The Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies

The Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies was founded in 2004 as an intellectual center where UM faculty, graduate students and outside visitors examine and discuss current analytical and methodological issues in the field of history.  The Thursday Series of colloquia, seminars, and lectures constitutes the core of the Institute’s scholarly program.  Distinguished guests are invited to present at the Series, often around a defined theme that focuses the work of a given year.  In addition to the Series, the Institute sponsors graduate student workshops, and other events that foster critical thinking of issues related to historical teaching and research.  The Institute also welcomes a number of fellows and resident scholars each year to participate in its program.

Mission Statement

The Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies aims to stimulate imaginative new scholarship and innovative teaching. It hopes to contribute to the study of history nationally as well as transmit new modes of historical understanding to successive generations of students.  In so doing, the Institute seeks to enrich the department and university community generally and to help bridge the divide that tends to open between graduate student and faculty academic life.

Goals

The Institute is envisioned as a place where faculty, graduate students and visitors can draw on common scholarly ground to examine diverse approaches to the study and the teaching of history.  The specific goals of the Institute include:

Fostering a setting where faculty and graduate students participate together in vigorous intellectual exchange that builds on the diversity of the department

Bringing distinguished visitors to campus for our seminar and lecture series

Creating a center for examining current themes and issues relevant to historical research and teaching

Providing grants to bring senior scholars and post-doctoral fellows to campus to participate in the Institute programming