Amanda M. Brian

Amanda M. Brian serves as Associate Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of History within the College of Humanities at Coastal Carolina University. Her academic leadership includes departmental chairmanship, service on Faculty Senate, and organization of alumni travel programs.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in History, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2009)
• M.A. in History, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2004)
• B.A. in History and German, University of Indianapolis (2001)

Brian's research centers on modern European history with specialized expertise in the history of childhood, children's material culture, and visual representations in imperial Germany. Her scholarship intersects with nineteenth-century visual culture, aging studies, and colonial themes, frequently examining how cultural artifacts shape societal understandings of childhood and identity. She actively bridges historical research with pedagogical innovation through blended and distance-learning course development.

Analysis of her publication record reveals sustained focus on German cultural history, particularly childhood material culture and visual representations. Her work demonstrates methodological diversity spanning book history, sensory studies, and transnational analysis, with consistent attention to marginalized perspectives including children, women, and colonial subjects.

Her scholarly recognition includes:

• Fulbright Grant for dissertation research in Berlin (2004-2005)
• Edwards College’s Distinguished Teaching Award (2013)
• Young Faculty Research Incentive Award (2010)

Brian actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students in thesis writing, supervises history internships, and teaches career development courses for history majors. She promotes undergraduate research through customized advising and has developed specialized courses on modern colonialism and medical history. Her community engagement extends to the Horry County Museum Board where she serves as Sergeant at Arms.