I am currently working towards my PhD at Purdue University with a focus in United States immigration and political culture. I intend to defend in Summer, 2023.
My dissertation makes connections between the political culture of nineteenth-century Ireland and Irish immigrant communities in the United States. This transnational approach recontextualizes the political activities and identities of Irish immigrants and Americans of Irish descent throughout the nineteenth century by examining pro-Irish nationalist activities in the United States. This is accomplished by analyzing the actions of ordinary Irish-Americans who joined the many pro-Irish Nationalist organizations, which were either transplanted from Ireland to North America, or began there. The Friendly Sons and Daughters of Saint Patrick, The Fenian Brotherhood of America, and the Ancient Order of the Hibernians are but a few of the societies which published papers, raised funds, organized speaking tours, and even planned violent insurrections all in support of a freer Irish Nation. My dissertation takes into account the many motivations and perspectives which the context of life as an immigrant or as a descendant of immigrants brought to Irish Nationalism.
My award-winning master's thesis, "'Fortune will Favour the Brave:' Irish Women Come to America, 1845 - 1870" was completed in the summer of 2017. This thesis investigated the personal writings of Irish immigrant women of the famine generation in order to discern how they navigated nineteenth century America. I specifically examined their employment, their homesickness, and their leisure time in order to construct a view of their lives.
My secondary historical interests are the American Civil War, American women's history, foodways history, and cultural history.
As an instructor, I have experience in surveys of American History, Western Civilization, and Global history, as well as U.S. women's history.
My dissertation makes connections between the political culture of nineteenth-century Ireland and Irish immigrant communities in the United States. This transnational approach recontextualizes the political activities and identities of Irish immigrants and Americans of Irish descent throughout the nineteenth century by examining pro-Irish nationalist activities in the United States. This is accomplished by analyzing the actions of ordinary Irish-Americans who joined the many pro-Irish Nationalist organizations, which were either transplanted from Ireland to North America, or began there. The Friendly Sons and Daughters of Saint Patrick, The Fenian Brotherhood of America, and the Ancient Order of the Hibernians are but a few of the societies which published papers, raised funds, organized speaking tours, and even planned violent insurrections all in support of a freer Irish Nation. My dissertation takes into account the many motivations and perspectives which the context of life as an immigrant or as a descendant of immigrants brought to Irish Nationalism.
My award-winning master's thesis, "'Fortune will Favour the Brave:' Irish Women Come to America, 1845 - 1870" was completed in the summer of 2017. This thesis investigated the personal writings of Irish immigrant women of the famine generation in order to discern how they navigated nineteenth century America. I specifically examined their employment, their homesickness, and their leisure time in order to construct a view of their lives.
My secondary historical interests are the American Civil War, American women's history, foodways history, and cultural history.
As an instructor, I have experience in surveys of American History, Western Civilization, and Global history, as well as U.S. women's history.
