Biography
Watson is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, holding a bachelor's degree from Brown University and a doctorate from Northwestern. He joined UNC-CH's History Department in 1976. His scholarly focus encompasses American political history, the early American republic, and the antebellum South. He directed the UNC Center for the Study of the American South (1999-2012) and edited Southern Cultures journal (1993-2019). He has authored or edited eight books, including works on Andrew Jackson versus Henry Clay, Jacksonian politics, and a comprehensive narrative history of the American Republic to 1877.
Sample Works
Roundtable Appearances
February 20, 2021 · ▶ Video
Populism
Populism involves "political mobilization of 'the people' against a perceived elite caste of professional politicians." The roundtable explores what triggers such mass movements,...
Jeffrey Alexander, Dhananjay Jagannathan, Takis Pappas, Harry L. Watson