In case there is anyone interested in American History out there who has not discovered H-Net I want to alert you to this wonderful resource.
Some people might argue that email list-servs are things of the past now we have social networking and twitter and other exciting communication tools. But as a lecturer I find the H-Net lists an amazing resource.
Of course sometimes when the emails come in I file them away or even delete them, knowing I simply don’t have time to read them now, but when I do dip into them I always find a hidden gem. The sorts of things you will find posted are: book reviews, links to teaching resources, suggested reading lists, conference announcements, and all the discussions about these things led by practitioners in the field. These lists also provide a forum for postgraduate students to ask questions and get their names known.
Sometimes the debate becomes heated. Recently exchanges on civil war remembrance in the 21st century were very lively. But most discussions take place in a friendly, collegiate way with a spirit of co-operation pervading the site.
One of my favourite aspects is the syllabi sections. here’s one for H-Atlantic (a list devoted unsurprisingly to Atlantic History): click here. These resources are a real help if you are designing new courses or recommending new books for your library to buy.
So, if you haven’t done so already, dive into H-Net. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without it!
