Roosevelt Institute for American Studies

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Nederland
Middelburg
Roosevelt Institute for American Studies

http://www.roosevelt.nl/ As a research and conference center the RIAS explores the Roosevelt Legacy in Transatlantic Relations.

The diverse and dynamic character of this legacy offers an inspiring way to understand the history and culture of the United States and its meaning for Europe. The staff realizes this objective through their research programs, by sharing the results through academic and public channels, and by stimulating further inquiry. Extensive archives, a specialized library, research grants to visit the cent

er, lectures and conferences, and a strong international academic network further advance this mission. The RIAS is located in the twelfth-century Abbey of Middelburg, the Netherlands. It is named after three famous Americans whose ancestors emigrated in the seventeenth century from Zeeland to New York: President Theodore Roosevelt (1858 -1919), President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 -1945) and Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962). The RIAS is subsidized by the Province of Zeeland and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. LIKE it and get a look at our website: http://www.roosevelt.nl/home/

04/09/2026

⏰ 1 week to go!

How has US cultural diplomacy changed since 9/11?

Join us next Friday, 11 September, for the William J. vanden Heuvel Memorial Lecture:

“Enduring Culture? US Cultural Diplomacy Beyond Liberal Internationalism”

Giles Scott-Smith (Leiden University) will explore how the US has used music, film, museums and exchange programmes to build relationships and shape its image abroad — and what the future of cultural diplomacy might look like today.

With responses from Laurien Crump () and Kaete O’Connell, followed by a discussion with the audience.

📅 Friday 11 September 2026
🕒 15:30–17:00 | Doors open 15:00
📍 RIAS, Hofplein 16, Middelburg
🗣️ In English, followed by a reception

Register here: https://www.roosevelt.nl/en/nieuws/william-j-vanden-heuvel-memorial-lecture-giles-scott-smith/

See you next Friday!

04/09/2026

We’re delighted to welcome Dr. Lewis Johnson to the RIAS as our new Postdoctoral Researcher.

Lewis is a political historian of twentieth-century US history, with a particular interest in the New Deal, World War II, and the origins of the Republican South.

At the RIAS, he is developing his PhD research into a monograph exploring how and why the New Deal shaped the growth of southern Republicanism.

We’re excited to have Lewis join the RIAS community and look forward to supporting his research in the years ahead.

03/09/2026

The European Forum on US History is back with a new seminar series for the 2026–2027 academic year!

Join us for the opening session:

📅 28 September 2026
🕔 17:00–18:30 CEST
🎓 Brooke L. Blower (Boston University)

Brooke L. Blower will present:
“Flying for Refuge: Europe’s U***d Mothers and Birthright Citizenship at the US Border, 1880s–1920s.”

Hosted by the American Studies Center at the University of Warsaw, the session explores migration, refuge, citizenship, and the changing relationship between Europe and the United States.

The Forum brings together scholars from across Europe to discuss innovative research on US history from global and transnational perspectives.

🔗 Discover the full program and register for upcoming sessions via https://www.ushistoryforum.eu/program-2026-2027

02/09/2026

From 26–28 August, the RIAS hosted Diplomatic History at Fifty: European Perspectives on America’s Global Rise and Crises.

Bringing together scholars from Europe and the US, the workshop explored how European actors, sources, and perspectives can reshape our understanding of American power and global relations.

The workshop was part of Diplomatic History’s 50th-anniversary program and the development of a special issue planned for 2027.

📄 Read the full report and workshop program via the link in our bio.

02/09/2026

On 26 August, Dr. Simone Schleper (Maastricht University) delivered this year’s RIAS Environmental History Lecture, “Global Environmental Governance from Elsewhere,” at the Provinciehuis.

Schleper explored how global environmental governance is shaped not only in official institutions, but also through informal networks, private gatherings, and unexpected connections.

Her research on Maurice and Hanne Marstrand Strong and their project in Crestone, Colorado, revealed how business, environmentalism, technology, spirituality, and policymaking came together - and how these networks influenced international environmental politics.

A thought-provoking lecture on the hidden histories and networks behind global environmental governance. 🌱

Many thanks to Dr. Simone Schleper and everyone who joined us!

