History Seminar Series

The History Seminar Series will feature Dr. Whitney Leeson of Roanoke University (VA) in a presentation entitled "Historical Anthropology: Teaching and Research at the Intersection of Two Disciplines."

Dr. Whitney Leeson will share a personal reflection on the journey that led her to combine the fields of anthropology and history. She will discuss the transformative impact several professors had on her intellectually in her graduate studies at University of Virginia, where a community of scholars in both the Anthropology and History departments encouraged her to bring both disciplines together in her dissertation work on repentant prostitutes in late medieval Avignon, but also in her undergraduate studies at William and Mary. Whitney will also look at the unique “breadth” of anthropology compared to the “depth” of history, and how this has shaped her interdisciplinary approach to research and teaching, as well as address the current challenges in academia, particularly in navigating a shifting university landscape where the value of history and anthropology is sometimes questioned. For her, the flexibility within her university’s Intellectual Inquiry curriculum has allowed her to thrive teaching courses that not only resonate with her but also engage students in meaningful ways.