Welcome flair applicants! This is the place to apply for a flair – the colored text you will have seen next to some user's names indicating their specialization. We are always looking for new flaired users, and if you think you have what it takes to join the panel of historians, you're in the right place!
For examples of previous applications, and our current panel of historians, you can find the previous application thread here, and there is a list of active flaired users on our wiki.
A flair in /r/AskHistorians indicates extensive, in-depth knowledge about an area of history and a proven track record of providing great answers in the subreddit. In applying for a flair, you are claiming to have:
Expertise in an area of history, typically from either degree-level academic experience or an equivalent amount of self-study. For more exploration of this, check out this thread.
The ability to cite sources from specialist literature for any claims you make within your area.
The ability to provide high quality answers in the subreddit in accordance with our rules.
For a more in-depth look at how applications are analyzed, consult this helpful guide on our wiki explaining what an answer that demonstrates the above looks like, as well as this META thread which provides some analysis of the application process.
To apply for a flair, simply post in this thread. Your post needs to include:
Links to 3-5 comments in /r/AskHistorians that show you meet the above requirements, and of which at least three were posted in the last six months.
The text of your flair and which category it belongs in (see the sidebar). Be as specific as possible as we prefer flair to reflect the exact area of your expertise as near as possible, but be aware there is a limit of 64 characters.
One of the moderators will then either confirm your flair or, if the application doesn't adequately show you meet the requirements, explain what's missing. If you get rejected, don't despair! We're happy to give you advice and pointers on how to improve your portfolio for a future application. Plenty of panelists weren't approved the first time.
If there's a backlog this may take a few days but we will try to get around to everyone as quickly as possible.
"I'm an Expert About Something But Never Have a Chance to Write About It!"
Some topics only come up once in a blue moon, but that doesn't mean you can't still get flair in it! There are a number of avenues to follow, many of which are dealt with in greater detail at the last section of this thread.
Expected Behavior
We invest a large amount of trust in the flaired members of /r/askhistorians, as they represent the subreddit when answering questions, participating in AMAs, and even in their participation across reddit as a whole. As such, we do take into account an applicant's user history reddit-wide when reviewing an application, and will reject applicants whose post history demonstrate bigotry, racism, or sexism. Such behavior is not tolerated in /r/askhistorians, and we do not tolerate it from our panelists in any capacity. We additionally reserve the right to revoke flair based on evidence of such behavior after the application process has been completed. /r/AskHistorians is a safe space for everyone, and those attitudes have no place here.
Quality Contributors
If you see an unflaired user consistently giving excellent answers, they can be nominated for a "Quality Contributor" flair. Just message the mods their username and some example comments which you believe meet the above criteria.
Revoking Flair
Having a flair brings with it a greater expectation to abide by the subreddit's rules and maintain the high standard of discussion we all like to see here. The mods will revoke the flair of anybody who continually breaks the rules, fails to meet the standard for answers in their area of expertise, or violates the above mentioned expectations. Happily, we almost never have to do this.
Additional Resources
Before applying for flair, we encourage you to check out these resources to help you with the application process:
Ok well after reading one of the flaired comments of encouragement in this thread, I've decided to give it a shot. I too created a Reddit account for this particular Sub-Reddit, so I'd be happy to help if I can.
My specialty is New Kingdom Ancient Egypt/18th Dynasty.
Well, I love my flair (and I need to do much more to earn it), but since what I contribute is in a fairly narrow area, I was wondering if I would be eligible for a change and a grey flair with "19th Century Western Drug Use" or some such?
I think that describes my pitiful knowledge better.
The one about patent medicines
The one where morphine gets used before hypodermic needles are invented
Hello, Mods! I would like to apply for a Military History flair with the text "WWII Armoured Warfare".
Here are my answers to back up my application:
Hi,
I'd like to apply for flair. I've spent a few of my afternoons here now and I must say I enjoy it very much. Two of my answers have been mentioned in 'Sunday Digests' and another was nominated for 'Best of May'. I hope I qualify.
Here are my answers so far:
Were any Roman senators/magistrates impeached or expelled from the Senate for a crime?
What methods did the Romans use to integrate integrated conquered enemy cities into their empire?
