Julie Sparks and other members of the Gender History Panel at the 2018 Regional Phi Alpha Theta conference

Phi Alpha Theta is a nationwide historical society for undergraduate and graduate History students. The society is used to facilitate connections within the history field and encourage historical research. As a member of Phi Alpha Theta and history major at Rollins College, I was able to apply to present historical research at the regional Phi Alpha Theta conference. This conference included universities from across Florida and convened at Palm Beach Atlantic University. At the conference, history researchers are placed in panels of discussions throughout the day depending on their specific research. I was able to sit on the Gender History Panel with the lovely ladies in the image below. This allowed for us to speak about similar themes and issues across American, French, and Chinese perceptions of women throughout the centuries. Specifically, I presented the shifting of gender stereotypes in the American Civil War South and how this was weaponized by Union forces. The Union targeted Southern masculinity as a total war tactic which led to a return of domestication in the postwar period. Other research followed medieval France and Wu Zetian from the Tang dynasty. Following presentations, we engaged in dynamic discussions on parallels and the context of each periods aided by our moderator. This experience allowed me to engage with others who conducted historical research and developed unique perspectives on historical events. I developed further as an individual and liberal arts student by being immersed in the Phi Alpha Theta conference and fellow researchers.