History Professor in the News

Assistant professor of history Lawrence Culver has been making news this summer. First, he was named the country’s “Top Young Historian” by the History News Network for the week of June 3 — an accomplishment that will be in the spotlight in a coming feature in Utah State Today.

Following that honor, Culver was asked by History News Network to write an op-ed essay about historians and the history of tourism, an area of expertise and specialty for Culver. The essay, “Are We There Yet? Historians and the History of Tourism,” appeared in late June and was reported by Robin Moroney in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal.

 

“For academics, summer is often less a time of relaxation and more for catching up with work,” Culver wrote in his op-ed piece. “This is part of a longstanding tradition. Americans were long suspicious of leisure — it was for the wealthy and effete, not the hardworking and respectable. A brief respite from work to recover one’s health was acceptable; leisure as a way of life was not. Recreational travel was meant to be constructive, educational or redemptive, such as 19th century Chautaquas or visits to national parks. Mere hedonistic fun was a danger to morals and a healthy work ethic.”

 

Culver says tourism is a complicated topic, with both good and bad effects. Read his complete piece online, as well as the Wall Street Journal’s summary.

 

 

Contact: Lawrence Culver (435) 797-3101