Shannon Monaghan, Ph.D. is a historian of the First World War and modern Europe.  She holds degrees in History from Yale College (B.A.) and Boston College (M.A., Ph.D.).  Her research focuses on transnational history, including themes such as war and society, the development of democracy and human rights, and secularization (and resacralization).

Dr. Monaghan’s new book, Protecting Democracy from Dissent: Population Engineering in Western Europe, 1918-1926, is published by Routledge and available from major retailers, including Amazon.  The book examines the  aftermath of the First World War, in which democracy became the watchword for a new Europe.  Yet as people became more involved in choosing their governments, governments became more involved in choosing their people.  This is the story of one aftermath of the “war to make the world safe for democracy.”  You can read more about the book here.  Dr. Monaghan is currently working on two book projects.  One investigates changing ideas about human rights in Europe in the aftermath of the First World War; the other is a new history of shell shock and PTSD.

She teaches expository writing at Harvard, where both she and her students have won honors for their work.