Faculty and Staff

David Koistinen

Professor • Department of History, Liberal Studies & Philosop

Dr. Koistinen joined the History faculty at William Paterson University in 2006, after six years of teaching U.S. history at the American University of Beirut, in Lebanon. His area of expertise is modern U.S. history, with emphasis on business/economic and political/policy questions. His first research project examined the political and economic impact of the decline of traditional manufacturing sectors—commonly known as “deindustrialization”—with a focus on the New England region. This research produced a book and multiple refereed journal articles and other published pieces. Dr. Koistinen’s subsequent research has looked at “offshoring”—the movement of manufacturing activities once based in the United States to foreign, typically low-wage locales. He has devoted particular attention to the beginnings of offshoring in the electronics industry during the 1960s and 70s. Electronics was one of the first sectors affected by offshoring, and its impact there has been profound. Recently, Dr. Koistinen has become interested in a vitally important contemporary issue: the business and politics of renewable energy development. At William Paterson, Dr. Koistinen has taught courses on economic history, labor history, modern U.S. politics, methods of historical research, and introductory survey courses in U.S. history and the modern world.

Degrees

PhD American History, Yale University New Haven, CT

Specialization

Modern U.S. business/economic and political/policy history

Notable Courses Taught

Hist 2100. U.S. Labor History
HIST 2600. Historical Methods
HIST 3230. The United States from New Deal to Cold War
HIST 3280. Economic History
HIST 2050. The United States Through Reconstruction
HIST 1050. The Modern World

By appointment