MARGARET SUSAN THOMPSON

Department of History
145 Eggers Hall
The Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York 13244-1090
(315) 443-2210 (voice); 443-9082 (fax)

E-Mail: msthom1@ibm.net (preferred); also: msthomps@juno.com or msthomps@maxwell.syr.edu

ACADEMIC HISTORY

• University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Ph.D. (with Distinction) in History, December 1979.
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
  Program in Historical Methods, Summer 1973.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
  M.A. in History, January 1972.
• Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
  A.B., cum laude, in American Studies, May 1970
  (Honorary Prize Scholar of the Class of 1970).

AWARDS AND GRANTS:

[does not include routine institutional support]

• Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Fellow, 1985-86.
• Syracuse University Senate Committee on Research, Research Grant, 1985.
• Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, University of Notre Dame,
  Research Grant, 1984.
• Russell Sage Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in the Social Sciences, 1983-84.
• J. Franklin Jameson Fellow of the American Historical Association, 1980-81.
• National Endowment for the Humanities Research Grant, Summer 1980.
• American Philosophical Society Research Grant, 1980 (declined, in favor of NEH, above).
• American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow, 1975-76.
• Alice Smith Fellow, Wisconsin State Historical Society, 1975-76.
• Newberry Library (Chicago) Research Fellow, 1975.
• Ford Foundation Graduate Fellowships, 1972-74.

PUBLICATIONS:

• "Concentric Circles of Sisterhood." Introductory essay to Claiming Our Roots: Sesquecentennial History of the IHM Sisters (Monroe, MI), ed. Julie Wortman (Syracuse University Press, 1997). [also: Introductions to 4 sections of the book.]
• "Service as Sacrament: Sisters and the Meaning of American Catholicism." Magistra: A Journal of Women's Spirituality in History, vol. 3 (Summer 1997). [Revised/updated version of 1993 article.]
• "Power, Trust, and Authority." The M.A.S.T. Journal (Mercy Association for Scripture & Theology), vol. 6 (Summer 1996).
• "Introduction," in A Call To Care, pictorial history of sisters in health care (Catholic Health Association, 1996).
• "The Ministry of Women and the Transformation of Catholicism in 19th-Century America." European Legacy, 1 (1996; forthcoming).
• "A Visible Presence." Catholic Sun [cover story/principal feature], 17-23 November 1994.
• "Introduction" to M. Pauline Grady, A.S.C., Joy in the Planting: The Life Story of Clementine (nee Barbara) Zerr, 1832-1906 [American Foundress of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ], 1994.
• "The Validation of Sisterhood: Canonical Status and Liberation in the History of American Nuns." In A Leaf of the Great Tree of God: Essays in Honour of Ritamary Bradley, ed. Margot H. King, Toronto, Canada: Peregrina Publishing Co., 1994.
• "Service as Sacrament: Sisters and the Meaning of American Catholicism." Sisters Today, 65 (March 1993).
• "'Protective' Legislation: The Advantages of Canonical Status for Nineteenth-Century Sisters." NCAN News, Winter 1993.
• "Cultural Conundrum: Sisters, Ethnicity, and the Adaptation of American Catholicism." Mid-America, Fall 1992 (special issue devoted to immigrant women in the U.S.).
• "Exodus of Women From Institutional Church? Progress in Language, Ministry Will Not Make Ordination Question Go Away." Catholic Sun Centennial Issue, June 25-July 1, 1992.
• "The Place of the Sacraments in Women's Religious Life: A Historical Consideration." NCAN News, Fall 1991.
• "Women, Feminism, and the New Religious History: Catholic Sisters as a Case Study." In Belief and Behavior: Essays in the New Religious History, ed. Philip VanderMeer and Robert Swierenga, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1991.