Why did the Romans bother invading and conquering the British isles?
If flair is granted, I'd like it to say "Roman Expansion". Thanks!
I'd like to get flair for Korean History.
Why did North Korea become poorer and apparently more brutal than other socialist states? This one was mentioned in the overlooked posts of the week here
Japan's railways have become iconic. What was the development of the system that led to it's more modern reputation? This one was mentioned in the overlooked posts here
Hello, I would also like to apply though I may not exactly meet your criteria. I am currently an education professor specializing in teaching social studies methods and controversial issues. However I was also a history teacher for 10 years with an undergraduate degree in American slavery and abolitionist history. As an academic, I am inter-disciplinary as I utilize history, sociology and Anthropology (to name a few) in discussing how past issues, primarily slavery and/or the peculiar institution still affects our society today - not really a topic specific to your thread though I would still love to be involved! Below are some of my past submissions - if accepted my flair would most likely be American History of slavery and racism
[I am half white and half black and I was wondering how people like myself would be treated. Growing up all I learned in school was how blacks were were treated.] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1xwl2o/i_am_half_white_and_half_black_and_i_was/)
[I'm teaching world history to 10th grade high schoolers for the first time in 5 years (I left teaching for awhile). What story, person, event or even common historical misconception should I point out or make sure gets the attention it deserves?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3hwa2v/im_teaching_world_history_to_10th_grade_high/?ref=share&ref_source=link)
[Vice President Biden says his heart isn't in it to run for the presidency since his son died. Have other potential candidates or sitting officials lost heart after similar loses?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3o8loz/vice_president_biden_says_his_heart_isnt_in_it_to/)
[I'm a rural Catholic priest in England at the time of Henry VIII's break from Rome, do I know I suddenly belong to the Anglican Church and not the Catholic Church? How long before I learn this information? What ways might I react?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/4vqiq6/im_a_rural_catholic_priest_in_england_at_the_time/)
Hi, I'm a graduate student in the field of Ottoman history. My flair would be in Middle Eastern History, with the text "17th Century Ottoman Empire".
Here are some examples of my responses:
Greetings, mods!
I am applying for flair in the North American History category. My specialty is the War of 1812, but based on work experience and personal study I have also answered several questions about the 19th century American military and political experience in general.
Thank you for your consideration!
War of 1812
Jefferson and Federalists in the War of 1812 This answer was also featured on the AskHistorians twitter account.
[Did the British consider taking back the American colonies?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5nogmp/did_the_british_consider_taking_back_the_american/dcdi4li/)
A "well regulated Militia" and its historical context
General 19th Century
Use of Bayonets in 19th century warfare
Why did the US continue to use the M1903 Springfield in the face of better alternatives?
[Unceded territory in the Fort Laramie Treaty] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5e8wkp/what_constituted_unceded_indian_territory_in_the/daax6jm/)
Drunk History: Amos Wilkie and the Christmas Mutiny of Mackinac
I am also, entirely by hobby, a historical fencer, and in that capacity I have done quite a bit of reading for context about the 16th century fencing tradition and its cultural importance. To that end, I have answered a number of questions totally unrelated to my academic training:
Martial Tradition
Was there ever a high point in swordsmanship?
Fingers crossed (or should I ask success from Tenjin, the kami of scholarship?), I'm appplying for flair with the following posts. Should I be successful, I'd ask for the flair title "Late Edo Period/ Meiji Restoration Japan".
Inflation in Tokugawa Shogunate Japan
How accurate is this popular post about the first Japanese woman to go to college, Sutematsu Oyama?
When did refined grains (white rice/white wheat flour) replace whole grains in East Asian diets?
I would like to apply for a Military History flair with the text "Medieval Warfare | Logistics and Equipment".
How long did it take to march an army from western Europe to the the middle east?
Why did armour technology become more primitive between the Romans and middle ages?
What is the academic consensus on how many soldiers were at the Battle of Agincourt?
What did the medieval warhorse of a knight look like in 1300 AD?
