September 21-22, 2013: Welcome to AmericanStudier!

Since I’ve recently given the first few of my many scheduled book talks, I’m hoping that some of the folks who have attended those events might make their way here as well. So I wanted to take this chance to introduce myself and the blog a bit, through four different aspects of my ongoing scholarly work and identity. Whether you’re a brand-new visitor or a long-time reader, please feel free to say hi in comments!

1)      This Blog: Is barreling toward its three-year anniversary, in early November. For the first year or so I wrote mostly individual posts; for the last couple years I’ve done weekly series. In any case, your best starting point for finding out what’s here would be the Monthly Recaps (under that Label at right); you can also search for particular topics with the search bar at the top. If you’re interested in something in particular, feel free to leave a comment or to email me (brailton@fitchburgstate.edu).

2)      The New Book: While I’m trying to tailor each of my talks to the particular place and context in which I’m giving it, they all connect to my most recent book, The Chinese Exclusion Act: What It Can Teach Us About America (Palgrave Pivot, June 2013). The book is available in either e-book or hard copy format, at that site, through Palgrave, or in many other places. But if you’re not able to pay for a copy, please feel free to email me and I’ll send you an e-copy of the proofs.

3)      The Website-in-Progress: One of my goals for the coming year is to develop a new website, The Hall of American Inspiration. Right now that’s just a starting point, but I’d still to hear your thoughts on Americans who should be included in such a project—past or present, famous or not, public or private. Again, feel free to leave a comment below or to email me with any nominations, or any other thoughts on that project.

4)      Public Scholarship: Those three provide good specific examples of different sides to my scholarly work and identity. But I should also mention a broader goal: what I call, in my Twitter bio, “Trying to make my tiny contribution to our national narratives.” I’ve written a good bit about that goal in many of the “Meta-Posts” (see Label at right) here, including this post from a few months back. Here I’ll just add that such public scholarship is, as I see it, entirely communal, and thus depends on my hearing your voices and perspectives just as much as on sharing my own. So please share yours, in comments, by email, on Twitter, however you want!

Next series starts Monday,

Ben

PS. If you’re new to the blog, or whatever the case may be, please say hi and let me know what you’d be interested in seeing here! Thanks!