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The extraordinary pace of Microsoft’s ascent is what stands out in retrospect. The company, which is marking its 50th anniversary next year, was well on its way to dominating its industry by the time it arrived in the Seattle region from Albuquerque in 1979. Seven years later, in March 1986, the company made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange, at a market value of more than $500 million. So what can be learned from a fresh look at Microsoft’s startup years? Margaret O'Mara, professor of… Read more
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The free trade era that has defined the U.S. economy for decades made clear winners and losers. It tanked the Rust Belt, but sent the Pacific Northwest’s global economy to new heights. Washington state has always benefited from its international companies and the free flow of talent across borders. So what does the potential end of the free trade era mean for our economy? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.… Read more
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Famous fiends like zombies, vampires and werewolves are hallmarks of All Hallow's Eve. But how much do you know about why that is, and where those creatures come from? Charity Urbanski, teaching professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.Featured on KUOW 
UW History professor Margaret O'Mara provides historical context for this moment in US presidential politics.  Continue reading on UW College of Arts & Sciences News 
Charity Urbanski, a teaching professor of history at the UW, studies monsters and monstrosities in medieval Europe. One of her interests is the purpose monsters served for medieval Europeans, and what we can learn about medieval European society by looking at their monsters, which served as vehicles for expressing anxieties and fears.Featured on… Read more
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Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, talks to GeekWire about the rise of Silicon Valley in the early 1980s.Featured on GeekWire 
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The College of Arts & Sciences welcomes students and their families to connect with faculty and staff, learn about a variety of topics, and explore our spaces throughout Family Weekend. Continue reading on UW College of Arts & Sciences News 
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Conventional history states Christopher Columbus was from Genoa, Italy, but he may have been, in fact, a Sephardic Jew from the eastern Iberian Peninsula, according to a new documentary by Spain’s national broadcaster that also rekindles questions of religious persecution and the treatment of Indigenous communities. Devin Naar, associate professor of history and of Jewish studies at the UW, is quoted.… Read more
We are saddened by the loss of emeritus professor Richard S. Kirkendall, a historian of modern U.S. history, who died on August 26, 2024. Kirkendall was born on April 11, 1928, in Spokane, Washington. After graduating from Spokane’s North Central High School, he studied at nearby Gonzaga University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1950.     Following graduation, Kirkendall served in the U.S. Navy during the… Read more
Happening September 18–27, 2024, Dawg Daze offers more than 500 events hosted by student organizations and UW departments. Kick off the fall quarter and celebrate a return to campus with these can’t-miss recommendations from the College of Arts & Sciences! Continue reading on UW College of Arts & Sciences News