AUBG Professor in History Pierangelo Castagneto: I like to teach 'using alternative sources like music and cinema'

What are the three most interesting things that the AUBG students, faculty and staff should know about you?

In the light of what I teach, forget for a moment the standard classes and stuff, I have a selection of courses that I think are telling about my personality, preferences and attitude, which is basically music and cinema. I actually have developed  several courses in the U.S. History studies using alternative sources like music and cinema. I guess the students know me for this kind of things. I am not saying that I am trying to transfer my obsessions into academic courses, but actually to offer more than traditional history. 

If you have to describe yourself with one word, what would it be and why?

It depends on the angle. Let’s say a word is not enough. But, in a short sentence – I put a lot of effort in what I’m doing here. That’s for sure.

When did you first become interested in American History?

Actually, it was more American Culture in large and it was in my high school years. At that time, I started discovering my passion for American cinema, literature and music. So, I developed a sort of an obsession, interest in those kinds of things. And at university, history was already one of my intellectual interests and I combined the two things. It was a natural outcome. 

What is your academic background and your experience obtaining a PhD from the University of Genoa in Italy?

Actually, my first degree was not in U.S. History. It was in Modern History because my mentor was a professor in Modern European intellectual history. He was interested in the history of the French Revolution, but he was very open-minded and encouraged me to follow my intellectual instincts. And my dissertation at that time was a piece of English History, already looking at the American history. Then, when I started the PhD program, I definitely shifted to U.S. History and I moved my interest to XIX century. I started a little bit differently, but I was already with one eye looking at cross revolution.

What was your first work position? How has your career developed since then?

If you check my CV, it’s not very consistent. When I finished my education in terms of PhD and defended my PhD dissertation, I moved to the U.S. for a post-grad fellowship and I spent two years in Minnesota. Then, I made a return back to Italy and I tried to find positions in my country and I was able to find non permanent positions. So, I had other post-grad fellowships or temporary contracts. At that point, it was a problem since I couldn’t follow my research project because I had to keep with what the market offered. I was forced to stop what I was doing and just catch another thing to have some money to survive. After that, I moved back to North America. I spent a couple of years in Canada and in the U.S. teaching at universities. Then, I made a return to Europe trying again to find a place in my country. But, at that time, it was very, very difficult, especially when you’d stayed away, they didn’t wait for you. Then, I started applying beyond Italy. That’s the reason I am here finally.

Why did you decide to come to Bulgaria? What led you to AUBG?

I remember that time. It’s already more than ten years ago. My first idea was not to go back to the U.S. for a while at least. So, I applied at several places in Europe, especially because U.S. History is thought in English everywhere, not only in England – for example, in countries like the Netherlands and Germany. Among the many applications, there was also this one at AUBG. They interviewed me and offered me a three-year-contract. I didn’t know anything about AUBG at that time, but I talked with the professor teaching U.S. History here who was leaving. He said good words about this place and he encouraged me at least to try since it’s a worthwhile experience. After that, I accepted and that was it.

What are your teaching and research interests?

It’s very important for me to enjoy the teaching because that's fundamental, especially here at AUBG. The contact with young people, being able to challenge them, and at the same time to pass knowledge as much you can. As long as I enjoy doing this, I can do it. In order to have fun and to try to attract the attention of my students, I am constantly refreshing my courses. One course I am teaching now is about music. It’s about punk culture in Europe and the U.S. I am very fond of punk music and so finally after years of talking with friends and colleagues, I ended up doing the course and I’m teaching this course this semester. Another course I have developed pretty recently is a course on U.S. History and Photography. Photography is one of my recent interests. I am photographing basically everything. Again, it’s a hot topic in the U.S. as well. I developed this course by combining U.S. History with some alternative sources – anything that has to do with visual communication is fundamental in order to understand the world. Here we have an amazing JMC department. So, photography is crucial. It’s very important for students to be able to read images from a historical angle and prospective. I am not a professional photographer, but I can use photography as a historical source.

What books and articles have you been working on? 

I completed a book about Frederick Douglas, a black abolitionist, who was the so-called most photographed person in the XIX century America. He developed a sort of deep interest in photography and especially in portraying himself showing the humanity of black people after the Civil War. He was one the first examples of how being portrayed became a sort of political instrument. That’s my last effort. I’m waiting to see the book, but I don’t know. I hope so.

I have started writing a book dealing with the Revolutionary Era and Early Republic, end of XVIII century and early XIX and XX century U.S. History based on archaic sources and this is much more complicated. First of all, because you have to stay at the same spot for a long period of time, the place where the documents you need are, usually London or U.S. So, this project is already in process since the last five years. But the problem is once you have collected all the sources, you need to have very specific reference sources, at different libraries and you can edit only in London.

I also finished an article in Italian, I spent the summer two years ago in Argentina and the article is about the Italian migration to Buenos Aires with a specific focus on the beginning of football in Argentina. Again, you need to go there, check sources, then come back and write down. Otherwise, it’s very complicated. 

What teaching methods do you use in your classes to engage the students?

There are two kinds of courses actually. One is plain history and you can try to play a little bit with the angle of the textbook, but you cannot move out of the track too much because you have to follow and consider the knowledge of U.S. History, especially in the colonial times or evolutionary era or XVIII – XIX century. So, you have to stick to the screenplay. You can embellish a little bit, but you have to follow. You can occasionally show a movie in order to offer another angle of America. You have possibilities, but not too much. For the other courses, it’s much easier because you have sources which are particularly appealing and when it’s about cinema or music, it’s easy to catch the attention because very often you are already explaining or showing things students are at least aware of. 

How can you describe your typical work day at our university?

It’s a busy day because now I am a Chair of this Department. Actually, I live in Sofia, so I am a commuter. So right now I drive from Sofia to Blagoevgrad and back because public transportation is not so safe [during the pandemic]. Anyway, I am a morning person. So, the mornings are the time of the day I work more and better. Morning is when I can perform the best. And this is why I have four classes on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s mornings.

I try to find sometime two to three times per week for the gym as well. It’s a way to recover a little bit from all the pains. It’s usually an hour of relax, especially running. That’s my way.

What moments and students achievements bring you professional satisfaction?  

History is not exactly a super popular discipline. So, we have very few people majoring or minoring in History. But, during me being here, we have had very solid students who are now finishing PhD dissertations or already holding positions in Europe or in the U.S. So, it’s good feedback when you have a small number of students in History. It’s very rewarding.

If teaching was not your profession, what would have been?

Well, of course, rock’n’roller. That’s my passion, being with a guitar on the stage. But I was not good. That’s the reason why I like punk music. To play punk music, you don’t have to be good, you just need to try. When I was a kid, I was trained in music. I know a little about it, I can read, I can play a little. Music could be my next life solution. I also try a little bit of soccer, of course, as a person coming from Italy.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Back to Sofia – for me, it is a really a big city since I come from a little town in Italy. There are a lot of things to do here – having a walk in the beautiful parks, for example. There is usually a nice opera program. It’s Italian. So, I usually go as soon as I have some free time. And then, sometimes, I check some soccer, because Levski Stadium is just in front of my apartment – it’s not a very long walk. There are also a lot of nice places – pubs, bars and restaurants a person can visit in their free time.