Dr. Thomas Summerhill

Biography

Thomas Summerhill is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Michigan State University, where he specializes in the study of 19th century political dissent, particularly focusing on how common people understood and expressed their views on political economy, mobilizing to effect political change within a republican form of government. His research primarily concentrates on the United States but draws heavily on the work of historians, anthropologists, and political scientists to explore resistance among farmers, peasants, and laborers globally. One of his current projects is a book-length study of political dissent in the North during the Civil War, tentatively titled 'Fighting Union', which investigates the various forms of political dissent that arose in specific local, state, and national party contexts. He argues that organized political action among farmers was a constant in 19th-century politics, often a defensive response to specific crises. Summerhill's scholarly contributions include his work on agrarianism, notably through titles such as 'Harvest Dissent: Agrarianism in Nineteenth-Century New York' and the edited volume 'Transatlantic Rebels: Agrarianism in Comparative Context'. His studies highlight the tensions between large-scale developers and petit producers, reflecting the unique political, economic, social, and legal shapes conflicts take in local circumstances.

Research Interests