CV

Education

2019–Present | PhD History (candidate)
Tallinn University | Estonia

2010–2012 | MA History, and MA Comparative History of Eastern, Central, and Southeastern Europe
Central European University | Hungary

Career History

2024–Present | Editorial Assistant | Journal of Baltic Studies | Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS)

2021–Present | Junior Research Fellow | Tallinn University | Estonia

2019 | History Teacher | Audentes International School | Estonia

2015–2017 | English Teacher | Tartu Folk University | Estonia

2013–2016 | Academic Writing Instructor | University of Tartu | Estonia

2012–2013 | Logistics Instructor | Valga County Vocational Training Centre | Estonia

2012 | English Teacher | Fluency School of English | Hungary

2009 | English Teacher | Tallinn University | Estonia

Publications

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “The Shaken Lands: Violence and the Crisis of Governance in East Central Europe, 1914–1923. Ed. by Tomas Balkelis and Andrea Griffante. Academic Studies Press. Boston 2023. vii, 248 pp. ISBN 9798887191737,” Forschungen zur baltischen Geschichte, Vol. 20 (2026), pp. 180−183.

James Baxenfield, “Review Essay: Tracing American Football Fandom in the United Kingdom,” Sport History Review, Vol. 57, No. 1 (2026), Ahead of Print.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “Tackling the Everyday: Race and Nation in Big-Time College Football by Tracie Canada (review),” Journal of Sport History, Vol. 52, No. 3 (2025), pp. 189−191.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “Lithuania: a history by Richard Butterwick, C. Hurst & Co., London, 2025, ix + 483 pp., seven maps, 31 illus., £18.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-1911-72-360-8,” Journal of Baltic Studies, Vol. 56, No. 4 (2025), pp. 855−858.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “No Friday Night Lights: Reservation Football on the Edge of America by John M. Glionna,” The Museum of Americana: A Literary Review, Vol. 34 (2024).

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “A Place Between Nations: The Idea of a Latvian-Lithuanian State, 1884–1984,” in Ginta Ieva Bikše (ed.), Jauno vēsturnieku zinātniskie lasījumi IX = The Scholarly Readings of Young Historians IX (Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2024), pp. 82−91.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “Baltic Experiences of Exile. Rezension zu: Plakans, Andrejs: The Reluctant Exiles. Latvians in the West after World War II. Paderborn 2021, ISBN 978-3-506-76028-9 / Heikkilä, Pauli A.: Estonia as a Captive Nation. International Cooperation in Exile within the Assembly of Captive European Nations, 1954–1972. Paderborn 2021, ISBN 978-3-506-79182-5,” H-Soz-Kult (2024).

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “The Curious Case of Aistija: Sidelights on Latvian–Lithuanian Rapprochement during the 20th Century,” Journal of Eurasian Studies, Baltic Region as a Place of Contacts, Vol. 15, No. 2 (2024), pp. 118–130.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “Rezension zu: Loader, Michael; Hearne, Siobhán; Kott, Matthew (Hrsg.): Defining Latvia. Recent Explorations in History, Culture, and Politics. Budapest 2022, ISBN 978-963-386-445-6,” H-Soz-Kult (2024).

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “An Illustrated History of Lithuania, Vol. 1: From the Prehistoric Balts to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, by Ignas Kapleris, Vilnius, Briedis, 2022, 288 pp., €56.00, ISBN 978-9955-26-922-9,” Journal of Baltic Studies, Vol. 54, No. 3 (2023), pp. 673–675.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “From Here to Aistija: The Baltic State that Never-was,” Diacronie: Studi di Storia contemporanea, Imagining North-Eastern Europe. Baltic and Scandinavian states in the eyes of local, regional, and global observers, Vol. 52, No. 2 (2022), pp. 43−60.

James Montgomery Baxenfield and Kevin Rändi, “Precarious Roads to Recognition: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, 1917–1922,” Acta Historica Tallinnensia, Recognition: de facto and de jure, Vol. 28, No. 2 (2022), pp. 187−211.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “Klaus Richter: Fragmentation in East Central Europe: Poland and the Baltics, 1915–1929. Oxford University Press. Oxford 2020. xii, 355 pp. ISBN 9780198843559,” Forschungen zur baltischen Geschichte, Vol. 17 (2022), pp. 252−255.

