Research

As recent publications and works in progress indicate, I currently pursue several different themes in my research and writing:

First, a cluster of issues pertaining to global history: the rise and decline of territoriality, i.e. the changing significance of what is often taken for granted -- state control of bordered space, and its impact on politics and international stability; relatedly the role of empire and imperial-like units (including the U.S. in this category) as a force for international order, and disorder.

Second: the role of history and collective memory, which includes consideration of such issues as reparation, truth commissions and political trials after war crimes or political repression.

Third: the socioeconomic history of capitalist and the formerly socialist societies.

Fourth: a cluster of issues pertaining to intellectual history and theory, including the methodologies of comparative and contemporary history and the application of political philosophy to historical cases.

In terms of national history I follow the modern national development of Germany and Italy, above all. Occasionally I contribute background pieces to collections or exhibition catalogues on the history of the arts, architecture or urbanism and music history. I have taught large “core” courses on the First and the Second World Wars and departmental offerings on Western Europe since the Reformation, modern Italian history, international relations, and most recently twentieth-century world history, and political trials.