Dennis Merrill was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut; completed his Ph.D. at his home-state, public university; and joined UMKC's Department of History in 1987. He studies and teaches the history of the United States in a global context, with a special emphasis on a broad spectrum of American cultural, economic, and political interactions with the rest of the world. In recent years, his research has centered on the cultural and economic dynamics of the U.S. empire–from the North American continent, to the Mexican Gulf and the Caribbean Sea, and across the vast Pacific Ocean. His most recent books are Negotiating Paradise: U.S. Tourism and Empire in Twentieth Century Latin America and the two-volume anthology Major Problems in American Foreign Relations. His record of professional service has included election to the executive council of the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR), membership on the editorial board of the journal Diplomatic History, and an appointment to the Board of Directors of the Harry S. Truman Library Institute. He has received two Fulbright awards to India and SHAFR has honored him with the Stuart Bernath Article Award.
Academic Credentials