Adam T. Rosenbaum in his recent trip to Singapore
Adam T. Rosenbaum is an Associate Professor of History at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado. He is a native of the Hampton Roads area, where he received his B.A. in History from Virginia Wesleyan College and his M.A. in History from Old Dominion University. He then went on to receive his Ph.D. from Emory University in A tlanta, Georgia. He is the author of Bavarian Tourism and the Modern World, 1800 -1950, as well as several articles about tourism, and a recent piece in Perspectives: The Newsmagazine of the American Historical Association
Did you travel extensively to pursue research for your 2016 book, Bavarian Tourism and the Modern World, 1800- 1950? What were some of your favorite archival research trips?
Yes. I visited over a dozen archives in Germany, in addition to spending time in several libraries in Germany and the United States. In the process of completing my dissertation, which served as the foundation for Bavarian Tourism and the Modern World , I spent time in five different German cities: Munich, Nuremberg, Augsburg, Mainz, and Berlin. I enjoyed the time in Munich in particular, and I spent countless hours in the Bavarian State Library poring over old guidebooks and travelogues. I did not spend as much time in Berlin, but t hat time was very productive. I found many useful sources at the Historical Archive on Tourism, which contains a treasure trove of documents and ephemera related to the broader history of leisure travel. I could not have completed the dissertation or boo k without those primary sources.
What are some of your most interesting tourist adventures, and why?
After spending time in Germany as both a high school exchange student and a doctoral candidate, I have made travel a priority. Thankfully, my wife shares my passion for visiting new places. In recent years, we have visited France, Iceland, India, and Singapore, as well as thirty national parks in the United States. Some experiences that stand out are being surrounded by buffalo in Theodore Roosevel t National Park, walking barefoot through the Taj Mahal, and working up the nerve to eat fermented shark in Reykjavik. All of these moments felt surreal, like I was experiencing something that was part of a dream. I love travel's ability to transplant us in a variety of ways.
What skills and intellectual experiences did you acquire in the M.A. program at ODU that have served you well in your subsequent work? Which professors do you remember and why?
The M.A. program at ODU taught me that history was much more than just the details of what happened. During my two years in the program, I developed a real appreciation for historiography as an ongoing conversation about 2 the past. Moreover, it was a conversat ion to which I could contribute. I also developed a passion for reading historical scholarship that I try to impart to my undergraduate students. I remember some great classes with Dr. Lees, Dr. Jersild, and Dr. Jin (Hailstork), who all contributed to my understanding of the international history of the Cold War. I also learned a lot about teaching from Dr. Lawes and Professor Campbell - Westmont. Finally, I received a great deal of support and encouragement from Dr. Finley - Croswhite, who played a crucial role in getting me into the Ph.D. program at Emory University.
What are you researching right now?
I am currently working on a second book project, tentatively entitled Elsewhere: A History of Humanity and Travel . At its most basic level, this book will confirm that travel was a signature feature of human existence throughout the prehistoric, ancient, medieval, and modern periods. This book will also argue that various forms of travel (migration, conquest, exploration, tourism, etc.) have shap ed the human condition, defining and redefining who we are as a society and as individuals. In multiple ways, travel has functioned as an engine of human development, allowing members of our species to test new waters and cultivate new identities. Travel has fueled commerce and facilitated conquest; it has revealed new worlds and restored old ones (while destroying others); it has vindicated the faithful, enlightened the curious, and thrilled those in search of wonders. Once it is recognized and apprecia ted in all of its manifestations, then travel emerges as one of the most important themes in world history, taking its rightful place alongside religion, warfare, and politics. People may pray, fight, and vie for power, but they also take trips, and sometimes for similar reasons.
Do you incorporate your scholarly interests into your undergraduate courses at Colorado Mesa? What are some of your favorite topics in the classroom?
Yes, I frequently incorporate my scholarly interests into my undergradua te courses at Colorado Mesa. I emphasize travel as an important theme in my Western Civilization survey, which offers some discussion of migration, commerce, conquest, pilgrimage, and even pre -modern forms of tourism. I have also assigned articles and mo nographs about tourism in my upper -division courses on The Twentieth Century, Modern Germany, and The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Finally, I occasionally teach a "special topics" course entitled The History of Travel, with a syllabus that is suspicio usly similar to the proposed structure of my book -in- progress. This is one of my favorite courses to teach, but I also enjoy teaching Modern Germany and The International History of the Cold War, with the latter allowing me to show off what I learned at ODU. Do you enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities in Colorado? Absolutely. When I first moved to Colorado, I discovered that the locals never ask if you do anything outdoors; they ask about what you do, taking it for granted that you enjoy nature like they do. During the summer months, my wife and I like to fish for trout in the lakes on the Grand Mesa. We also enjoy a number of hikes here on the Western Slope, especially the climbs up to Hanging Lake or the summit of Mt. Garfield. Finally, the re is nothing like a good soak in the hot springs of Ouray and Glenwood Springs. I am really fortunate to have landed in such a beautiful place.