Laird Boswell is a historian of Modern Europe, especially France, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. His teaching and research interests focus largely on society and politics – ranging from the transformations of rural society, to the history of European socialism and communism, the history of nationalism, voter behavior and, more recently, the contemporary extreme right. He has also undertaken extensive work in quantitative and oral history. In addition to his work in the History department, he has directed the University of Wisconsin Center for European Studies and has served as director of the UW study abroad program in Aix-en-Provence, France. He also works with students in the Professional French Masters Program interested in contemporary French politics and society (immigration, social movements, European affairs).