Laurel Shire

Biography

I have a long-standing love of social and cultural history, and enjoy teaching all aspects of the American past that touch on the ways that people, especially women, shaped it. I want students to engage with historical content as well as criticism, and to immerse themselves occasionally in the culture of the past. I strive to be an accessible and compassionate teacher while also maintaining high expectations. I believe that passionate and imaginative teaching encourages students not only to engage with history but also to develop stronger research and writing skills. All of my undergraduate courses address historiography and teach students how to locate and analyze primary sources. I also support student development as solid writers and make myself available to discuss strategies for improvement.

Research Interest

Professor Shire is a social and cultural historian whose research focuses on the United States in the nineteenth century, especially the relationship between race, gender, and U.S. expansion. Her research connects scholarship on North American borderlands, Western and Southern U.S. history, the Atlantic world, Native and African American studies, and women’s history.