Two quick notes:
1. The new issue of the AHA Perspectives is devoted to History and the New Media. I haven’t had the chance to peruse all of the articles, but there is a lot to dig into there from the perspective of both research and teaching.
2. Speaking of “new” media– with panel organizers Kimberly Gauderman (UNM) and Rachel O’Toole (UCI), I’m helping put together an un-panel of sorts for the Andean Studies section of CLAH. We are hoping to hold a discussion at the San Diego 2010 AHA on “The Future of the Andean Past” by first posting a series of 1000-1500 word essays on the panel’s blog that deal with the state of the discipline. Hopefully then members of the Andean Studies section as well as any other interested Latin American historians will comment on the posts, and give direction to the discussion in San Diego. I have high hopes for this model, because I love the idea of participatory panels in which the audience does not simply passively consume a number of papers that may or may not have continuity. Though the model may not work for all types of panels, it seems to me that for this type of discussion there is great potential.
If there’s wireless availability this time, I may well live tweet or blog the discussion as well. We shall see.
I’m also working my way slowly through the Perspectives issue. Looking forward to any thoughts you and others have.