Hi, so I actually did apply for flair once but I kind of felt like my application was neither high quality or even all that specific so I decided to wait and try to earn it. Even lurking or searching for questions about Hellenistic and Roman Egypt is usually fruitless except for ALL THE CLEOPATRA QUESTIONS!(which I still do enjoy) That said, within the past 2-3 months there has been an upswing in questions pertaining to Ptolemaic Egypt all of which were actually quite interesting and I did my best to answer as many of them as I could, and then picked out the best/more recent for this flair app that do not simply demonstrate that I am too familiar with Cleopatra biographies:
What Happened to the Ptolemaic Egyptian bureacracy once the Romans took over?
What would you say were some reasons the Ptolemaic dynasty went into decline?
How did Alexander the Great's campaign impact Egypt?
What roles would native Egyptians have occupied in the Ptolemaic military?
What were relations like between Ptolemaic Egypt and the Roman Republic?
I do not have any credentials in this area, and I am just beginning to take full on courses on the subject which is fairly distant from my primary focus of studies, but I do work from a fairly wide collection of sources on very specific aspects of this so I think I can maintain a high standard of answers.
I actually hope to get a flair in "Hellenistic Egypt" or something to that effect, if you guys do approve it I am not sure whether the colour should be "Green-African History" because Egypt is in Africa and I would hope to get the opportunity to talk more about Ptolemaic and Roman activity in the Eastern desert and the Nubian cataracts as past answers have only briefly touched on, or "Light Green-Middle Eastern History" because Egypt can be seen as a part of the Near East and it definitely ties into Ptolemaic and Seleucid activity in Coele-Syria, even after thinking about it I just became more undecided so I would ask you to pick one. Or you might end up making me pick one as a final trial or something.
And if the answer is "no" then I will take any feedback to heart and probably reappear on the next thread :-)
Hello! I've tried to clean up my responses recently, so hopefully this pushes my application above the threshold. I've been answering questions mainly regarding Early Islamic History, although some of my answers touch on other parts of Islamic history as I feel I have the knowledge. I've been on a posting spree due to the winter holidays, so many of these are quite recent.
How popular was the name Muhammad before the prophet Muhammad was born?
What was Mohammad's religion before Islam with additional follow-up answers on the ḥanīf and Arabian polytheism lower in the thread.
To what extent was the spread of Islam bloodless?
Other responses a bit further from that time period
What's the Origin of the Saudi Arabian-Iranian conflict in the Middle East?
I hope these satisfy criteria. If not, please let me know how and I'll continue to improve.
Hello, I'd like to apply for "Early Modern Small Arms | 16th c. Weapons and Tactics"
When and Why the Abandonment of Armor Began
How Battles were Fought in the Thirty Years War
Whether Cavalry Could be Stopped by musket-fire alone
I love this subreddit and being able to pass on esoteric knowledge to people who really enjoy it is a pleasure. I would like my flair to read,
"Roman History | Late Republic & Early Principate"
[Evolution of Roman god perception] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1wgdwj/did_the_romans_think_of_their_gods_as_roman_gods/cf1r5p7/)
Hi, I'd like to apply for "19th and 20th Century US History"
I actually majored in music, but along the way I fell in love with US History and took a fair amount of coursework. That said, I think for the purposes of the application I would have to categorize myself as a "self-taught expert" as I don't have a degree in the field.
Here are some posts from the last 6 months, as per the application guidelines.
Why did Jimmy Carter have a rotating cast of Acting Secretaries of State?
In the United States, why are the inmates not allowed to vote in government elections?
How did Americans go from electing FDR to a 4th term to the 22nd amendment passing in just 7 years?
Shorter Responses:
Why are there no photos of a battlefield covered with thousands of bodies?
Good evening, I'd like to apply for a Military History flair with the text "English 14th Century Warfare". Below are my answers, and I completely understand if they aren't quite enough.
How did Medieval Kings gauge the military potentials of their neighbours before acting against them?
How did soldiers during the medieval times cope with PTSD when war was so glorified?
If I died in the Hundred Years' War, how would my family be notified, and how would I be buried?
Thank you, regardless!
Hello! I'd like to apply for an Asian History flair with the text "Late Yuan & Early Ming China". Below are some of my posts. Most deal with the Yuan but that's mostly because I rarely run across questions about the Ming, but rest assured my dissertation is on early Ming China.
