How did and does political legitimacy relate to cultural projection? How did and do empires such as the United States and middle-power states such as Canada seek to achieve geopolitical influence by non-violent means? How did and does power affect the definition of humanity?
My field of expertise is the interplay between cultural projection and interaction on the one hand, and the desire for geopolitical legitimacy and influence on the other from the early modern period to the present. I teach and research international and global history with a particular eye on North America, and its relation to Greater Asia and the European continent. On the methodological level, I seek to understand the relationship between culture and politics in international history by borrowing from other fields ranging from musicology to economics. Thematically, I am engaged in a number of research projects, publication projects and collaborations addressing “nation branding,” emotions and humanitarianism. For publications, please check the corresponding link above.
In general, I am interested in working with students from different fields and very open to approaches that attempt to cross the borders to other disciplines such as political science, art history, drama studies, economics and international law.
Thematic Interests
History and Cultural History:
- International History and the History of Empires
- North American History
- Modern History, 19th – 21st Century
- History of the United States: Diplomacy, Culture
Politics and Society:
- U.S. Foreign Relations
- Humanitarian Intervention
- Nation Branding — Performance and Self-Representation of Nations
- Public Diplomacy / Cultural Diplomacy
Culture and Media:
- History of Emotions
- Media History
- Music History
Continents and Regions:
- United States, North America
- Transatlantic Relations
- U.S-Japanese Relations
- The United States and the Middle East
For more information regarding Professor Gienow-Hecht’s work, please follow the link:
https://www.jfki.fu-berlin.de/en/faculty/history/persons/Teaching-Staff/gienow_hecht/index.html