Dr. Snyder’s research bridges U.S., European, and Asian history to contribute to the ongoing movement toward internationalization by American historians. He is currently working on a book manuscript, tentatively titled The Indochina Syndrome: War, Memory, and Franco-American Conflict over Vietnam, 1963-1973. It looks at how cultural stereotypes influenced American and French leaders to disagree about the relevance of studying the French war in Vietnam when the U.S. began fighting its own war there just ten years later. Dr. Snyder draws from newly declassified files found in a dozen archives in France, England, and the U.S. His research contributes to the need for more extensive multi-archival research in the field of U.S. foreign relations history. More broadly, Dr. Snyder investigates how the United States dealt with the legacies of colonialism and challenges to its understanding of the Cold War. His most recent teaching focuses on refugees and migration.
keywords
Vietnam war, Franco-American relations, cold war, us foreign policy, diplomacy, international affairs, humanitarianism, refugees
Teaching
courses taught
HIST 1025 - American History since 1865
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Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
Explores political, social and cultural changes in American life since Reconstruction. Focuses on shifting social and political relations as the U.S. changed from a nation of farmers and small-town dwellers to an urban, industrial society; the changing meaning of American identity in a society divided by ethnicity, race and class; and the emergence of the U.S. as a world power.
HIST 2126 - Issues in Modern U.S. Politics and Foreign Relations
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Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
Traces the historical development of modern U.S. politics and foreign relations. Analyzes subjects such as the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the War on Terror, and the relationship between foreign and domestic politics, and the developing meaning of political conservatism, liberalism, and radicalism in the U.S. Explains the impact of race, gender, class, and immigration. Topics vary in any given semester.
HIST 2166 - The Vietnam Wars
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023
Traces the causes, course, and outcome of the wars in Vietnam from 1940 until 1975. Explains the successes of the revolutionaries and the failures of the French and Americans. Analyzes the development of Vietnamese nationalism, French colonialism, and U.S. intervention. Similar to HIST 4166.
IAFS 1000 - Global Issues and International Affairs
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Summer 2018 / Summer 2019 / Summer 2020 / Spring 2021 / Summer 2021 / Spring 2022 / Summer 2022
Introduces the student to the international affairs program. The course examines political and economic development in several countries in many different world regions. Examines historical trends and development as well as current political and economic issues.
IAFS 3000 - Special Topics in International Affairs
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Spring 2020 / Fall 2020
Junior or senior level umbrella seminar spanning a variety of topics relevant to the study of international affairs. Subjects addressed under this heading vary according to student interest and faculty availability. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours.
IAFS 4500 - The Post-Cold War World
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Fall 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023
Capstone course for international affairs majors. Examines the ways in which the end of the Cold War, the collapse of failed states, and the rise of global terrorism changed the world. Studies how peoples, governments and nongovernmental organizations face new social, political, economic and security challenges in an era of globalization. Includes discussion, oral reports, critical book reviews, and research papers.
IAFS 4800 - Honors Seminar in International Affairs
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
Directed research course tailored to the particular research interests of the students enrolled. Devoted to research methodology and the development of students' research. Department enforced prerequisite: overall 3.30 GPA and IAFS 3.40 GPA.
IAFS 4810 - Honors in International Affairs
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023
Continuation of IAFS 4800. Students complete original research begun in the fall and write, defend their honors thesis and meet regularly with the instructor.