Peasant attitudes towards the Yuan-Ming dynastic change
Why is it "Yuan Dynasty China" and not "Mongol Empire"?
Why is China so large and unified?
Was the Yuan Dynasty the "free-est" regime of imperial China?
I would like to apply for an "Armenian History" flair.
[When and why did the ottoman empire begin its more modern persecutions of Armenians?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/6bezkm/when_and_why_did_the_ottoman_empire_begin_its/dhmrcf5/?context=3)
Were a lot of Armenians aiding the Allied Powers against the Ottoman Empire during WW1?
Good morning or whatever time of day it is where you happen to be! I’d like to apply for a Military History flair. I’ll talk about the text in a moment. First of all, here’s the list of my best answers:
Now my problem is that my actual field of expertise is Cold War aviation (I’ve even just recently finished negotiating a contract for writing a book about a section of this subject). That’s why I’m very reluctant to ask for an ‘Aviation History’ flair. For example, I know next to nothing about World War 1 aviation (there was some Baron guy, right?). I also know very little about the inter-war period and about aviation before 1914 (though I can make do when I have to; see answer 1).
I’m not an aviation historian. I’m a Cold War aviation historian. So I think my flair ought to say ‘Cold War aviation.’ But in fact I’ve only had an opportunity to answer one Cold War aviation question (number 3) and one which I answered with a focus on the Cold War (2). If you think I can get a general ‘Aviation History’ flair, that’s great (assuming I deserve any flair at all). But if not, I understand why.
Not sure if I qualify, but I've been enjoying this subreddit a great deal and wondered if I might be adding enough to be flaired. One of my posts got Twitter'd and Tumblr'd a month or so back and another couple turned up in a Sunday Digest. My (only!) area of detailed knowledge is with the period around WWI in Britain and Ireland, with a particular interest in the sociology and experience of volunteers and conscripts in the trenches and the link between WWI and the Anglo-Irish War. Maybe a Military History flair with something like "WWI | Britain and Ireland" or "WWI | British & Irish Experience"?
Some recent posts:
What was the most popular method of smoking tobacco in Europe just after WWI?
What happened after a successful attack against an enemy trench in WWI?
It's amateur stuff from someone who just enjoys a little research and writing when I've the time. I'm lucky enough to live close to one of the UK's best military library collections so I'm spoilt for source material!
Ok, I’ll try if I qualify for flair. I’d like to apply for the Art History flair with the text “Byzantine Art and Archaeology”.
Here are my most recent answers:
And some (very much) older ones:
Thanks for your consideration!
Hi there. Here are the three answers I would like you to consider for my flair application:
While my research focuses on the transnationality of food in the US, I possess a broader, global knowledge about food. I propose the flair text "Food History."
Thanks for your consideration!
Greetings and many thanks for moderating such a wonderful community. I would like to apply for the flair titles: "18th Century North Atlantic World | American Revolution." Many thanks for the consideration. Cheers!
Why is the culture of Florida so 'northern' compared to the US deep south?
Can I change my flair from "Renaissance Florence | Architecture and Sculpture" to "Renaissance Florence | History of Michelangelo"? A number of questions here asked of me made me realize that the second part of my flair was a bit too broad.
Hello,
I would like to get the flair: 20th Century Middle East | Islamic Republic & Persian Gulf
Examples of my responses:
EDIT1: Added more contributions!
Hey mods! I would like to apply for a Military History flair with the text: "Late Roman & Byzantine Warfare". Thank you for the consideration.
Not sure how much history of philosophy y'all tend to handle here, but I am a graduate student in philosophy who tends to procrastinate from writing by writing on Reddit. I've sort of started casually answering some questions related to the history of philosophy this summer, so I thought I'd go ahead and apply for flair. Some examples of me answering questions:
I also post questions that I come up with in my personal reading on philosophy or history (the latter of which I read mainly for pleasure). Some examples of me as OP:
On the latter question, the only response I got was a follow up question. Happily enough, I was actually able to answer this follow up myself. The relevant comment is here.
At any rate, if approved, I'd like my flair to read "History of Western Philosophy" as I know basically nothing about Eastern Philosophy.
