American Interregnum: Statecraft, Slavery and Secession in the U.S. Civil War Era

FAIN: FT-61627-14

Brian D. Schoen
Ohio University (Athens, OH 45701-1361)

My book situates the coming of the U.S. Civil War within an interconnected moment of global violence and political change that raised questions about the nature and role of the nation-state. This mid-19th century sovereignty crisis ranged from Asia, to Europe, Latin America, and the British Empire. It forced U.S. statesmen to make difficult decisions in response to economic globalization, the demands of minorities, the uneven spread of liberalism and political reactions against it. By applying international history to a defining moment in U.S. history, my project broadens the account (geographically, chronologically, and biographically) and offers a new synthesis for why secession occurred, why northerners prevented it, and how foreign nations responded. It will be of interest to US and world historians and political and economic theorists studying nationalism, international systems, and globalization. A Summer Stipend would allow me to complete research and write two chapters.