Santa Clara University’s History Department continues to mark its own history with major milestones.
The undergraduate journal Historical Perspectives snagged first place in the 2024 Gerald D. Nash History Journal Prize, a prestigious national award given by international history honor society Phi Alpha Theta. T
his is the fourth time in just over a decade that Historical Perspectives has won top-prize among the best student-run history journals in the country. It won second five times before and third place once.
The latest winning edition featured a fascinating mix of topics, including an exploration of India’s caste system, a deep dive into the early roots of the Republican Party in Michigan and Wisconsin, and a look at how playgrounds became a symbol of childhood in the Progressive Era.
Historical Perspectives isn’t just about traditional research papers. Students are encouraged to submit book reviews, movie critiques, video game analyses, and even creative writing—mimicking how history, sometimes thought of as staid and boringly factual, can be diverse, engaging, and dynamic.