Benjamin Thorne

Biography

Benjamin Thorne is a social and cultural historian of modern Eastern Europe with country-specific foci on Romania and Hungary and topical expertise in the Holocaust and the history of Roma/Gypsies. My current book project, The Anxiety of Proximity: Race, Modernity, and the “Gypsy Question” in Modern Romanian Society, explores the creation of modern identities, both for Roma and Romanians, and how an increasingly radicalized nationalist discourse paved the way for the inclusion of Roma as a primary target of ethnic cleansing and genocide during World War II. His teaching reflects these interests, and in addition to my regular GPS offerings, he teach both halves of the Modern European History sequence (HIST 303/304) on a rotating basis each fall. In the spring, He offer more specialized upper-level courses and have taught courses on Comparative Genocide Studies, the Holocaust, and the History of Jews in East-Central Europe. A unique component of Wingate’s curriculum is our W’International program, and he pleased to announce that in Spring 2017, I will be teaching “Vampires, Fascists, and Communists: Villains as Heroes in National Myth,” culminating in a 10-day trip to various sites in Romania.

Research Interest

Regular GPS offerings, modern European History sequence (HIST 303/304) on a rotating basis each fall.