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History, Social Sciences, and Philosophy Department

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Dr. Daniel Maher

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"The pursuit of knowledge is more important than its possession" - Albert Einstein

Our department is made up of skilled scholars from a range of disciplines. Our faculty teach anthropology, diversity studies, history, philosophy, political science, religion, and sociology. By researching past and present social contexts, students acquire both critical skills and valuable assets to aid them in their pursuit of a career or advanced studies.

Land Acknowledgement Statement

The History, Social Sciences, and Philosophy (HSSP) Department of the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, in the University of Arkansas System, acknowledges that the spaces in which we offer our services were previously inhabited by sovereign nations for time immemorial. The Mississippian Civilization's political hub - Spiro - was in the region from 800-1300 C.E. The Caddo, Osage, and Quapaw followed. The 1830 Indian Removal Act forced the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole into the region, as well as these Five Nation's African-descended slaves known today as the freedmen. As representatives of an educational institution and academic disciplines that have benefited from stolen land and forced labor and created ideologies that reinforced inequalities, we pledge to decolonize our curriculum by amplifying the voices previously silenced in our teaching, service, and research practices. We seek to partner with these still-living sovereign nations to elevate their sacred legacies and their shared presence in the region and to create an indigenous friendly community within the HSSP Department.

This land acknowledgement was drafted in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in October 2022 by HSSP faculty, representatives from the Native American Student Association (NASA), and invited guests. It was further revised during a department meeting at the Drennen-Scott Historic Site, in Van Buren, Arkansas, in April 2023.  It is a living document, and we will continue to further develop it as we keep ourselves accountable to the commitments that it stands for.

This work was part of the “Creating an Actionable Land Acknowledgement Statement” Initiative led by Dr. Svetla Dimitrova and funded by the UAFS Provost’s Research and Innovation Mini-Grant for 2022-2023. 

For more information about why we recognize the land and its people and to connect to all sovereign nations mentioned in the statement, go to the UAFS Land Acknowledgements Guide.

Drennen-Scott Historic Site

The fully restored Drennen-Scott and Willhaf houses offer an intimate look into the River Valley's history through the contrasting stories of a wealthy town founder and a working-class immigrant family.

Pebley Center

Since its establishment in 2003, this public, non-circulating archive has been collecting, preserving, and making available for research historical materials from the River Valley and surrounding areas in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

 

B.A. in History

The Bachelor of Arts in history encourages you to appreciate the significance of world events and comprehend the important connections between history, culture, and the status quo. A complete range of courses in American, European, and African history are led by skilled historians and scholars who make history come alive in the classroom. Click here to learn more.

 

B.S. in History with Social Studies Teacher Licensure (7-12)

This program is designed for future social studies teachers who will make an exciting and important impact on history, civics, economics, and psychology students in junior high and high school classrooms. You will learn to integrate and apply the knowledge you learn in actual public school classrooms for grades 7-12. Click here to learn more.

Diversity Studies

This 18-hour minor gives students an opportunity to study human diversity from the perspective of multiple disciplines, making it an ideal complement to any major. View the degree plan here.

 

History

This 18-hour minor provides you with analytical thinking skills and research and writing abilities that all employers desire from their employees. By providing you with core knowledge of the past, a minor in history helps prepare you for the responsibilities of  Click here to view the degree plan.

 

Philosophy

This 18-hour minor provides students with an opportunity to improve their critical thinking and conceptual/linguistics skills while enhancing their problem-solving skills and encouraging them to be adaptable thinkers. View the degree plan here.

 

Political Science

This 18-hour program helps students hone their thinking skills, which will help them in other courses, and also prepares them to have a greater understanding of the complexities of the modern political system, producing more informed and effective citizens. Click here to view the degree plan here.

 

Sociology

This 18-hour program helps students become practical critical thinkers with greater understanding of the structure of social groups, organizations, and societies. This minor complements other majors focused on understanding social change and the causes and consequences of human behavior. View the degree plan here.

HSSP is also home to elective courses in anthropology and religion. Anthropology courses that are offered include Cultural Anthropology (ANTH 2803) and Diversity Through Historical Archaeology (ANTH 3023). Cultural Anthropology satisfies a social science general education requirement and is also a required course in the Diversity Studies minor degree plan. Diversity Through Historical Archaeology is a course that can also be used as an elective for the Diversity Studies minor. World Religions (RELI 2303) is a common elective course that students will take to satisfy general education requirements.