : Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs, charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and Conclusion : The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter, and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is to establish the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regard to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References : Make sure to complete this in accordance with your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices : Any additional information, diagrams, or graphs that were used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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How to find dissertation topics about history.

• History era or event that excites you!
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• Consider the availability of research materials for your topic.
• Narrow a broad topic into a specific research question.

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Thesis Statements

Every paper must argue an idea and every paper must clearly state that idea in a thesis statement.

A thesis statement is different from a topic statement.  A topic statement merely states what the paper is about.  A thesis statement states the argument of that paper.

Be sure that you can easily identify your thesis and that the key points of your argument relate directly back to your thesis.

Topic statements:

This paper will discuss Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima.

The purpose of this paper is to delve into the mindset behind Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima.

This paper will explore how Harry Truman came to the decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima.

Thesis statements:

Harry Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima was motivated by racism.

The US confrontation with the Soviets was the key factor in Truman’s decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima.

This paper will demonstrate that in his decision to drop the bomb on Hiroshima, Truman was unduly influenced by hawks in his cabinet.

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High Energy Physics - Theory

Title: topics in weyl geometry and quantum anomalies.

Abstract: The first part of this thesis focuses on the Weyl-covariant nature of holography. We generalize the Fefferman-Graham (FG) ambient construction for conformal geometry to a corresponding construction for Weyl geometry. Through the Weyl-ambient construction, we investigate Weyl-covariant quantities on the Weyl manifold and define Weyl-obstruction tensors. We show that Weyl-obstruction tensors appear as poles in the Fefferman-Graham expansion of the ALAdS bulk metric for even boundary dimensions. Under holographic renormalization in the Weyl-Fefferman-Graham gauge, we compute the Weyl anomaly of the boundary theory in multiple dimensions and demonstrate that Weyl-obstruction tensors can be used as the building blocks for the Weyl anomaly of the dual quantum field theory (QFT). The holographic calculation with a background Weyl geometry also suggests an underlying geometric interpretation of the Weyl anomaly. The second part of this thesis is devoted to understanding the geometric nature of the BRST formalism and quantum anomalies. Using the language of Lie algebroids, the BRST complex can be encoded in the exterior algebra of an Atiyah Lie algebroid derived from the principal bundle of the gauge theory. We showed that the cohomology of an Atiyah Lie algebroid in a trivialization gives rise to the BRST cohomology. We then apply the Lie algebroid cohomology in studying quantum anomalies and demonstrate the computation for chiral and Lorentz-Weyl anomalies. In particular, we pay close attention to the fact that the geometric intuition afforded by the Lie algebroid (which was absent in the traditional BRST complex) provides hints of a deeper picture that simultaneously geometrizes the consistent and covariant forms of the anomaly. In the algebroid construction, the difference between the consistent and covariant anomalies is simply a different choice of basis.

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