*Edit: Not sure if this is kosher, but thought I'd throw in another thread I just answered this morning that is probably my strongest post: What were the beliefs of a typical neo-Platonist in the late Roman empire?
Though I am only an first year history student I'd like to apply for a flair in aviation history. I am also a former airline pilot (Boeing 737) and did a lot of reading on aviation related history before i took up studying history. I do understand that given the fact I only just started out in getting my bachelor's degree that a flair would possibly not be awarded.
Here's my links, there are not a whole lot, partly due to the fact not a whole lot of aviation related questions get asked.
In advance I thank you for your consideration.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/62sjxd/why_where_helecopters_not_a_thing_in_ww2/
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/62mbwz/b29_use_in_germany/dfnv034/
Hi. One of the mods recently suggested that I should consider applying for flair so here I am.
I'd like to apply for a European history or Art history flair. I'm not really sure which is more appropriate given my focus on literature. Regardless of color, I would like the text to be "Norse Mythology" or "Norse Literature".
Some of my comments include:
Discussion of our main sources for Norse Mythology
Discussion of Oðinn's Sacrifice to Himself
Mutual Intelligibility of Old Norse and Old English with this book summary/review as a companion piece
Determining whether Oðr and Oðinn are the same person
I recognize one of my main weaknesses currently is a lack of truly engaging with scholarship, mainly because I can't get access to most scholarly materials. Something which drives me batty. Even if this application gets accepted I would love any tips you guys have on how to (legally) get access to materials when not associated with an academic entity so I can hopefully shore up that weakness.
Thank you all for your consideration and for all the work you do.
Edit: Gave it some more thought and decided it would be better to limit the text of the flair to just Norse material for now.
Also, cancel the advice on finding sources. Was rereading sidebar stuff and stumbled on that 6 part Monday Methods. Looked into some of the stuff suggested there and so I should be good to go. Should have looked harder for that info months ago.
Hi all! One of the mods recommended that I apply for flair. If possible, I'd like my flair to read "History of Medical Education" in grey backdrop, since my background is largely in Science & Technology Studies (STS)/cultural studies of science.
Here are links to a few of my contributions in this subreddit:
Patent Medicines and the Professionalization of (Bio)medicine
Health Hazards of Human Dissection in the Renaissance
Illegal Sourcing of Cadavers for Medical Schools in History
History of Admissions Standards to Medical Schools
The Professional Status of Physicians: 19th-20th century
Thank you for considering my application, and thank you to the mods for all the hard work you do here on AskHistorians.
Hi everyone!
The answers I can provide here for my flair applications are as follows:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5xiux6/how_did_the_breakup_of_the_soviet_union_affect/dej313c/?context=3 (specifically in this case the second comment)
I don't know if it counts, but there are some sub-comments within the ones that I've posted that expand on the original ones.
I primarily focus on modern authoritarian and totalitarian regimes. I understand that it might not be quite up to the standards of this subreddit, but due to the nature of the time limitations, questions on these areas don't come up that often.
EDIT: Added a minor clarification about one of the linked comments and grammar.
I've recently started posting in the sub, and am really enjoying it! I'd like to apply for flair. If I'm successful I'd like the text to read "Roman Imperial Period / Roman Social History".
My posts so far:
Hello, after some consideration and contributions to /r/AskHistorians, I would like to apply for a flair for 19th and 20th Century Western International Relations. I hope that I have demonstrated some expertise in that area through the following posts.
Was the USSR really the bad guy in history?
Final-year undergrad hoping to go on to further study of history.
"Christian Church History" would probably be best way to phrase my current area of greatest knowledge, but depending on how my graduate school work turns out, I might ask for it to be changed to "Medieval Europe" in the future.
This comment thread seems to contain several good things that I said, based on how many upvotes I got:
Additionally, I'll link to these comments:
An investigation of my post history would not find anything in the way of prohibited bigotry. However, keep in mind that it would find a lot of posts in r/CrusaderKings, which seems to be full of discussions of things that would be very questionable to discuss outside of the context of that game. If anything that I've posted seems weird or in poor taste, it's probably in that subreddit or a related subreddit. It would also reveal that I may have, earlier than the comments linked, provided some low-quality stuff here, but I have since tightened down on stuff and limited the topics that I say stuff about (some exceptions being when I see a thread with no responses and know of a book that touches on what the person is asking, I might go in and recommend the book).
