Imagine walking into the first day of class and, on the projector, is a photo of a man making an instrument out of a carrot. Followed by that image is one of the most intellectually inspiring lectures a student may ever encounter. In only an hour and a half class, students learned how Christopher Columbus rationalized slavery, and how to make a carrot clarinet. This class is History 2055 with University professor Andrew Burstein.
In a world filled with stereotypes and common misconceptions, Burstein keeps his lectures informative and open to discussion. It isn’t uncommon to find a picture of Paris Hilton next to one of George Washington in Burstein’s class, especially when he’s discussing how important understanding the perspectives of people throughout history.
“We recognize the positive contributions of traditional historical actors that we admire,” Burstein said. “People tend to remember feel-good history and rationalize the less admirable aspects of the past, which is why I like history. It enables me to reintroduce a lost life.”
Trying to keep a large class of college students interested is no easy battle, but Burstein seems to possess the secret formula. He has been teaching at the University for about 10 years and currently teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes. One of his former History 2055 students, mass communication freshman Isabell Gilfoil, thoroughly enjoyed his class.
“One of my favorite things that he did was that he would always start his classes with music,” Gilfoil said. “It always put me in a good mood.”
Burstein enjoys his profession, but what he did before his current career is something that many of his students may not be aware of.
Burstein has published nine books, been featured on a Ken Burns documentary for his extensive knowledge of Thomas Jefferson, been on C-SPAN multiple times, worked for an import/export firm on Wall Street, started his own consulting firm and helped with American business in China. However, he said teaching can be its own thrill.
“I like the challenge of teaching a large class,” Burstein said.
Burstein said he wants his students to think for themselves. He makes it clear that historians have to question everything, which is clear in his method of teaching. Teaching is what Burstein loves, but it hasn’t been his only career.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in Oriental Studies from Columbia University and a master’s degree from the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan, Burstein went to places in China where the people had never seen Americans. There, he helped U.S. entrepreneurs establish relationships in China.
“I was young and didn’t mind being transported six hours on bumpy mountain roads to get to a glass factory,” Burstein said, “The adventure is what drove me.”
After the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989, Burstein “traded Chairman Mao for Thomas Jefferson,” and decided to return to doing what he loved: studying and teaching history.
“I realized how much I missed campus life and the interesting conversations that you have on a college campus,” Burstein said. “On a campus it’s all about ideas.”
He spent eight years teaching at the University of Tulsa and four years at the University of Northern Iowa. He has taught at the University since 2008, and is about to publish his next co-authored book with University professor Nancy Isenberg, which is a sequel to his most prized book, the acclaimed best-seller “Madison and Jefferson.”
“The most fun I have recovering past lives is going into an archive and coming out with somebody’s diary,” Burstein said. “Teaching history enables me to reintroduce a lost life or a lost culture. To be a good historian, you need to try and restrain your cultural prejudices. It’s the hardest thing. You need to understand before you judge.”