Heavin School of Arts and Sciences' mentor David Longenbach presented a oral history and archival content which provided the scholarly framework for the School's "Dialogues on the Experience of War" public workshops.
"Dialogues on the Experience of War" public workshops were made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Meet a Mentor: David Longenbach
David Longenbach knows that the past is prologue, especially when it comes to war.
It is Longenbach's prowess as a Heavin School of Arts and Sciences mentor for War and American Society and Dialogues on the Experience of War: War and Reintegration courses that placed him front and center during the University's recent "Dialogues on the Experience of War"* public workshop series.
The "Dialogues" workshops in which Longenbach served as a presenter will provide an enduring oral history archive that emphasizes the role of humanities in helping civilians understand the experiences of U.S. service members. The two-day sessions — the first of which was held in Edison, N.J., and the second sessions, held in Bordentown, N.J. — encouraged U.S. military members, veterans and veteran service providers to share their insights, observations and memories during group discussions and one-on-one interviews.
Throughout the workshops, Longenbach ensured that military history provided a contextual framework for the discussions. The material and videotaped interviews gleaned from session participants will become part of the University's oral history archives and will be shared with local and national libraries and military archivists.
"The courses I mentor attract students from every area of study. Our military students, in particular, bring a focus and discipline to their course work and often have firsthand experience about conflicts in the Middle East, deployments and surviving in danger zones," noted Longenbach. "The University's students as a whole take their education seriously, are very responsive to course timelines and are often more adept at digesting the course material and making use of it than traditional college students."
The War and American Society (HIS-356) course Longenbach mentors focuses on the various ways in which our country has dealt with war and the societal changes that have taken place as a result. "The course considers a broad swath of global conflicts, from the Revolutionary War through the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the contemporary War on Terror in a linear progression," said Longenbach, who also mentors Liberal Arts Capstone (LIB-495) courses at the University.
According to Longenbach, the Dialogues on the Experience of War: War and Reintegration (HIS-425) course is more thematic in nature, with students focusing on the various ways in which Americans have dealt with war and its enduring effects on society and service members.
"We break down into microcosms what 'service' means and the implications of being sent far from home to a remote military base," he said. "Associated topics such as PTSD and societal reintegration are closely examined. In both courses, an emphasis is placed on addressing war and the trauma associated with it from historical, literary and philosophical perspectives."
Longenbach earned his Master of Arts degree in history from Villanova University, in Villanova, Pa., and his BA degree in history from Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa. He has served as a faculty member, adjunct professor or lecturer in a number of state and private schools throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, most recently as a lecturer for Penn State, Lehigh Valley and an adjunct professor for DeSales University in Lehigh County, Pa. He formerly served as dean of Liberal Arts for Burlington County College in Pemberton, N.J., and has presented or served on a number of scholarly panels and academic summits.
According to Longenbach it's impossible to overstate the value of oral history projects like "Dialogues on the Experience of War."
"As a society, we are losing a sense of the personal experiences that shape us. Soldiers don't keep written diaries as they've done in the past, so oral histories we capture are vital in providing information for insight into issues affecting many of our active duty military and veteran service members. Doing so will help us evolve and realize the important legacy they provide us."
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