Fields
American Studies, War and Society, Modern U.S. History, Gender History, Disability Studies, Veterans, History of Zoos, Bodies in History and Culture, Historical Trauma
Bio
I am a historian of war in the United States, with a special interest in the effects of war on American culture and society.
Since I arrived at OSU-Stillwater in the fall of 2009, my research has led down two distinct, yet overlapping paths. The first traces the history of disabled veterans in modern American society. My book, "Paying With Their Bodies: American War and the Problem of the Disabled Veteran" (University of Chicago Press, 2015), examines the history of disabled veterans in modern America, with a special emphasis on the decades surrounding World War I. I continue to write and lecture widely on disabled veterans in the United States, both past and present.
The second path of my research focuses on how zoos—both in the United States and around the globe—have been transformed during periods of military conflict. To this end, I am currently completing a book on the history of zoos during World War II. It is based on research at zoos and archives in—among other places—New York, London, Paris, Hamburg, Vienna, San Diego, Honolulu, Wroclaw (Poland), Prague, Chicago and Berlin. In the upcoming year, I hope to begin a new path of research on the intertwined histories of war, murder and psychopathy in twentieth century America.
Visit Dr. Kinder's Personal Website
Courses Taught
4553 - Gender in America
5120 - Graduate Seminar in US History