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Research Interests:

20th Century America; Political History; United States Foreign Relations

Dissertation Advisor:

Professor Jeffrey A. Engel

Dissertation Title:

'From the Yukon to Yucatan': George H. W.  Bush, NAFTA, and America at the End of the Cold War

Shaffer studies modern American foreign relations, political history, and the history of American trade policy. His dissertation, ‘From the Yukon to Yucatan,’ focuses on the intersection of domestic politics and foreign policy during the negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement under Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Often remembered in history from third-party candidate Ross Perot’s ubiquitous “giant sucking sound” quote, Shaffer asserts that NAFTA should instead be understood as a pivotal part of Bush’s grand strategy for the United States after the end of the Cold War. However, he also highlights how Congress, labor unions, and environmental interest groups sought to leave their own mark on the agreement as they protested or supported its ratification. At a key moment in history, Shaffer argues that the negotiation and ratification of NAFTA reveals how the intersection of foreign policy goals and domestic interests come together to shape how America and Americans interact with the wider world.