History Department, NewarkFacultyAssistant ProfessorMy work involves analyzing decision-making processes and outcomes in various historical contexts by applying theoretical models drawn from psychology, political science, sociology, anthropology, and others to specific historical case studies. In my current project, "Socialist Fun: Youth, Consumption, and State-Sponsored Popular Culture in the Cold War, 1945-70," I explore how youth in the post-World War II Soviet Union made the decision to conform or avoid conforming to officially-sanctioned cultural norms. Likewise, I investigate how officials sought to shape and constrain youth choices and opportunities by providing incentives and barriers meant to guide youth decision-making into government-sanctioned cultural activities. On a separate note, I am also interested in way to spread effective decision-making strategies among the general public.
