Draft:James Tejani

'''James Tejani''' (born 1974, New York City) is an American historian. His book ''A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth: The Making of the Port of Los Angeles and America'' (published by [[W. W. Norton]]) won the 2025 [[Bancroft Prize]] and a [[California Book Award]].<ref>Schuessler, Jennifer (March 6, 2025). [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/arts/bancroft-history-duval-siler.html "Histories of Native America and the Port of Los Angeles Win Bancroft Prize"] [[New York Times]]. [[ISSN]] [https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=n2:0362-4331 0362-4331]. Commonwealth Club and World Affairs. [https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/special-events/california-book-awards "2025 California Book Awards"].</ref>

'''James Tejani''' (born 1974, New York City) is an American historian. His book ''A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth: The Making of the Port of Los Angeles and America'' (published by [[W. W. Norton]]) won the 2025 [[Bancroft Prize]] and a [[California Book Award]].<ref>Schuessler, Jennifer (March 6, 2025). [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/arts/bancroft-history-duval-siler.html "Histories of Native America and the Port of Los Angeles Win Bancroft Prize"] [[New York Times]]. [[ISSN]] [https://search.worldcat.org/search?q=n2:0362-4331 0362-4331]. Commonwealth Club and World Affairs. [https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/special-events/california-book-awards "2025 California Book Awards"].</ref>

Tejani grew up in [[Long Beach, California]] in a first-generation, immigrant home.<ref>Tejani, James, ''Los Angeles Times'' (July 26, 2024). [https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2024-07-26/port-of-los-angeles-inflation-shipping-politics "Southern Californians shaped the nation’s biggest political problems. We can solve them too"].</ref> He has said that his experience of Southern California's culture, as both insider and outsider, shaped his search for new historical narratives, while growing up near the United States' busiest container ports led to specific interest in the origins of Pacific trade.<ref>Interview, C-SPAN (April 24, 2025). [https://www.c-span.org/program/american-history-tv/2025-bancroft-prize-for-history/658755 "2025 Bancroft Prizes"].</ref> Tejani has argued that US globalization stems from deep-seated, popular impulses in American history, including US expansion and Civil War during the nineteenth century, as much as from recent government or corporate policies.

Tejani grew up in [[Long Beach, California]] in a first-generation, immigrant home.<ref>Tejani, James, ''Los Angeles Times'' (July 26, 2024). [https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2024-07-26/port-of-los-angeles-inflation-shipping-politics "Southern Californians shaped the nation’s biggest political problems. We can solve them too"].</ref> He has said that his experience of Southern California's culture, as both insider and outsider, shaped his search for new historical narratives, while growing up near the United States' busiest container ports led to specific interest in the origins of Pacific trade.<ref>Interview, C-SPAN (April 24, 2025). [https://www.c-span.org/program/american-history-tv/2025-bancroft-prize-for-history/658755 "2025 Bancroft Prizes"].</ref> Tejani has argued that US globalization stems from deep-seated, popular impulses in American history, including US westward expansion and Civil War during the nineteenth century, as much as from recent government or corporate policies.

Tejani earned a BA from [[University of California, San Diego]] and PhD (2009) from [[Columbia University]]. Since then, he has taught at California Polytechnic State University.<ref>Interview (February 2025). [https://draftingthepast.com/podcast-episodes/episode-58-james-tejani-aims-for-smart-elegant-simplicity/ ''Drafting the Past with Kate Carpenter'' (Episode 58)]. Interview (August 12, 2024). [https://www.carasantamaria.com/podcast/james-tejani ''Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria''].</ref>

Tejani earned a BA from [[University of California, San Diego]] and PhD (2009) from [[Columbia University]]. Since then, he has taught at California Polytechnic State University.<ref>Interview (February 2025). [https://draftingthepast.com/podcast-episodes/episode-58-james-tejani-aims-for-smart-elegant-simplicity/ ''Drafting the Past with Kate Carpenter'' (Episode 58)]. Interview (August 12, 2024). [https://www.carasantamaria.com/podcast/james-tejani ''Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria''].</ref>