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Michael Lansing interview appears on South Dakota Public Broadcasting

SDPBRadio - logoMichael Lansing, associate professor of history at Augsburg College, was interviewed by South Dakota Public Broadcasting for the Dakota Midday radio program. Lansing is the author of “Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics,” which presents the history of the Nonpartisan League as a model for future political movements.

Lansing describes the League as a grassroots organization started by Midwestern farmers in 1915 who were getting “ripped-off” by the large grain milling and transportation corporations in the region.

“I know that’s pretty strong language,” he said. “But if you look at the evidence in retrospect, it’s rather true.”

Listen to: Dakota Midday: Insurgent Democracy (13 minutes) on the SDPB Radio site.

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead recommends Michael Lansing’s book

TheForumOfFargoMoorheadTitleThe Forum of Fargo-Moorhead recently recommended “Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics” by Michael Lansing, associate professor of history at Augsburg College, as a holiday gift with regional ties.

The book details the history of the Nonpartisan League, a political movement active in North Dakota, neighboring states, and some Canadian provinces in the early 1900s.

Read: Consider these new books with regional ties for Christmas gift-giving on the Forum site.

 

Michael Lansing interviewed by Prairie Public Broadcasting

Prairie Public Television logoMichael Lansing, associate professor of history at Augsburg College, recently was interviewed on Prairie Pulse, a program on Prairie Public Television. Lansing is the author of “Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics,” which examines both the history of the Nonpartisan League and its lasting effects on politics and community organizing. In the 25-minute interview, Lansing speaks about the genesis of the book, his research process, women’s involvement in the League, and many other topics.

Watch: Prairie Pulse 1308: Michael Lansing on Prairie Public Broadcasting’s YouTube channel.

Michael Lansing book signing announced

Pioneer Public Television and the Chippewa County Historical Society have announced that they will co-sponsor a reading, book signing, and discussion with Michael J. Lansing, associate professor of history at Augsburg College. Lansing will read from his new book “Insurgent Democracy: The Nonpartisan League in North American Politics.”

According to the announcement, Lansing’s book gives a historical account of the Nonpartisan League, a political movement active from 1915 to 1920 as a means of limiting corporate influence in politics in favor of an empowered citizenship. Lansing argues that the League’s success and collapse offer valuable lessons that are applicable to popular movements in modern politics.

The event will take place on November 19 at the Montevideo Chippewa County Public Library.

Bill Green answers WCCO ‘Good Question’

History Professor Bill Green spoke with WCCO-TV about why Minnesotans are quick to defend their state’s image.

A recent Washington Post article identified Red Lake County, Minn., as the “absolute worst place to live in America,” and Minnesotans immediately sought to set the record straight. In the news station’s Good Question segment, Green explained that part of the reason why Minnesotans reacted strongly to the article is because of the major investment they make in ensuring that the state offers a favorable quality of life.

“We work hard to have good government, we work hard to create a society that attempts to include everyone,” he said. “We work hard to invest resources into making this place look beautiful.”

Watch “Good Question: Why Are Minnesotans So Proud Of Their State?” to learn more.

New book by Bill Green earns Pioneer Press nod

logo-smallThe Pioneer Press featured “Degrees of Freedom,” a new book by Professor of History William “Bill” Green, shortly after its release from University of Minnesota Press. In the book, Green “draws a picture of black experience in a northern state and the nature of black discontent and action within a predominantly white society, revealing little-known historical characters among the black men and women who moved to Minnesota following passage of the 15th Amendment,” according to veteran journalist Mary Ann Grossmann.

Visit the Pioneer Press website to learn more.

Augsburg alumnus pens historical article

MinnPostKevin Ehrman-Solberg ’14 wrote an article for MinnPost about historical relics leftover from Minneapolis’ old mill system.

Ehrman-Solberg works for the Historyapolis Project, a Minneapolis-based organization dedicated to bringing the history of Minneapolis to life, in hopes that his work will build a sense of community.

The Historyapolis Project is housed in the history department at Augsburg College. The organization was made possible by a Historical and Cultural Heritage grant through the Minnesota Historical Society.

To read the article and learn more about the Historyapolis Project, visit the MinnPost site.

Practicing "I have a dream" and schools of citizenship

boyte_mlkBy Harry C. Boyte

Today, on Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday, I’ve been thinking about the March on Washington and how much its citizenship message is relevant.

In the summer of 1963, my father, Harry George Boyte, went on staff of King’s organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. At his urging I hitchhiked across the country, arriving in Washington the day before, August 27, 1963, on my way to Duke as a freshman in the fall. I lay in a sleeping bag on the floor of his hotel room. Early in the morning, I heard King’s booming voice in a nearby room, practicing “I Have a Dream.” Continue reading “Practicing "I have a dream" and schools of citizenship”

A reflection from Namibia

katelyn_abroadKatelyn Danelski ’12 [right] spent the fall semester studying at the Center for Global Education center in Windhoek, Namibia. The following is her reflection on the experience, written after her return to Minnesota.

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“How was your trip,” people ask me. “I hope you had a good time,” they say.  This past semester spent studying abroad in southern Africa with 14 other university students was so much more than just a “trip” or a “good time.” It was a life-changing set of experiences. Homestays, speakers, traveling, classes, and conversations all took me and others to new places and perspectives on spiritual, geographical, and personal levels. Continue reading “A reflection from Namibia”

The journey of a sweater

sweater_storyOn any given day in the winter at Augsburg, especially around the Christmas holidays or during our annual Velkommen Jul celebration, one can be sure to spot a Norwegian sweater. The traditional Norwegian lusekofte (“lice jacket”), also called “setesdalgenser” (setesdal sweater), is a design that dates back to the early 18th century.

Augsburg’s Mary Laurel True of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship has a Norwegian sweater with an interesting history. She writes:

Several years ago I bought what I thought might be a Norwegian sweater at Savers second hand store so that I would have appropriate attire for the celebration of Velkommen Jul at Augsburg College. Continue reading “The journey of a sweater”