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United States Max Bergholz is a distinguished historian specializing in nationalism, intercommunal violence, and historical memory in modern Europe, offering profound insights for academic and public discourse.
Dr. Bergholz is Professor of History at Concordia University, where he has taught since 2011. He received his PhD in Balkan and East European history at the University of Toronto in 2010. His interests include microhistorical approaches to the history of modern Europe, with a particular focus on the local dynamics of nationalism, intercommunal violence, and historical memory. His fieldwork focuses on Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. He holds the James M. Stanford Professorship in Genocide and Human Rights Studies.
Published Max Bergholz's first book, "Violence as a Generative Force: Identity, Nationalism, and Memory in a Balkan Community," in 2016. This book investigates the causes and dynamics of violence during 1941 in a multi-ethnic community that straddles the present-day border between Bosnia and Croatia, and their effects on local identities and social relations.
Published the Bosnian translation of Max Bergholz's book "Violence as a Generative Force: Identity, Nationalism, and Memory in a Balkan Community" in 2018, with a second edition following in 2024. The Bosnian title is "Nasilje kao generativna sila: identitet, nacionalizam i sjećanje u jednoj balkanskoj zajednici."
Published the Chinese translation of Max Bergholz's book "Violence as a Generative Force: Identity, Nationalism, and Memory in a Balkan Community" in 2023. The Chinese title is "何故为敌 1941年一个巴尔干小镇的族群冲突、身份认同与历史记忆."
Provided research support, grants, and fellowships for Max Bergholz's work, focusing on topics of violence.
Awarded grants and fellowships to Max Bergholz for his research endeavors.
Supported Max Bergholz's research through grants.
Awarded Max Bergholz the 2019 Laura Shannon Prize for his book "Violence as a Generative Force." He also delivered an invited lecture, "Telling Histories of Violence without Borders," at the Institute.
Awarded Max Bergholz the 2017 Herbert Baxter Adams Prize for his book "Violence as a Generative Force." His work has also been featured in their publication, the American Historical Review.
Awarded Max Bergholz the 2018 European Studies Book Award for his book "Violence as a Generative Force."
Awarded Max Bergholz the 2017 Harriman-Rothschild Book Prize in Nationalism and Ethnic Studies for his work.
Awarded Max Bergholz the 2017 Taylor and Francis Book Prize in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies for his book.
Contributed an invited essay titled "On Being There" and a photo essay titled "Fieldwork on Foot: Northwest Bosnia, ca. 2012-2013" to this project.
Featured Max Bergholz in an interview with Sue Smith, discussing his work.
Hosted an interview with Max Bergholz on his book "Violence as a Generative Force: Identity, Nationalism, and Memory in a Balkan Community."
Conducted a "CEERES of Voices Interview" with Max Bergholz at the Seminary Co-op Bookstore in Chicago.
Max Bergholz delivered a lecture titled "Violence as a Generative Force: Identity, Nationalism & Memory in a Balkan Community" at the University of Washington, drawing on his research about the descent into extreme violence in a multiethnic community in Bosnia.
Max Bergholz was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and pursued his academic journey by earning his B.A. and M.A. from the University of Pittsburgh. He later completed his Ph.D. in Balkan and East European history at the University of Toronto in 2010. Since 2011, Dr. Bergholz has served as a Professor of History at Concordia University, where he also held the James M. Stanford Professorship in Genocide and Human Rights Studies. His research focuses on microhistorical approaches to modern European history, with a particular emphasis on the local dynamics of nationalism, intercommunal violence, and historical memory in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. He conducts extensive fieldwork, utilizing central and provincial archives and engaging in oral history interviews in small towns and villages.
His inaugural book, “Violence as a Generative Force: Identity, Nationalism, and Memory in a Balkan Community” (Cornell University Press, 2016), meticulously examines the causes and dynamics of violence in 1941 within a multi-ethnic community located on the border between Bosnia and Croatia. This acclaimed work explores the profound effects of such violence on local identities and social relations, solidifying his reputation as a leading scholar in the field. The book has received numerous accolades, including five major prizes, such as the 2019 Laura Shannon Prize and the 2017 Herbert Baxter Adams Prize. It has been translated into Bosnian (Buybook, 2018, 2024) and Chinese (Imaginist, 2023), further extending its scholarly reach and impact. His current research is dedicated to a forthcoming book, “Our Truths: Violence and the Challenge of a Common Humanity,” which delves into how three distinct governments and their local supporters in Glina, Croatia, have confronted the memory of the town’s violent past from 1945 to the present day.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bergholz has secured significant research support from prestigious organizations, including the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). His publications regularly appear in esteemed academic journals such as the American Historical Review and Comparative Studies in Society and History. He is also a fluent speaker of Serbo-Croatian, including its local variants: Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, and Serbian. His commitment to shedding light on complex historical narratives and his rigorous methodological approach have made substantial contributions to the understanding of conflict and memory in the Balkans.
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