Word: winging
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Professors attribute the wing's internal struggles to a split between the Old Guard--such as Adams University Professor Bernard Bailyn, Trumbull Professor Donald Fleming, and Loeb University Professor Emeritus Oscar Handlin--and more recently tenured Americanists such as Winthrop Professor of History Stephan A. Thernstrom, Warren Professor of American History David H. Donald, and Du Bois. Professor of History and Afro-American Studies Nathan I. Huggins...
After two of its popular associate professors--both experts in 20th century American political history--failed to receive tenure this year, the American wing came under intense scrutiny. The department rejected Associate Professor of History Bradford A. Lee. Although Dunwalke Associate Professor of History Alan Brinkley received the majority of his department's approval, Spence ended his tenure bid because he felt too many prominent senior department members had opposed...
Some historians have faulted chairman Laiou, who is a professor of Byzantine history, for not providing the department with strong enough leadership, and allowing the internal divisions to cripple the American wing. But Laiou calls such statements fiction: "This is a department where there are honest disagreements about any number of things, but that does not make for a crisis. As far as I'm concerned there is no crisis. My God, Robinson Hall is standing up beautifully. We've got all the measurable signs which are positive...
Much of the criticism that Harvard's American wing has received from other members of the historical profession is the result of a general fondness for Harvard bashing, she says. "It's not difficult to find people around the country who find it easy to criticize a highly visible place," Laiou says...
...outside scholars argue that the department's problems have arisen because of some senior Americanists' feeling of "hubris" which has left the American wing immune to criticism, and out of touch with the rest of the profession...