Origins at eHistory

Building a New Silk Road? Central Asia in the New World Order

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:00:00 GMT

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 five new nations gained independence in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. When they emerged onto the world stage they were little understood in the West, often confused with one another, and the subject of jokes on late-night TV. Increasingly, however, these nations demand our attention, whether because of the oil and gas resources in the region, because of the environmental crises � most dramatically the disappearance of the Aral Sea � and because of the strategic location between Russia, China and Afghanistan.

Pirates of Puntland, Somalia

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GMT

In the first week of April, Somali pirates raided an American-flagged ship in the Indian Ocean and took the captain hostage. It was only one of several raids along the Somali coast in a 48 hour period. In recent months and years, pirates have made the Horn of Africa the most dangerous place to navigate in the world. This month, historian Andy Carlson examines the very long history of piracy in the region, and explores how the political problems of Somalia as a 'failed state' have contributed to the current wave of maritime brigandage.

Requiem: Detroit and the Fate of Urban America

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT

No city in America has had its fortunes tied to the rise and fall of the manufacturing economy more than Detroit. Home to the American auto industry, symbol of post-war prosperity, Detroit now stands as a synonym for urban decline. This month historian and Detroit native Kevin Boyle gives us a very personal meditation on the city and puts his own experience of growing up in Detroit in historical perspective.

The Real Marriage Revolution

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMT

The controversy that still swirls over California's Proposition 8 has kept the issue of same-sex marriage squarely in the national spotlight. For those who oppose gay marriage, allowing same-sex couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples amounts to nothing less than a revolution in the institution of marriage and the family. This month, historian Stephanie Coontz puts the desire for same-sex marriage into some intriguing historical perspective. She demonstrates that heterosexual couples instigated the real revolution in marriage--the idea that two individuals should be able to choose their partners based on love, sexual attraction, and mutual interests. Gays and lesbians have simply followed suit.

Kosovo's Year Zero: Between a Balkan Past and a European Future

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT

With its unilateral�and highly controversial�declaration of independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, the former Yugoslavian territory of Kosovo joined the ranks of the world�s sovereign states. Currently recognized by only 53 U.N. member nations, and opposed by Russia, the unsettled fate of Kosovo now sits with the International Court of Justice, which has been asked rule on the legality of its split from Serbia. This month, to mark the one-year anniversary, historians Edin Hajdarpasic and Emil Kerenji explore the roots of the conflicts that led to Kosovo�s separation and evaluate the future prospects for this fledgling state.

'The World's Worst Humanitarian Crisis': Understanding the Darfur Conflict

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Since 2003, the Darfur region of western Sudan has been the site of terrible violence, death, and displacement; what the United States has labelled 'genocide.' Despite what is currently the world's largest relief operation, efforts to calm the conflict and assist the approximately five million Darfurians suffering ongoing deprivation have produced precious few results. With no end in sight for the turmoil, Ahmad Sikainga, a native of Sudan and Professor of History at the Ohio State University, explores the origins and current status of the Darfur conflict.

With a Little Help from Our Friends?: The Costs of Coalition Warfare

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT

It has become a truism of American foreign policy that the United States should undertake military action in coalition with other nations. Under the administrations of both Bushes and Bill Clinton, American diplomats worked hard to broker military cooperation from other nations around the world. The benefits of such coalitions would seem obvious, but in next month's essay political scientist Patty Weitsman explores the costs of fighting in coalition, and comes to some startling conclusions.

Making Sense of the 'Hermit Kingdom': North Korea in the Nuclear Age

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:00 GMT

The Bush administration's controversial October 2008 decision to take North Korea off the list of state sponsors of terrorism, in an effort to keep Pyongyang's nuclear program halted, opens a new chapter in the history of North Korea's international relations. Nuclear proliferation is worrisome anywhere in the world, but particularly coming from secretive, unpredictable, and, for many analysts around the world, incomprehensible North Korea. Water Mondale once declared 'anyone who claims to be an expert on North Korea is either a liar or a fool.' This month, Mitchell Lerner, a professor of history at Ohio State, braves being called one or the other. He offers insight into how policy is formed in North Korea and what drives its seemingly fickle relations with the rest of the world.

Clash in the Caucasus: Georgia, Russia, and the Fate of South Ossetia

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:00:00 GMT

The brief war in Georgia in August 2008 has ushered in a new era in international relations�although likely not the �new cold war� that so many analysts have rushed to declare. In this month�s article, Stephen F. Jones, one of the world�s foremost specialists on Georgia, explores the origins of this summer�s fighting. The war�s main protagonists�Georgians, Ossetians, Abkhaz, and Russians�have had a long and tangled history, made worse by the swirling nationalism that accompanied the break-up of the Soviet Union, the promise of free-flowing petrodollars, Russia�s international resurgence, and the United States� recent, active involvement in the region.

Punishing the Past: Presidential Elections in Times of Crisis (1932, 1968, 2008)

ehistory@osu.edu (eHistory staff) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:00:00 GMT

With the campaign for the November election at full throttle, candidates will be working hard to persuade voters that their vision for the future is better than their opponents. This month historian Bruce Kuklick offers a provocative and counter-intiutive way to think about the upcoming election. In this thought-piece, Kuklick argues that rather than being about the future of the nation, elections must be about the past.