They can't possibly NOT be affected by their context, i.e., their Sitz im Lieben? Take, e.g., James McPherson, born Michigan, or Ron White, born MN, both educated at Princeton. They're usually qualified scholars, but Southern scholars seem non-existent. I've been watching it religiously for 20 yrs and their New England, Ivy League, NYC/Boston, Northeastern bias among the presenting scholars is simply overwhelming. And even if the PhD is achieved, getting a job at a quality college and/or getting a book published by a top academic press can be even harder, esp if there's a hint of the apologist in the prospective author. Sadly, it's become so unfashionable to write anything remotely sympathetic to the South that, w/o these greats above to run interference, it's difficult to get a dissertation approved given today's political hurdles (anachronism!). Some true "southern boys" (raised and/or trained there) who are also serious scholars might include Steven Woodworth, Jonathan White, Gordon Rhea, Albert Castel, McWhinney, Forrest McDonald (the last 3 recently deceased but their grad students might be good pickings?), etc. He resorts to "anachronism" frequently as the flaw in many arguments by Southern apologists, not realizing that he may be at times a victim of the very same fallacy. He's a decent (imho) scholar and a very good teacher, but UVA notwithstanding, he's a "carpetbagger" when it comes to the Southerner's worldview ca 1865. I've been following Gallagher for 30 yrs.
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