Sean McDaniel

Dr. Sean McDaniel is an Assistant Professor of History at Cumberland University, affiliated with the Millard and JJ Oakley School of Humanities, Education and the Arts. His research focuses on Russian/Soviet history, Central Asia, environmental history, and migration, particularly in the Kazakh Steppe. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kazakhstan and Russia, supported by grants like the Fulbright-Hays Program and Cumberland University’s W.P. Bone Research Grant.

• B.A., University of Michigan
• M.A., Wayne State University
• Ph.D., Michigan State University

His research explores themes such as the role of horses in Russian/Soviet imperial power, the Virgin Lands Campaign’s environmental and societal impacts, and comparative empire studies. He teaches courses on Western Civilization, World Civilization, Soviet Union history, and Central Asian history.

Dr. McDaniel’s awards include the 2023 W.P. Bone Research Grant and a Fulbright-Hays fellowship (2017). He actively engages students through international trips, including a 2023 National Security Language Initiative for Youth program in Latvia and planned European trips for 2023-24.