Alumni News | Robert Venosa publishes two articles on liberal internationalism

Ohio University alumnus Robert Venosa, Ph.D., recently authored two articles exploring the emergence of liberal internationalist ideas as a method for governing international relations in the 1930s and 1950s.

Venosa, who earned a Ph.D. in History and a Contemporary History Certificate  in 2020 from the College of Arts and Sciences, is currently employed by the business intelligence firm Bulletin Intelligence.

In the articles, published in leading journals Britain and the World and the Journal of Contemporary History, Venosa argues that these were the “crucial years” when liberal internationalism was defined as an ideology. “Certain beliefs became dogma,” Venosa writes, “while others were abandoned … creating the ideology we know today.”

Venosa said he hopes that the articles will appeal to more than just scholars of liberal internationalism.

“Understanding the development of liberal internationalism as it underwent a period of successive crises early in its history can help citizens and policymakers put the current difficulties the liberal worldview faces into a broader perspective,” he argues. “By understanding the intellectual inheritances that drive liberal internationalism … those concerned with international order will be better able to see that the fortunes of liberal internationalism depend on a certain confluence of historical circumstances, rather than the belief in ostensibly timeless or universally applicable principles.”

Venosa credits the Contemporary History Institute (CHI) for much of his academic and professional success.

“CHI [was] invaluable in helping me discover the appropriate frameworks to use when researching, conceptualizing and writing both my dissertation and my two recent journal articles.” He added that “the skills I learned through CHI – in particular, the ability to sort through and synthesize unfamiliar material by understanding what is most important or relevant – have helped me to adapt to [my current] position.”

Having now successfully navigated the publication process himself, Venosa has some advice for young scholars thinking about publishing their own work.

“Aspiring young scholars shouldn’t fear the publishing process,” he said, “From my experience, the editors and reviewers at academic [presses] are eager to help get good scholarship published, and their comments will help you grow as a scholar.”

With his first two articles now in print, Venosa next plans to work on turning his dissertation into a book.

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