When History Division Chair Maddie Liseblad asked us to write about what the membership committee does for this issue of Clio, I was initially at a loss at how to explain our role. At first it seemed obvious: We’re the people emailing you to participate in a membership Q&A or a book author Q&A, and we’re the ones reminding you to send in your recent news and updates. But as I reflected more on not just our committee’s monthly tasks, but how we fit into the mission of the history division, I realized that the membership committee’s work can best be described as creating a sense of community among its members.

Historians often labor out of the spotlight — tucked away working in a special collections room or sitting in front of a microfilm reader scrolling through old issues of newspapers. Too often, historical research can seem isolating. Much of our scholarship is solo authored, and many of us work in departments where we are the only faculty who ask historical questions and use historical research methods. We often have to explain the value of historical research (or at least its somewhat lengthy path to publication).

For me, the AEJMC History Division was a way to connect with other historians and learn the latest about scholarship in my area of interest. But the real value in joining the division was to meet other graduate students, early career scholars and established leaders in the field — people who could inspire me at each step of my academic journey.

In each issue of Clio, our team aims to highlight the work of the division’s membership, whether that’s through our two Q&A features or by compiling short news items and updates about member activities. We want to create a sense of familiarity among the many members of the history division that hopefully helps foster future collaborations, whether they are scholarly and research oriented, or focus more on professional development and pedagogical questions.

We’d love to hear from you, AEJMC History Division members, about what community and connection looks like for you, and how we can continue to foster the welcoming environment our division is known for. You’ll find commentary from each of the committee members below.

Caitlin Cieslik-Miskimen is an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Media at the University of Idaho and can be reached at caitlinc@uidaho.edu.

To tweet or not to tweet?  

This is a question I have been asking myself personally and professionally. As a new Membership Co-Chair, one of my tasks includes running the @AEJHistory Twitter account. Since Elon Musk’s takeover and mismanagement of Twitter, many academics have left, threatened to go, or like me, have passively decided to stay. Personal accounts aside, what should we make of our division’s Twitter account? There are certainly benefits to staying: we have a nice following, but most importantly, we use the account to promote our members. In leaving Twitter, we could potentially hurt graduate students and early career scholars who rely on self-promotion to network. 

So, I bring this question to you all. What do the AEJMC History members think about our Twitter account? Would you like to see us stay, leave, or perhaps, pivot our attention to another social media network? Please write to me by March 1 at Ashley.walter@usu.edu with your thoughts and suggestions. The Clio staff will compile responses for the next edition of Clio.

Ashley Walter is a postdoctoral teaching fellow at Utah State University. She can be reached at ashley.walter@usu.edu.

Highlighting History Division Members and New Publications: The Book Q&A Feature

I am a recent addition to the Membership team at the History Division, and my main area of responsibility is the Book Q & A column in the Clio newsletter. For me, it has been a great experience connecting with the book authors on their new publication as it gives me the opportunity to understand their heart and vision behind their new book, as well as how it relates to journalism history. Interacting with them has been a joy as you not only sense their love for history, but also understand how history can help us build empathy by studying the lives and struggles of others. For instance, van Tuyll, O’Brien & Broersma’s (2021) Politics, culture and the Irish American press, documents the history and impact of the Irish diaspora press. This was featured in the September 2022 issue of Clio. There are more exciting Book Q & A in the upcoming 2023 issues of Clio. Stay tuned!

Flora Khoo is a postdoctoral fellow at in the School of Communication and the Arts at Regent University. She can be reached at flora.khoo2009@gmail.com.