Background
William Brustein was born on July 13, 1947, in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. He is the son of Isadore Louis Brustein, a journalist, and Gloria (Forman) Brustein, an accountant.
(This work addresses the fundamental question of what dete...)
This work addresses the fundamental question of what determines regional political loyalties. Praised by Michael Hechter, University of Arizona, for its reasoning and outstanding original data.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520061551/?tag=2022091-20
1988
(Why did millions of apparently sane, rational Germans joi...)
Why did millions of apparently sane, rational Germans join the Nazi Party between 1925 and 1933? In this provocative book, William Brustein argues that the Nazi Party's emergence as the most popular political party in Germany was eminently logical—that it resulted largely from its success at fashioning economic programs that addressed the material needs of a wide range of German citizens. Brustein has carefully analyzed a huge collection of pre-1933 Nazi Party membership data drawn from the official files at the Berlin Document Center. He argues that Nazi followers were more representative of German society as a whole—that they included more workers, more single women, and more Catholics—than most previous scholars have believed. Further, says Brustein, the patterns of membership reveal that people joined the Nazi Party not because of Hitler's irrational appeal or charisma or anti-Semitism, but because the party, through its shrewd and proactive program, offered more benefits to more people than did the other political parties in Weimar Germany. According to Brustein, Nazi supporters were no different from citizens anywhere who select a political party or candidate they believe will promote their economic interests. The roots of evil, he suggests, may be ordinary indeed. Why did millions of apparently sane, rational Germans join the Nazi Party between 1925 and 1933? In this provocative book, William Brustein argues that the Nazi Party's emergence as the most popular political party in Germany was eminently logical—that it resulted largely from its success at fashioning economic programs that addressed the material needs of a wide range of German citizens. Brustein has carefully analyzed a huge collection of pre-1933 Nazi Party membership data drawn from the official files at the Berlin Document Center. He argues that Nazi followers were more representative of German society as a whole—that they included more workers, more single women, and more Catholics—than most previous scholars have believed. Further, says Brustein, the patterns of membership reveal that people joined the Nazi Party not because of Hitler's irrational appeal or charisma or anti-Semitism, but because the party, through its shrewd and proactive program, offered more benefits to more people than did the other political parties in Weimar Germany. According to Brustein, Nazi supporters were no different from citizens anywhere who select a political party or candidate they believe will promote their economic interests. The roots of evil, he suggests, may be ordinary indeed.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300074328/?tag=2022091-20
1996
(William I. Brustein provides a systematic comparative and...)
William I. Brustein provides a systematic comparative and empirical examination of anti-Semitism in Europe before the Holocaust. Brustein studies the evolution of the four principal roots of anti-Semitism--religious, racial, economic, and political--and demonstrates how these roots became ignited in the decades before the Holocaust. The book explains the epidemic rise of modern anti-Semitism, societal differences in anti-Semitism, and how anti-Semitism varies from other forms of prejudice. The book draws upon an extensive body of data from Europe's leading newspapers and the American Jewish Year Book.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521774780/?tag=2022091-20
2003
(Anti-Semitism, as it has existed historically in Europe, ...)
Anti-Semitism, as it has existed historically in Europe, is generally thought of as having been a phenomenon of the political right. To the extent that nineteenth- and early twentieth-century leftist movements have been found to manifest anti-Semitism, their involvement has often been suggested to be a mere fleeting and insignificant phenomenon. As such, this study seeks to examine more fully the role that the historic European left has played in developing and espousing anti-Semitic views. The authors draw upon a range of primary and secondary sources, including the analysis of left- and right-wing newspaper reportage, to trace the relationship between the political left and anti-Semitism in France, Germany, and Great Britain from the French Revolution to World War II, ultimately concluding that the relationship between the left and anti-Semitism has been much more profound than previously believed.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521870852/?tag=2022091-20
2015
educator historian sociologist writer
William Brustein was born on July 13, 1947, in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. He is the son of Isadore Louis Brustein, a journalist, and Gloria (Forman) Brustein, an accountant.
Brustein graduated from the University of Connecticut with Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction, in 1969. He also obtained Master of Arts degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, in 1971.
He became Master of Arts in sociology at the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1977.
Four years later he finally got his doctor's degree from the University of Washington.
Brustein became a Social Science Research Council fellow in Europe, in 1978-79, as well as a Fulbright fellow in Europe, in 1988-89.
Brustein held the position of an instructor at the University of Washington, for 2 years from 1979. In 1981 he started to serve as an assistant professor at the University of Utah, becoming an associate professor of sociology there, in 1987. He stayed at the last position just for a year.
In 1988 Brustein moved to the University of Minnesota to work as an assistant professor for a year. Next year he changed his post, becoming an associate professor, till 1994. Also, he was a director of Center for European Studies at that educational institution from 1992 to 1995. In 1994 he held several positions there, such as professor of sociology, adjunct professor of political science and Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Sociology. He became a department head next year.
In addition, Brustein worked as a lecturer at Ecole Normale Supérieure, in Paris, University of California, in Davis, University of Arizona, University of Strathclyde, North Dakota State University and University of Iowa, as well as at University of Colorado and Purdue University, Eotvos Lorand University, Louisiana State University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and University of Helsinki.
Brustein was Vice Provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs, as well as Professor of Sociology, Political Science and History, and President, OSU Global Gateways; all at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
He served as an associate provost for International Affairs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2007 to 2009, as well as Alumni Professor of International Studies and Professor of Sociology, Political Science and History for the same institution during that time period.
Brustein also held the position of a Director of the University Center for International Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, for 5 years from 2001.
Currently, Brustein holds the position of Vice President for Global Strategies and International Affairs, as well as Professor History, Political Science, and Sociology at West Virginia University in Morgantown.
(Why did millions of apparently sane, rational Germans joi...)
1996(Anti-Semitism, as it has existed historically in Europe, ...)
2015(This work addresses the fundamental question of what dete...)
1988(William I. Brustein provides a systematic comparative and...)
2003Brustein is a member of International Sociological Association, Sociological Research Association, American Political Science Association, Association of American Geographers, Council for European Studies, Social Science History Association, German Studies Associaiton, Pacific Sociological Association, Midwest Sociological Association, and Phi Beta Kappa.
American Sociological Association
1987 - 1991
American Sociological Association
1988 - 1991
Association of International Education Administrators
2007 - 2008
Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality, Stanford University
2006 - 2018
Senior International Officers of the Committee for Institutional Cooperation
May 8, 2012
Brustein married Yvonne Christine Raney, on February 14, 1981. They have 2 children - Arielle and Maximilian.