• "Women and American Catholicism, 1789-1989." In Perspectives on the American Catholic Church, 1789-1989, ed. Virgina Geiger and Stephen Vicchio, Westminster, MD: Christian Classics, 1989.
• "Is Anti-Abortion, 'Pro-Life'?" Connections [Syracuse Univ. College of Arts & Sciences], April 1990.
• "Sisterhood and Power: Class, Culture, and Ethnicity in the American Convent." Colby Library Quarterly, special issue on Women & Religion (Fall 1989).
• "The New Nuns of Yesteryear." U.S.A. Today [magazine], March 1989.
• "A View from the Pews." In Homosexuality and the Vatican, ed. Jeannine Gramick and Patrick Fury, Crossroad Press, 1988; reprinted in Homosexuality: Debating the Issues, ed. Robert M. Baird and M. Katherine Baird, Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1995.
• "A Subtle Sexism Flaws the Letter" [commentary on the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Women's Concerns]. National Catholic Reporter, 29 April 1988.
• "A Gutsy Woman of Vision: Sister 'of Color' Left Legacy that is IHM Sisters." Catholic Sun (Syracuse, NY), 24 Feb.-1 March 1988: 6-7.
• "The Acceptable Time." NCAN News, Fall 1987.
• "To Serve the People of God: Nineteenth-Century Sisters and the Creation of an American Religious Life." Published in the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism (Univ. of Notre Dame) Working Paper Series 18, No. 2 (delivered 26 February 1987).
• "Loretto, The Vatican and Historical Irony." NCAN News, December 1986.
• "Research into the History of American Sisters: A Progress Report." American Catholic Studies Newsletter, Fall 1986.
• "Discovering Foremothers: Sisters, Society, and the American Catholic Experience." U.S. Catholic Historian, 5 (Summer/Fall 1986); reprinted in The American Catholic Religious Life: Selected Historical Essays, ed., Joseph M. White, New York: Garland, 1988.
• The "Spider Web": Congress and Lobbying in the Age of Grant. Cornell University Press, 1985.
• "Philemon's Dilemma: Nuns and Blacks in Nineteenth-Century America--Some Findings." Records of the American Catholic Historical Society, vol. 96 (March-Dec. 1985), 3-18; reprinted in The American Catholic Religious Life: Selected Historical Essays, ed., Joseph M. White, New York: Garland, 1988; originally delivered at the 1985 meeting of the Organization of American Historians, Minneapolis.
• "Research on 19th Century Legislatures: Present Contours and Future Directions." Legislative Studies Quarterly, May 1984; reprinted in Handbook of Legislative Research, ed. Gerhard Loewenberg, et al., Harvard University Press, 1985, 701-32; also reprinted in The United States Congress in a Transitional Era, 1800-1841: The Interplay of Party, Faction and Section, ed. Joel H. Silbey, Brooklyn: Carlson Publishing, Inc., 1991, Vol. I (part of the Congress of the United States series) [Joel H. Silbey, co-author].
• "Corruption--or Confusion? Lobbying and Congressional Government in the Early Gilded Age." Congress and the Presidency, Fall 1983; reprinted in The United States Congress in a Partisan Political Nation, 1841-1896, ed. Joel H. Silbey, Brooklyn: Carlson Publishing, Inc., 1991, Vol. III (part of the Congress of the United States series).
• "Ben Butler versus the Brahmins: Patronage and Politics in Early Gilded Age Massachusetts." The New England Quarterly, June 1982.
• Encyclopedia of Southern History (Louisiana State Univ. Press, 1979). Contributor: articles on : "The Grant Administration," "Election of 1868," "Election of 1872."
• "The Impact of Interparty Competition Reconsidered: The Case of Florida." Journal of Politics, February 1976; originally delivered at the 1974 meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans [Austin Ranney, co-author].

