Research in our community and beyond

Since the days of Fairmount College, this institution has been a home for people from a wide range of backgrounds. From our origins as the Wichita Ladies College to today's global connections, the Department of History at Wichita State University is committed to connecting cutting edge scholarship with our students, our city, and our state. We encourage respectful conversations about complicated issues, realizing that our discussions have roots in the past. Studying history allows us to better understand how the interactions have shaped our world today.

Our recent efforts have included:

  • Partnering with the program of Women, Ethnicity, and Intersectional Studies (WEIS) especially our own Dr. Robin Henry as Chair. 
  • The ongoing research of Dr. Robert Weems regarding ethnic entrepreneurship including the oral history of Black business owners and a current grant funded project under the Stories For All initiative.  This current project, with Sue Abdinnour in the Barton School of business and Jay Price in History is a collection of oral histories involving ethnic entrepreneurs.  For the project trailer, click here.
  • Dr. Robert Owens is the department's Native Americanist and studies the interactions between Native and White populations in the early 19th Century. 
  • Dr. Jay Price has worked closely with the Department of Modern and Classical Languages through the Somos de Wichita project. He is currently writing of extensive biography of Governor John Carlin. Check out this video of Gov. Carlin speaking to a "History of Kansas" class (HIST 535).
  • Dr. Laila Ballout is the department's liaison to the International Studies program.
  • Our faculty have presented numerous programs on these and other topics. Many of our programs have been recorded. For more information click here.
  • Our Speaker Series has brought scholars from both the region and across the country to present cutting edge scholarship in public forums. 
  • Dr. George Dehner is a leading scholar in the study of epidemics and epidemiology. 
  • Starting with his groundbreaking study of punk rock in Germany, Dr. Jeff Hayton is now studying the history of mountaineering in Europe.
  • The Department of History is excited to bring onboard two new scholars in the Fall of 2025 - Dr. Hayley Schroer, who studies the history of clothing laws in Latin America, and Dr. Christian Pettersen, our new geographer, who studies the history of governmental systems in Latin America.
  • Dr. Cheryl Golden teaches a wide range of courses in ancient and medieval history.
  • Studying how archaeology in the Middle East ties to current conversations, Dr. Rannfrid Lasine-Thelle's book "Reimagining Babylon" has now appeared in several languages.
  • Our student groups, including Phi Alpha Theta and the Society of Public Historians, have been active scholars as well, with students regularly presenting at regional and national conferences. Students and faculty have presented to Wichita State's adult education program, giving walking tours in the local community and classes through the Lifelong Learning Program.
  • With a commitment to preparing our students for a wide range of careers, we are proud of our alums, such as Ken Spurgeon, who recently debuted his latest historical drama, "Sod & Stubble."