I'm not quite sure if I'd meet the standards for a flair (perhaps "Korean History"?) but in any case I'd welcome commentary, e.g. quality/completeness of sources, depth of answers, etc on some of the things I've written in the past:
Three posts from within the last 3 months:
Japanese collaborator purges in post-WW2 korea (or lack thereof)
Comment chain clarifying some misconceptions about the KPR prior to their disbandment by USAMGIK.
Older posts:
To what extent did Korean and Japanese people descend from Chinese culture?
Application from /u/a_wise_old_black_man carried over from the previous thread:
I would like to apply for the flair "Imperial Roman Society and Identity"
Eminent sirs/madams,
I suppose you will wonder at the present trouble from one who is a perfect stranger to you, though you are not so to him; but I hope the occasion will excuse my boldness. I have made it, dear moderators, my business, ever since I thought myself capable of such sort of performance, to answer such questions as are wont to be asked on this prestigious oasis of truth and reason, situated in the otherwise vast and barren desert of Reddit. And, being sensible that it is a matter of the last consequence, I endeavored after as thorough and well-substantiated answers as possible, within the bounds of knowledge and time available to me; not only to more fully satisfy the curiosity of my fellow Redditors, but also mine own, and to support this prestigious palace of veracity, against all opposers. But, in all honesty, I must own with concern, that hitherto I have had mixed success in finding questions for which I am able to provide an answer; and though I have written very agreeable comments, I am yet uncertain it constitutes enough body as commonly needed to obtain the prestigious ‘flair’ that is so oft desired by those on this subreddit. The majority of my answers were some time ago, this being the result of a chaotic period of graduation and searching for a research position. However, I am again very much ready and willing to provide answers to those in need.
My expertise, resulting from a MA degree in the subject of philosophy, is the Newtonian philosophy and its influence on 17th and 18th century natural theology. It is on this subject, too, that I am as of recently engaged to a university, as a candidate for the degree of doctor in philosophy, in the department of history of philosophy. This being the case, I ask of you for the pristine white flair, on which is written “18th century Newtonian philosophy” (though, if it is otherwise more favorable in your opinion, the muddled grey category of ‘history of science’, would also be tremendously appreciated.) As for a demonstration of my capacities, I refer you to these, my answers to some questions, on the topic of Newtonianism, etc.:
This, mods, I cannot but think a sufficient excuse for the present trouble; it being such a one as I hope may prevail for an answer, of those who seem to aim at nothing more than that good work of instructing others in matters historical. And, if it will not be too great a trouble, let me once more beg the favor of obtaining a flair from you, by which you will lay me under a particular obligation to be, what I already am,
Reverend mods, your most obliged servant, etc.
Link0007
edit: another recent answer I provided, on Copernicanism and the Catholic church:
Hey guys. I'm hoping I can apply for a flair in European History, namely European IR. My particular area of expertise is WW1 IR and Cold War IR but as you can probably see from my posts, I haven't had the chance to exclusively post about them.
Did the Nazis rise to power because the Germans didn't "Bash the Fash" enough?
Were IRA members ever pardoned? What happened to them?
Edit: Formatting.
Hi y'all, I'd like to apply for flair in the European History category under "Medieval Propaganda and Society". I'm really a literature person who happens to do a lot of manuscript culture and how it interacts with heresy and revolt in post-plague Britain (and Italy and Ashkenaz, eventually), but my post record shows that around here, I'm just as invested in the social history surrounding all those nice propaganda pieces. I touch on heresy a lot, but I won't ask for religious history flair since I'm more concerned with the writing used to suppress heresy (or promote it--pick your flavor!) than the actual theology behind it.
Sources:
Top level responses in this thread should be restricted to Applications, but if you have any questions about the process or the requirements, please ask here!
Application from /u/knight1096 carried over from the previous thread.
Thank you for taking the time to apply, and for your contributions to the sub so far; let me also apologize for the delay in processing your application.