Book Reviews in Wisconsin Magazine of History, Journal of Interdisciplinary History, Congress and the Presidency, America, Commonweal, Catholic Historical Review, New York History, The Historian, Western Historical Review, Records of the American Catholic Historical Society, Journal of the American Academy of Religion.

PAPERS and PRESENTATIONS:

[does not include conference commentaries, routine in-house presentations, guest lectures in classes, etc.; papers subsequently published are listed above]

• "'Charism' or 'Founding Impulse'? Toward a Clearer Understanding of the Growth of Women's Religious Life in Nineteenth-Century America." Paper to be presented at the 1998 History of Women Religious Conference, Chicago, IL.
• "Historical Precedents for the Twenty-First Century Renewal of Religious Life." Presentation to be made at the Special Symposium on the Future of Religious Life, Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA (Spring 1998).
• "The Sacramental Service of Women Religious to the Church." Spring Workshop to be sponsored by the Sisters' Council of the Diocese of Ogdensburg, NY (April 1998).
• "From Buttons and Banners to the World Wide Web--Campaign Paraphernelia in America." Multimedia Presentation to the Syracuse University Library Associates, October 1996.
• "Pilgrims to the 'Promised Land': Religion and American Immigration." Lecture to the 1996 S.U. Minnowbrook Seminar, October 1996.
• "Pressures By and On a 'Marginal' Group: The Vitality of Catholic Feminism Today." Lecture Sponsored by the Research Project on Women & Social Change and the Contemplation & Action Program, Smith College, March 1996.
• "Power, Trust, and Authority." Keynote Address given at the General Assembly of the Sisters of Mercy, St. Louis Regional Community, February 1996.
• "Gender and Catholic Memory." Workshop at the Conference on En-Gendering Catholic Studies, University of Notre Dame, September 1995.
• "Women, Ministry and Americanization in Nineteenth-Century Catholicism." Paper prepared for the 1995 meeting of the Academy of American Religion, Philadelphia.
• "History and the Re-Founding of Religious Life Today." Principal Address sponsored by the National Coalition of American Nuns and Twelve International Religious Congregations, Oct. 1994, Rome, Italy.
• "The Ministry of Women & the Transformation of Catholicism in Nineteenth-Century America." Paper delivered at the 1994 meeting of the International Society for the Study of European Ideas, Graz, Austria.
• "Circles of Sisterhood in Nineteenth-Century America." Plenary address at the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the Arrival of the Sisters of Mercy in the United States, Pittsburgh, June 1994.
• "'Father' Didn't Always Know Best: Sisters Versus Clerics in Nineteenth-Century American Catholicism." 1993 Annual Address for the Women's Studies Program, University of Florida, Gainesville. [NB: This is quite different, based on later research, from the 1987 one, below.]
• "Changing Historical Concepts of Presidential Leadership." Presentation in the 1992 "Leadership Series," The Maxwell School, Syracuse University.
• "Founding Mothers: The Role of Women in Early American Catholicism." Workshop at the 1992 public conference of the Commission on the Status of Women, Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse.
• "The Next Stage: Placing Sisters' Stories in the Historical Mainstream." Plenary Session presentation given at the Second History of Women Religious Conference, Tarrytown, NY, June 1992.
• "Service as Sacrament: Sisters and the Meaning of American Catholicism." Keynote Address at the Conference on 500 Years of Catholic Women Religious in the Americas, College of St. Benedict (MN), April 1992.
• "The Treatment of Women in American Catholic Historiography." Paper delivered at the 1990 meeting of the Organization of American Historians, Washington.
• "The 1988 Presidential Election in Historical Perspective: The Role of the Media." Panel presentation at the 1988 meeting of the American Historical Association, Cincinnati.
• "'Father' Didn't Always Know Best: Nuns versus Clerics in Nineteenth-Century American Catholicism." Paper delivered at the 1987 meeting of the Social Science History Association, New Orleans.
• "New Approaches to the Historical Study of American Catholic Sisters." Keynote Paper delivered at the Lilly Foundation Conference on Women Religious and History, Cushwa Center, University of Notre Dame, October 1987.
• "Women's Religious Community Archives: A Historian's Perspective." Paper delivered at the 1987 meeting of the Society of American Archivists, New York.
• "Pressure By and On a Marginal Group--or, Are Catholic Feminists Either?" Paper presented at the 1986 meeting of the American Political Science Association, Washington.
• "Stories That Make a Difference: Women of Faith and Commitment." Address given at the biennial symposium of the National Sisters' Vocation Conference, Chicago, May 1986.
• "The Past as Practice versus the Past as Prologue: Toward an Historically Informed Political Model" Paper presented at the 1983 meeting of the American Political Science Association, Chicago.
• "American Legislatures in the 19th Century: Toward a Research Agenda." Paper presented at the 1982 Legislative Research Conference, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Iowa City, IA.
• "Women's History is 'Real' History." Lecture before the History Forum, University of Florida-Gainesville, Women's History Week 1983.
• "The Decline of Electoral Influence: Political Participation in Modern America." Paper presented at the 1982 meeting of the Social Science History Association, Nashville.
• "Outsiders on the Inside Track: Lobbying and Committee Construction in the Gilded Age House of Representatives." Paper presented at the 1981 meeting of the Organization of American Historians, Detroit.
• "Corruption--or Competence? A New Look at the Gilded Age Lobby." J. Franklin Jameson Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, 1980.
• "From Constituencies to Clienteles: The Gilded Age Redefinition of Representation." Paper presented at the 1980 meeting of the Social Science History Association, Rochester, New York.
• "Roots of an American Conundrum: Race and the `Woman Question', 1835-1870." Lecture, University of Florida-Gainesville, 1979.
• "Before the Floor: Preliminary Stages in Legislative Decision Making." Paper presented at the 1976 meeting of the Social Science History Association, Philadelphia.
• "Priorities and Legislative Politics: Agenda-Setting in the Reconstruction Congress." Paper presented at the 1975 meeting of the Organization of American Historians, Boston.

