The HIstory Department Welcomes Ed Martini to the Faculty

The History Department welcomes Ed Martini to the faculty

Professor Edwin A. Martini joined the faculty as Assistant Professor of History at WMU this fall. We are pleased to welcome this fine new addition to our ranks. Before coming to Western, Dr. Martini taught at Georgetown University while finishing his degree at the University of Maryland. After receiving his Ph.D., he was a visiting professor for one summer at Deep Springs College in California and was then a Visiting Assistant Professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. At George Washington, he taught courses on the history of American film, cultural theory, and History of United States Media.

Dr. Martini’s research focuses on American policy toward Vietnam after 1975. His dissertation, “Invisible Enemies: The American War on Vietnam, 1975-2000,” is now undergoing final revisions for publication by the University of Massachusetts Press. Invisible Enemies will be published in the spring of 2007 as part of the Press’ series, “Culture, Politics, and the Cold War.”

His second book project will focus on the history and legacies of Agent Orange. He hopes to secure funding in the near future to return to Vietnam for research on the project. In the short term he will be speaking about the project as part of a roundtable discussion on Vietnam at the American Studies Association conference in Washington D.C. this November.

This semester Dr. Martini is teaching History 2110: The United States Since 1877 and History 4280: The United States Since 1960. In Spring 2006 he will teach the History 2100: The United States to 1877, as well as an upper-level seminar on the American War in Vietnam. He hopes soon to offer a course in film or media studies.

Professor Martini offers the following observation on his move to Kalamazoo and his new position:

My wife Genanne and I are living just on the edge of Kalamazoo, in Oshtemo, which also makes for a short commute to campus—a nice change after my 90 minute commute by bus and subway in D.C. We’re there with our son Gracen, who will be two in December, and our two dopey but lovelable dogs, Marty and Sonoma. Gracen is loving Kalamazoo. There’s so many great things for kids here—we especially love the museum and the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. Marty and Sonoma are just happy to have a fenced yard and cooler weather.

Despite living the last decade in California and Maryland, I grew up in Minnesota, so Kalamazoo really feels like home—friendly people, no traffic, reasonable property prices, and (ahem), significant changes of season. We’re now just a one day drive to my family in Minneapolis and a shorter flight, at least, to California, where the rest of our family and friends are.

We are thrilled to be at Western and to be living in Kalamazoo. I have been really impressed with the department since my campus visit last spring. There are great graduate students, great staff, and absolutely wonderful colleagues. It is without question the most collegial department I have ever been a part of. The campus and the department feel to me to be moving in a great direction, and I’m looking forward to being part of both for many, many years.