History Students and the Historical Studies Journal

Published: April 13, 2020

Each year the History Department is proud to support its students and their research through the Historical Studies Journal. Our faculty review assignment submissions each semester and choose outstanding papers based on the papers’ arguments and content. Th journal is published at the end of each term. The History Department is happy to offer students the opportunity to professionally edit and publish their independent research. By providing this platform for students, the Historical Studies Journal allows students to acquire personal experience with the publishing process.

One of the articles to be included in this year’s journal publication was written by History major Brandon Stanley. Stanley’s journal article “Ancient Monarchies in a New Age: Austria-Hungary’s Complicated Relationship with the Ottoman Empire” covers the relationship between Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire from the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 up to the end of World War One. Stanley shares that what started out as a simple class paper evolved into a much longer and more comprehensive article. The article discusses how the 1878 Treaty of Berlin shaped “the relationship between the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary because of the concessions that Austria-Hungary got from the Ottoman Empire.” “One of these concessions,” Stanley explains, “included the right of Austria-Hungary to occupy the Ottoman provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This later led an Austrian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908.” The paper goes on to explore the various alliance treaties that Austria-Hungary made with other European powers. The article also discusses the Sanjak of Novi-Bazar and the impact if the regime change in the Ottoman Empire to the Young Turk party.

Stanley shared that the process to publication was challenging but very rewarding. He spent many days during the winter break finding sources, taking notes, writing, and rewriting his paper, and when Stanley found out his paper was selected for the Historical Studies Journal, he jumped right into the revision process. As Stanley worked with the History Department faculty and editors, he learned how to write more concisely. Stanley recognizes the importance of academic publications and states: “Having my paper accepted for publication has also inspired me to continue my research on Austro-Hungarian foreign policy in general for perhaps another paper or book in the far future.”

Brandon Stanley will graduate in the Spring of 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a minor in Anthropology and hopes to earn his PhD in History from the University of Colorado, Boulder in the future.