Overview
I am a historian and author with a PhD from Cambridge University. My new book Epistemology and Political Thought in Interwar Germany and Austria: 1914–1945 is forthcoming in 2025 from Springer Nature. I currently teach at Pacific Northwest College of Art / Willamette University in Portland, Oregon.
As an editor, I specialize in historical and social-science literature, especially early-career academic papers, and dissertations in need of revision for publication. I also welcome creative nonfiction.
My approach to editing is informed by the mentorship I was fortunate enough to receive in the practice of writing, first as an undergraduate at Reed College, and then as a PhD candidate at Cambridge. Throughout my education, my writing has been meticulously reviewed, dissected and, ultimately, vastly improved by some of the world's top scholars. Now I am committed to paying that gift forward through my teaching career, and on a freelance basis through my editing practice.
Whether you are a tenured professor, a graduate student, or simply a writer with something to say, I am ready to work as your collaborator in an all-out effort to achieve your writing goals. That means taking your ideas and your process seriously, but also presenting my own point of view wherever it is warranted. By choosing to work with me, you are choosing that kind of intellectually respectful engagement, alongside professionalism and formal rigor.
SAMPLE TESTIMONIALS
"Thanks to my editor, Michael. I've been asking around, and plenty of my colleagues have authored books, but none has received the kind of editorial support that you've given me. I realized it during one of our teleconference meetings when I said, 'Which outline are we working from now?' and you said, 'Oh, I can just tell you the outline . . .' and then you listed each chapter and its content from memory, without even looking at your notes. I thought, This guy knows my book better than I do. When I describe that moment to colleagues, the mixture of disbelief and longing on their faces confirms that I made the right decision in working with you."
—Barbara Sarnecka, Professor of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine
"I have been working with Michael for the past two years and it has been an excellent experience. Michael corrected and commented on a number of academic papers I wrote, and most importantly my master's thesis. What I particularly appreciated was that Michael not only corrects your orthography and grammar, but he gives you extremely valuable input about the structure and logic of your paper. Moreover, we always had a Skype session where I could ask questions and he explained to me in detail on which parts I can improve. This was very helpful, and enabled me to improve a lot on my writing skills. Plus, Michael has been super reliable, I could always count on him. I can definitely recommend him for everyone who is looking for highly professional editing and constructive feedback!"
—Dorin Heid, MSc, Copenhagen Business School
Services
Non-Fiction
Languages
Certifications
- PhD, History, University of Cambridge, 2016.
- B.A., History, Reed College, 2008.
Work experience
Pacific Northwest College of Art
I teach undergraduate courses that combine my interests in history, philosophy, politics, and the creative practice of writing. These range from broad historical surveys like Ancient Civilizations and Comparative Revolutions, to surveys of political ideas like The History of Democracy and The History of Fascism, to more process-oriented courses like Research for a Creative Practice. My role extends to the supervision of independent studies, thesis research advising, and serving on thesis review boards.
The European Physical Journal
I was an English-language proofreader for this highly regarded physical science journal headquartered in Paris, France. I proofread scientific papers in a range of fields, from nuclear physics to polymers, written by scientists from all over the world for whom English is a second language.
King's Review Magazine
I conducted interviews, reviewed article submissions, and advised on editorial decision making for this large-format print and online magazine founded and run by graduate students at King’s College, Cambridge University.
Cambridge University
I was responsible for leading small group discussions, assigning essay topics, and giving detailed feedback on essays for third-year politics students, as part of the year-long course Political Philosophy and the History of Political Thought since 1890. I also led seminar-style group discussions on the topic “What is power?” for the Cambridge History Faculty’s undergraduate capstone course Historical Argument and Practice.
Portfolio
Michael has 5 reviews
Professionalism
Quality
Value
Responsiveness
abby I.
Oct, 2024
Jonathan A.
Nov, 2022
Stuart E.
Feb, 2022
Lindsay D.
Jan, 2020
Barbara S.
Sep, 2019