UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #374
MOLONEY, DEIRDRE

MOLONEY, Deirdre (1962- )
Graduate Student, History
At UW: 1987-1995

Interviewed: 1990	
Interviewer: Barry Teicher
Length: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Background and education; Choice of graduate study in history; Undergraduate studies; Work in Washington, D.C.; UW History program; Interest in immigration history; TA experience and TAA; Women in history; Minorities; Job prospects for Ph.D.s.

Tape 1

00:00:01	Discusses background.  Born in Italy.  School 1-12 in West Hartford, Connecticut.  Undergraduate studies at St. Lawrence.

00:01:14	Choice of history as graduate work after undergraduate in political science.

00:03:18	Undergraduate studies at St. Lawrence.

00:08:07	Choosing history over Political Science or Law.

00:10:32	Choosing Madison rather than Columbia or Berkeley.

00:11:41	Arrival in Madison and first impressions.

00:12:55	Work in Washington, D.C. for public interest consumer group before pursuing graduate work.

00:13:36	Interest in American History.

00:14:07	First semester at Madison.

00:15:32	Seminars in American History at UW.

00:17:16	Difficulties with American Caucus and differences between it and the European and Third World Caucuses in UW history program.

00:18:20	Choice of immigration history and labor history as focus of studies.

00:19:20	Views on caucus system.  Social Darwinism applications of program.

00:21:25	Grades and the history program in regard to funding and career success.

00:23:28	Change in program and master thesis requirement. 

00:28:25	Interest in immigration history.  Irish immigrant heritage and its influence.  Focus on late 19th and early 20th century, unskilled workers.

00:30:50	Disagreement with Oscar Hamlin's uprooted theory on immigration.  Views on Herbert Gutmen and worker theory of immigration.

00:32:53	Advisor and quantitative history.  Application of quantification.  Case study on immigration groups in brass factory in Waterbury, Connecticut.

00:35:40	How funding graduate work--financial aid, work study, TA and fellowship.

00:38:00	TA experience and the TAA.  Teaching load.  Benefits offered TAs and the TAA.

00:43:21	Difference in financing education in '60s and the present.

00:46:50	Views on women in history.  Women's history program and Professor Gerda Lerner in the American Caucus at UW.  Change from women's history focus for women in history to other programs in history.

00:49:41	Chancellor Shalala and failure to support professional women.

00:51:50	Gender in relation to history as student and teacher.  Assumption women in history only doing women's history.  Women's history incorporated across the field not kept as a segregated field.

00:59:25	Minorities in relation to experience as TA and student.  Views on Madison Plan and UW, lack of resources and programs.

01:02:58	Movement to include minorities in scholarship.

01:04:12	Experience with racism on campus.

01:04:42	Campus Assistance and housing.  Living situation as student.

01:07:10	Dissertation topic.  Major professor, Thomas Archdeacon.  Plans for period while working on Ph.D.

01:09:59	Job prospects after Ph.D.  Job market.  Gender influence and job opportunities.

01:13:31	Type of university would like to teach at.

01:15:34	End of Interview

END OF ORAL HISTORY #374