Michael Dean, PhD

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After earning my bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Comparative History of Ideas at the University of Washington, I moved to California to continue my studies in History at U.C. Berkeley. During graduate school I spent lots of time abroad, including stays in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Since graduating from Berkeley in 2014, I've been teaching and doing research in archives and libraries. Beside academics, I enjoy exploring the Salish Sea with my German-American family, cooking things I can eat, and pretending to enjoy soccer.

I don't believe it is my task to give answers; I want to help students ask better questions. My teaching emphasizes inquiry and useful skills. I want students to develop their own opinions based on evidence and to express themselves with respect and care. Above all, I endeavor to instill good habits of historical thinking: the ability to inquire into a document’s origins, to situate it in the context of its time, to connect it to other historical artifacts, and to read closely so as to discern hidden meaning. Whether dusting off an old volume from the library shelf or binge-watching video clips online, I want students to engage critically and intelligently with the world around them.