The Focus of the PHC

By: Michelle K. Berry, Lead Instigator and Chair of the PHC Committee (2023-2025)

The PHC is a dynamic and evolving initiative in the Department of History at the University of Arizona, and our main areas of focus encompass the passions and expertise of the faculty in the department. We center 3 areas of historical study:

Environments: Past & Present

Cultures: Then & Now

Communities: Historic & Contemporary

The different fields of study mentioned above offer a rich and varied range of opportunities for digital initiatives, collaborative events, public outreach, educational experiences, and historical research. The faculty members of the University of Arizona’s Department of History have established themselves as esteemed experts in Environmental History, Cultural History, and Community-Focused History. Although each area can be explored independently as a subject of historical inquiry, the Public History Collaborative aims to establish connections between them and bridge the gap between the past and the present.

In its first two years back from it COVID estivation, the PHC experienced wonderful success in its mission to advance the visibility of history and inspire communities to engage with the past in new ways. From 2023-2025, we offered many opportunities for members of the public and folks outside of our department and our field of study to learn about and experience history in the making. Here are the numbers: