Hi! I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska (about 25 miles from Prof. Matzke!) and did my studies in New England and abroad before coming to Ripon in 2008. I am a specialist in Latin American history (Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, etc.) but also teach a wide variety of courses at Ripon, from historical methods to the history of cartography to the history of the modern world as seen through the evolution of soccer, the global game. Someday I’ll get brave enough to offer a class on Japan, a side interest ever since a high school friend moved there. My research and writing focus on the intellectual, cultural, and environmental history of modern Argentina, which has some surprising similarities to our country, especially Chicagoland and the greater Midwest. These days I live in Madison with my wife Emma (a history professor at Northern Illinois University), son Teddy, and annoying cat Basia.
If you would like to learn more about my scholarship or other professional activities, feel free to peruse my CV.
What’s the best advice about teaching you’ve ever received? Don’t hide your thought process — show it.
Briefly tell us about a significant experience you’ve had at Ripon. Working with students to develop and run a class that didn’t exist before but they always wished they could take.
What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you? I have to study for class too.
A project to strengthen the humanities at Ripon College through regional collaboration has received a $150,000 Humanities Initiatives for Colleges and Universities grant from the […]
Brian Bockelman, professor of history and interim director of strategic initiatives, has been awarded a residential fellowship at Dumbarton Oaks, a Harvard-owned estate, museum and […]
A book with a chapter by Professor of History Brian Bockelman made “The Shortlist” of readings recommended by The New York Times on Dec. 3, […]