This application was definitely a tough decision, but unfortunately we have decided that we are not prepared to award flair at this time.
In terms of the technical requirements of the flair process: of the three submitted answers on your application, none deal specifically with your stated area of expertise (the crusades and early medieval Spain). While we do consider answers on topics not directly related to the flair text - especially if the subject is one that is not especially popular - we do want to see a solid foundation of knowledge in the subject in question.
Secondly, although your submissions come with extensive resource lists, you've presented them as "further reading" and it isn't always clear when or how you are using them in your responses. One of the things we look for in evaluating an application is how the applicant engages with secondary literature in their field - it doesn't necessarily mean you have to name-drop historians in the body of your answers, but if the large majority of your engagement with the scholarship is in the form of a "further reading" list, it would be nice to know why you are recommending a particular book.
Our last issue is that some of your answers are a little weak in terms of argument and composition - and I mean that in the most constructive way possible. In your second submission, for example, you lead off with
In the medieval period (roughly 315-1500), you had quite a mixed bag of religious, non-religious, and "spiritual" people.
But it isn't entirely clear where in the rest of your response you are discussing nonreligious or "spiritual" people - you talk about folk religion and heresy, are those examples of unbelief?
I'm sorry to nitpick that answer so, but I wanted to give concrete, constructive feedback regarding the issues we had. I have absolutely no doubt that, as someone who has completed a masters, you are capable of a well-argued, well-composed response (and your first submission is good in that regard); it may be the drive-by, off-the-cuff, relaxed attitude found sitewide on Reddit that colors peoples' expectations, but here we really are looking for expert-level, quality answers from flair candidates - not just in terms of content but in argument and composition as well.
With all that being said, I again want to thank you for your contributions to the sub thus far. This is by no means a final decision, and you're free to reapply at anytime.
Best,
HFG
Hello! I'd like to apply for the flair in the Middle Eastern category under "20th Century Middle East". I also have experience with Turkish History, but I haven't had a chance to write more than one post about it. Hopefully in the future I'll get the chance to do so.
20th Century Middle East Sources:
Turkish History Sources:
Other general sources:
I've got four answers that might, in sum, qualify me for flair:
In interwar Germany, were there any left wing equivalents to the Freikorps? Sadly, this topic got down voted for some reason.
After World War I, did the Allied powers ever talk about a break-up of Germany?
During the end of WWII is there a record of the suicide rate of German soldiers and officers?
While my speciality really is the history of humanitarianism, my answers show a bias towards Weimar Germany/Interwar Europe, so that might, for the time being, work better as flair, should my comments be sufficient.
I was told I should perhaps apply for flair, and though I'm not entirely certain I yet qualify, I thought I may as well apply to see what you guys think.
So, my threads:
I've been answering quite a few questions in this thread
Would George the Third have been called George the Third during his reign?
When was the Tower of London last whitewashed?
When was the abolition of the Death Penalty first considered in England?
Why are there so few purple flags?
My main areas of expertise are Agricultural History and also The English Civil War & Interregnum, but I don't quite know how best to sum those two up. I also don't know if the answers I've supplied best show off my knowledge of 1640-1660, because it's not a topic that often turns up.
After some consideration and some good advice from a mod i wish to apply for flair. My specialities is the World war 2/Australian involvement and i enjoy taking about the catalysts that Led to war. I hope you consider my application.
[How long has the general idea of ;War Crimes been around and by what means can one actually commit a crime during times of war ?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5mzwd5/how_long_has_the_general_idea_of_war_crimes_been)
[ How did the Germans treat Africans and African Americans during WW2? Did they have a specific policy?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5n14ue/how_did_the_germans_treate_africans_and_african)
[ What was Australias plan for defending against a Japanese invasion in World War 2? Did Imperial Japan have plans in place for dealing with the harsh deserts of the outback?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/5mum64/what_was_australias_plan_for_defending_against_a)
Query: What differentiates an 'interesting inquirer' from a regular user?
Hello! I would like to get the flair of Roman Empire | Early Imperial History (or perhaps Julio-Claudians).
Here are some examples of my responses to questions within my area:
Thank you!