James Montgomery Baxenfield, “Tomas Balkelis: War, Revolution, and Nation-Making in Lithuania, 1914–1923. Oxford University Press. Oxford 2018. VI, 186 pp. ISBN 978-0199668021,” Forschungen zur baltischen Geschichte, Vol. 15 (2021), pp. 281−284.

Editorial Experience

2024–Present | Editorial Assistant | Journal of Baltic Studies

2026 | Guest Editor | Carnival | International Students of History Association (ISHA)

2022 | Guest Co-Editor | Acta Historica Tallinnensia. Special Issue: Recognition: de facto and de jure (Vol. 28, No. 2)

2021 | Language Editor | Acta Historica Tallinnensia. Special Issue: On Saints, Migrants and Communists: Transnational Explorations in Estonian History (Vol. 27, No. 1)

2020–Present | Volunteer Proofreader | Forschungen zur baltischen Geschichte

2019 | Language Editor | Baltic Journal of Art History (Vol. 18)

Selected Conference Presentations

Nov 2024 | A Prospect in Retrospect: Reappraising the Unrealised Idea of a Latvian-Lithuanian State, 1905–1919
10th Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES) Annual Conference | Shaping Futures: The Baltics and Eastern Europe in the World | Södertörn University

Dec 2023 | A Place Between Nations: The Idea of a Latvian-Lithuanian State, 1884–1984
Scholarly Readings of Young Historians IX | Valmiera Museum

Sep 2023 | Advertising Nations to Independence: The Baltic States and Public Relations, 1918–1919
Anatomy of Independence: Security and Its Threats in the Baltic Region Over the Centuries | Latvian War Museum

Jun 2023 | Between the Lines: The Idea of a Latvian-Lithuanian State in Lithuanian-American Public Diplomacy, 1918–1919
15th Conference of Baltic Studies in Europe (CBSE) | Turning Points: Values and Conflicting Futures in the Baltics | Vytautas Magnus University

May 2023 | Footnotes to the Past: Forgotten Episodes of Latvian-Lithuanian Federation and Confederation, 1884–1984
Spring conference of doctoral students in history and archaeology | Institute of History and Archaeology | University of Tartu

Jun 2022 | Out of the Past: From a Lithuanian Émigré Idea to a Latvian Exile Movement: The Notion of a Latvian-Lithuanian State, 1884–1984
74th Baltisches Historikertreffen | Baltic Historical Commission | University of Göttingen

May 2022 | White, Red, Yellow: The Aistijan Flag as a Symbol of Baltic Unity
28th Biennial AABS Conference | Baltic Studies at a Crossroads | University of Washington

May 2022 | A Space Between Nations: Latvia and Latvians in Lithuanian-American Ethnographic Concepts, 1919–1922
11th International Interdisciplinary Conference | The Region: History, Culture, Language | Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy

Nov 2021 | Under Three Stars and One Flag: A Semiotic Analysis of Aistijan Symbolism
12th Conference of the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies | Meaning in Perception and the Senses | Vilnius University

Oct 2021 | The Space Between Nations: Traces of Latvian-Lithuanian Federation in the Lithuanian-American Image Campaign of 1919
8th Baltic Students Conference | Bridges in the Baltics | Vilnius University

Sep 2021 | From Respublika to Aistija: The Perennial Idea of a Union Between Latvia and Lithuania
14th CBSE | Rights and Recognition in the Baltic Context | Uppsala University

May 2021 | After Šliūpas: The Perennial Idea of Latvian-Lithuanian Federation, 1884–1984
10th International Interdisciplinary Conference | The Region: History, Culture, Language | Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy

Feb 2020 | Finding Aistija: Re-imagining the Baltic Past
16th Biennial Postgraduates Conference | Truth, Reality and Imagination: Interpretations from Eastern and Central Europe | School of Slavonic and East European Studies | University College London

