Stanford historian delivers 2004 Curti Lectures

Stanford University historian Richard White will offer new takes on American history through misinformation in the Merle Curti Lecture Series Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 18-20. Starting with the arrival of the Europeans, White will examine the history of the American West, native history and environmental history in his lectures:

• “Creative Misunderstandings,” an exploration of miscommunications in the 18th century, Monday, Oct. 18.
• “Deception and Economic Growth,” recounting the role that fraud played in the development of modern corporations during the 19th century, Tuesday, Oct. 19.
• “Noble Lies,” liars in contemporary American history, Wednesday, Oct. 20.

White, Stanford’s Margaret Byrne Professor of History, has received a MacArthur “genius award” fellowship, and is the author of several books, including “It’s Your Misfortune and None of My Own” (University of Oklahoma Press, 1993) and “The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650-1815” (Cambridge University Press, 1991).

Steve J. Stern, chair of the Department of History, has taught White’s “Middle Ground.” Stern says that the book has had a profound impact on historians and students of the Americas and native peoples.

“He transforms fields of knowledge and inspires us to see history in an utterly new way,” Stern says. “He’s sure to provoke insight and surprise as he leads us into thinking about history and consequences of misinformation and misunderstanding.”

The Curti lectures are held annually in honor of the late Merle Curti, the Pulitzer Prize-winning UW historian whose work helped create the field of American intellectual history.

The free lectures will begin at 4 p.m. in the Red Gym’s On Wisconsin room. The history department will host a reception after the lecture on Oct. 18 at the University Club. For information, contact Nicole Hauge at 263-1808 or nshauge@wisc.edu.