TALKS:

[Religious congregations, sisters' organizations, and general public; a representative sample]

National Sisters' Vocation Conference; Northwest Conference of Women Religious; Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston; Institute of D'Youvillian Spirituality (Grey Nuns); Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph (Canada); Sisters of Charity of Nazareth; League of Women Voters (Gainesville, Florida, Syracuse and New York State); Greater Syracuse N.O.W.; Wadhams Hall Theological Seminary; University of Notre Dame Seminar on American Catholicism; Smith College; Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (Connecticut); Vocation Affiliates Program and 1994 Lenten Public Lecture Series, Diocese of Syracuse; Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (Latham Province); Chicago Catholic Women, Sisters of Providence (Indiana); Sisters of the Holy Cross (Indiana); Sisters of St. Benedict (Minnesota); Diocese of Syracuse; Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Sisters of Mercy, St. Louis; Syracuse Univ. Library Associates; United Church of Fayetteville, NY.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1981-- . Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.

Asst. Prof. of History, 1981-86; Associate Professor, 1986- ; Director of American Studies, 1986-94; Director of Graduate Studies (History), 1989-92; Assoc. Prof. of Political Science, 1993- .

1977-81. Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois.

Instructor in History, 1977-79; Assistant Professor, 1979-81; Director of American Studies, 1981.

OTHER EXPERIENCE:

[not including advising or other routine "service" responsibilities at S.U., routine community involvement, etc.]

• 1997--. Advisory Board: E-Politics (a forthcoming interactive on-line US politics/history resource).
• 1996--. Founder/webweaver: SisterSite (website for women religious and feminist religious concerns).
• 1994-- . Founder/coordinator: SISTER-L (internet discussion list for the history and contemporary concerns of women religious).
• 1994-- . Editorial Board: Series on Religion & Gender, Syracuse University Press.
• 1994-- . Advisory Boards of the following Internet lists: ECCHST-L (Ecclesiastical History); H-AMREL (American Religious History, part of H-NET).
• 1994-- . Expert consultant for A Call to Care, documentary on the history of Sisters and American health care, Catholic Health Association.
• 1994-96. Expert Consultant on an independent documentary on the history & spirituality of U.S. Catholic Sisters, A Different Path, funded by the U.S. Catholic Conference; broadcast on ABC.
• 1994. Expert Consultant/Participant in Going West on the Journey: The Sisters of Mercy in the New World, video for the Sesquicentennial of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.
• 1992-93. Elected Member, Syracuse University History Department Executive Committee.
• 1991. Member, Media/Public Programs Selection Panel, National Endowment for the Humanities.
• 1991-- . Consultant, Sesquecentennial Task Force, IHM Sisters (Mich.).
• 1988. Finalist, Outstanding Faculty Member Award, S.U. Student Government.
• 1988-94. Member, Syracuse University Humanities Council.
• 1988-93. Board of Directors, Mary's Pence Foundation.
• 1987-88. Member/Consultant, Task Force on Our Context, Sisters of Mercy of the Union.
• 1986-89. Advisory Board, Congressional Bicentennial Publications, Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Foundation.
• 1986-89. Syracuse University Senate Research Committee.
• 1984-- . Consultant, Institute of Women Today, Chicago.
• 1983-- . Special Consultant, National Coalition of American Nuns.
• 1983-87. Consultant, National Sisters' Vocation Conference; member, regional board, 1985-87.
• 1982-- . Steering Committees, Syracuse University Women's Studies and American Studies Programs (see also above).
• 1982-85 Syracuse University Senate Committee on Affirmative Action.
• 1981. Director, Knox College American Studies Program.
• 1975-76. American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow: Nov-Feb: Special Assistant, Sen. Frank Church (D-Idaho); Feb-Aug: Legislative Assistant, Rep. William Steiger (R-Wis.).
• 1970. Undergraduate Honors Thesis: "The Pepper-Smathers Senatorial Primary of 1950."
• 1969-70. Research Assistant to Professor Allen Weinstein, Smith College.
• Summer 1969. Intern and Committee Aide to Rep. Claude Pepper (D-Fla.).
• Summer 1967. Staff Member, Volunteer Services and Summer Program for International Students, the United Nations.
• 1966. Micanopy, Fla. Tutored college-bound minority students.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

• American Historical Association
• Organization of American Historians
• Social Science History Association: Program Committee, 1986-87; Committee on Research Resource Development, 1981-85; Committee on the Status of Women, 1977-79
• American Catholic Historical Association: Program Committee, Spring 1989
• American Academy of Religion
• Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
• Women Religious History Conference: Steering Committee, 1987- ; Program Committee, 1991-92; Advisor on Electronic Media, 1996- .
• Upstate New York Women's History Conference: Steering Committee, 1982-84

REFERENCES

available upon request

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