Biography

Dr. Neal Palmer (Chair), Associate Professor in History and Political Science, is a native of Memphis and proud graduate of White Station High School. He received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University, his M.A. from the University of Memphis, and his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. His main field of study was modern Europe with minor fields in colonialism and science and society. He has been teaching at CBU since 2007. He teaches courses in World History, Modern East Asia, British India, Europe and Africa, Revolutionary Change in Modern Europe, The Literature and History of the English Civil Wars, The Scientific Revolution, England 1760-1950, The Social History of British Rock, Europe and the Great War, and the History Research Seminar. His main research interests include the history of modern Britain, popular protest, the prison, and racism. He is the author of To The Dark Cells: Prisoner Resistance and Protest in Nineteenth-Century Britain. His wife teaches ESL at Central High, and they have two sons, two dogs, and a cat. In the few waking moments when he’s not working or parenting, he likes to watch sports, listen to music, read fiction, play basketball, hike, and canoe. Palmer’s thoughts for you are: “I worked part-time and sometimes full-time jobs throughout my long college career, so this experience and my own family pressures make me very familiar with how tight many of your schedules must be as you try to work towards your college degree. I am cheering for you and very much hope that everyone has a positive experience in my courses.”