About

I first came to Poland in 1986, to spend a year in Wrocław beginning research for a dissertation on workers in the early postwar era. In 1989-90, another year in Poland inspired writing on the grassroots social movements across the region that made the fall of Communism in 1989 possible. Since then, I have worked in more than 50 archives in a dozen countries. Extensive research in South Africa, Ireland, and Northern Ireland led to the first-ever global history of political imprisonment. Links to some of my books and articles can be found below.

In 2025, The President of Poland recognized this work with the Officer’s Cross for Service to the Republic of Poland. The citation recognizes, “outstanding service in support of the democratic transformations of Poland and East-Central Europe.”

In 2016, I served as President of the American Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.