Texas A&M Commerce is honored to once again host the World History Association of Texas (WHAT) annual conference. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the conference to move to a virtual format this year but that also opens up new opportunities for participants from Texas and around the world to exchange ideas and discuss their research with a wider audience.
The WHAT conference provides a forum for the discussion of all aspects of World History. Every year the WHAT Conference also chooses a special thematic focus.
Our theme for 2021 is ‘A World of Things’: Consumerism, Consumption, and Commodities. Considering Erich Fromm’s statement that, “We live in a world of things, and our only connection with them is that we know how to manipulate or consume them,” we seek to understand those connections and the human experience with consumerism, consumption, and commodities. We anticipate lively discussions of these issues.
We are very excited to announce that our Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Malcolm Purinton (Twitter: @beer_historian), notable world and beer historian. His address will be, “Sipping on Culture: Consumption and Identity in the Imperial World.”
Malcolm F. Purinton is part of the affiliated faculty at Emerson College in Boston where he teaches Contemporary World History and holds a Ph.D. degree from Northeastern University. He has been teaching World and European history at several Boston-area schools while actively participating in the local craft beer scene as the Boston Columnist for the northeast-regional periodical, Yankee Brew News. He specializes in the history of Food and Beer in the Modern Era through international and imperial connections. He recently contributed a chapter on the history of European beer in nineteenth century South Africa in Alcohol Flows Across Cultures: Drinking Cultures in Transnational and Comparative Perspective (Routledge). His current project is a manuscript examining the development and spread of European beer styles across the world through trade and empire.
The World History Association of Texas (WHAT) Conference will be hosted by Texas A&M University–Commerce on Saturday, February 20, 2021 via Zoom. Students, faculty, and the public are welcome to attend. Continuing Education credits are available! Registration is free and may be done in advance or on the day of the conference. Registration is required to gain access to the Zoom links and passcodes for panels.
Please visit the WHAT 2021 Conference Page for more information and registration.
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· Live tweet the conference: #WHATx2021