📖 Read the full report here: https://www.roosevelt.nl/en/simone-schleper-2026/

02/09/2026

Reminder: Call for Papers: Fall International PhD Seminar 2026

Are you a PhD candidate researching American culture, media, society, politics, or foreign relations? Don’t miss the opportunity to join the RIAS Fall International PhD Seminar, taking place 25–27 November 2026 in Middelburg.

⏰ Deadline: 11 September 2026
Submit your 300-word abstract + CV.

We especially welcome proposals on:
• Culture & ideology
• The U.S. in the world
• Environmental issues
• Race & gender studies
• Social justice movements

🏠 Accommodation and meals will be provided by RIAS.

👉 More information and application details: https://www.roosevelt.nl/en/nieuws/call-for-papers-fall-international-phd-seminar-2026/

27/08/2026

How has US cultural diplomacy changed since 9/11?

Join us on Friday 11 September for the William J. vanden Heuvel Memorial Lecture, “Enduring Culture? US Cultural Diplomacy Beyond Liberal Internationalism.”

Giles Scott-Smith (Leiden University) will explore how the US has used culture- from music and film to museums and exchange programmes- to build relationships and shape its image abroad, and what the future of cultural diplomacy might look like today.

The lecture will be followed by responses from Laurien Crump (Radboud University) and Kaete O’Connell (Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations), and a discussion with the audience.

📅 Friday 11 September 2026
🕒 15:30–17:00 (doors open at 15:00)
📍 RIAS, Hofplein 16, Middelburg
🗣️ Lecture in English, followed by a reception

More information and registration click here: https://lnkd.in/e4neRVRE

26/08/2026

This week, we have the pleasure of welcoming research grantee Hamid Incidelen, of Simon Fraser University, to the RIAS.

During his stay at the RIAS, Hamid is gathering primary material for his project on the 1942 visit of a delegation of Turkish journalists to the United States. The project examines the tour as a case study in Roosevelt-era public diplomacy, wartime propaganda, and the politics of Turkish neutrality during the Second World War.

At the RIAS, he is consulting the Franklin D. Roosevelt Office Files, particularly material relating to the Office of the Coordinator of Information, the Office of War Information, and the Office of Strategic Services. He is also drawing on the papers of key figures in the Roosevelt administration, including Cordell Hull, Harry Hopkins, and Henry L. Stimson, to trace the diplomatic, political, and military dimensions of the visit.

We wish Hamid a productive and enjoyable stay at the RIAS!

25/08/2026

We are delighted to welcome Kaete O’Connell as the Roosevelt Visiting Fellow at the RIAS from 24 August to 18 September 2026.

Kaete O’Connell is Deputy Director of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR) and a historian of the United States and the world. Her research explores the intersection of conflict and culture in the 20th century, with a particular focus on diplomacy, food, and American foreign relations.

At the RIAS, O’Connell will conduct research for her new book project on 1948 and the close of the postwar era. The project explores how developments such as the Marshall Plan, the Displaced Persons Act, military desegregation, and the 1948 election reflected an unresolved postwar reckoning.

We are pleased to host Kaete at the RIAS and look forward to her research and contributions during her fellowship.

25/08/2026

This week, we have the pleasure of welcoming research grantee Maximilian Klose, of Universität Freiburg, to the RIAS.

During his stay at the RIAS, Max is pursuing his project on the intersecting logics of imperialism and masculinity in US diplomatic relations with Japan and Germany before World War I. As three imperial newcomers, these countries shared a special relationship around the turn of the twentieth century, characterized by territorial competition and the circulation and adaptation of imperial knowledge and practice. Max is especially interested in the ways US policy makers understood diplomacy in gendered terms, how they were influenced by the gendered expectations of their times, and how they projected gendered behavioral standards on the international stage.

At the RIAS, he is drawing on the microfilm edition of the William Howard Taft papers and the Congressional Record, the historical newspaper archives, as well as several printed source collections and secondary literature.

We wish Max a productive and enjoyable stay at the RIAS!

Adres

Hofplein 16
Middelburg
4331CK

Telefoon

+31118678836

Website

http://www.roosevelt.nl/

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