Dr. Russell Kazal

Biography

Russell Kazal's research and teaching interests encompass social and political history in the United States post-1877, with a focus on immigration, ethnicity, race, and urban America, as well as the ideologies of pluralism and nationalism. His book, "Becoming Old Stock: Paradox German-American Identity" (Princeton University Press, 2004), analyzes the experiences of Americans with German heritage, a historically significant ethnic group in the United States, as they distanced themselves from ethnic identity in the early 20th century. This work critically redefines the intersections of race, class, religion, and American nationalism. His publications include articles in prominent journals such as the "American Historical Review" and the "Journal of American Ethnic History," the latter of which earned him the Carlton C. Qualey Award from the Immigration Ethnic History Society. Currently, he is working on a book project titled "Grass-Roots Pluralism: Origins of Multiculturalism in America," which explores the roots of 1960s ideology traced to pluralist mobilizations at the local levels during the 1930s to 1950s, particularly in cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Research Interests