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Co-Host Chris Padgett
I first taught college history while a graduate student at the University of California, Davis, the school where I earned my PhD in 1993. My early research and publication interests centered on the abolitionist movement in America. The abolitionists were black and white, men and women, an altogether prickly bunch of protestors, full of fervor against slavery and (for many) fired by the ideals of racial equality. As a professor I have taught a variety of classes over the years, each of which at one time or another was my favorite, including U.S. History, African American History, U.S. Women’s History, the History of Religion in America, Ancient History, and World History. I have always enjoyed working with colleagues across the segments, including K-12 teachers, to explore innovative methods for teaching history, and with a special interest in literacy. I am married to a high school English teacher and together we make our home in San José, California.
Co-Host Josh Weiner
Except maybe in the final days of writing my dissertation, I don’t remember a moment of my life when I didn’t love history. Selecting history as my major at the University of California Santa Cruz was thus an obvious choice, as was continuing my historical education at Northeastern University where I received my M.A. and PhD in World History. For me, the education itself was both the means and the end. As a result, I had no thought of where it would take me or what I would do after getting those degrees. It was therefore a lucky coincidence that when I was given classes to teach as a grad student I found that I loved teaching the subject as much as I loved learning about it. Sixteen years later, I continue to love what I do and see this podcast as an opportunity to take my approach to thinking about history that I developed in the classroom to a different audience. I am living out the apocalypse in Folsom, CA with my wife and three kids.
History Against the Grain 