Grappling with the infinitesimal approaches to teaching “world history” is always an exciting and challenging endeavor. What events should be included, and what is being left out? How can the course convey a broad sense of political, social, economic, and cultural movements, without giving short shrift to individual stories and experiences? There is something unique about sitting down to craft a course syllabus for iterations of “global history,” “world civilizations,” or some other variation. History courses may well be the first or only introduction students get to the metanarratives of world history; but it is just as significant that these courses may be the first point of contact for the minoritized and marginalized stories of history.

This roundtable will discuss approaches to world history that address queer themes and events. Rachel Jean-Baptiste is an Associate Professor of History at UC-Davis, where she teaches African history. She also serves on the AP World History Development Committee. Jake Newsome is the Campus Outreach Program Officer at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where, among his other duties, he has organized Faculty Seminars to connect college professors to the USHMM’s resources that are relevant to sexuality and gender studies. Rachel Eshenour is a social studies teacher in West Seneca, New York, where she teaches Grade 9 Global Studies, and works to incorporate LGBTQ narratives while preparing her students for the New York State Regents Exams. Howard Chiang is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Waterloo, where he teaches courses in global, Chinese, and gender and sexuality history. Averill Earls is a Visiting Assistant Professor of History at Mercyhurst University where she experiments with a variety of approaches to introductory World History, from chronologically, geographically, and thematically organized, to her most recent iteration of World History through biography. All participants will discuss their experiences, challenges, and successes in addressing the themes and experiences of queer people and movements in world history.