Scholarships, Fellowships, and Grants

2024 | Erasmus+ Programme Mobility Scholarship
European Commission

2023–2024 | Dissertation Grant for Graduate Students
AABS | United States

2023 | Herder Fellowship
Herder Institute in Marburg | Germany

2022–2023 | Baumanis Grant for Creative Research in Baltic Studies
AABS | United States

2019–2023 | Doctoral Allowance
Republic of Estonia

2019–2021 | School of Humanities Research Scholarship
Tallinn University | Estonia

2010–2012 | Partial Master’s Fellowship
Central European University | Hungary

2011 | Master’s Research Stipend
Central European University Foundation | Hungary

2009 | Lithuanian State Scholarship for Lithuanian Language and Culture
Education Exchanges Support Foundation | Lithuania

2008–2009 | Erasmus Programme Scholarship
European Commission

Selected University Lectures/Guest Lectures/Seminars/Workshops

Nov 2024 | A Prospect in Retrospect: Reappraising the Unrealised Idea of a Latvian-Lithuanian State, 1911–1919
Guest Lecture | Advancing Trans-Regional Border Studies | Eur-Asian Border Lab | University of Amsterdam

Oct 2023 | History: Sources and Methods
Doctoral Student Seminar | Two Seminars
PhD History/Linguistics/Studies of Cultures Syllabus | School of Humanities | Tallinn University

Oct 2023 | The Historical Method
Doctoral Student Seminar | Two Seminars
PhD History/Linguistics/Studies of Cultures Syllabus | School of Humanities | Tallinn University

Nov 2022/2023 | Brexit and Beyond: The Roots, Consequences, and Complexities of Britain’s Exit from the European Union
Culture and Society of English-speaking Countries | One Lecture | One Seminar
BA Liberal Arts Syllabus | School of Humanities | Tallinn University

Nov 2022/Oct 2023 | The History and Culture of Victorian England, the Empire, and Creation of British Identity
Culture and Society of English-speaking Countries | One Lecture | One Seminar
BA Liberal Arts Syllabus | School of Humanities | Tallinn University

Nov 2022 | Footnotes to the Past: Forgotten Episodes of Latvian-Lithuanian Federation and Confederation, 1884–1984
Guest Lecture | Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy

Oct 2022 | Writing in the Humanities
Doctoral Student Workshop | Four Seminars
PhD History/Linguistics/Studies of Cultures Syllabus | School of Humanities | Tallinn University

Podcast Producer

22 Mar 2026 | Ingmar Ross—Titans, Torm, Firebats, Warriors, & Kings (Playing & Coaching in Europe)
Gridiron Baltic | Sports History Network

8 Feb 2026 | Kristjan Kallaste & Vlad Põtko—The Tallinn Bay Ballers & The Tallinn Diamonds (Estonian Flag Football)
Gridiron Baltic | Sports History Network

5 Jan 2026 | Ogün Öztürk—The Tartu Titans (The 2025 Baltic League)
Gridiron Baltic | Sports History Network

3 Jan 2026 | Heikki Halttunen—The 1989 Estonian Bowl (Part II)
Gridiron Baltic | Sports History Network

1 Dec 2025 | Risto Luostarinen—The 1989 Estonian Bowl (Part I)
Gridiron Baltic | Sports History Network

Professional Affiliations

2024–Present | Sports History Network (SHN)
Member

2024–Present | Professional Football Researchers Association (PFRA)
Member

2024–Present | North American Society for Sport History (NASSH)
Member

2023–2024 | North American Vexillological Association (NAVA)
Member

2021–2022 | Nordic Association of Semiotic Studies (NASS)
Member

2019–Present | Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies (AABS)
Member

Selected Media Appearances/Coverage

17 Nov 2025 | The Baltic League: A Growing Hub for American Football
Pigskin Dispatch | Sports History Network

28 Jul 2023 | Latvian-Lithuanian Connections from Morta to Modernity
Baltic Ways | Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies

8 Dec 2022 | How to Research the Establishment and Recognition of a State?
Academia Scientiarum Estoniae | Estonian Academy of Sciences

Voluntary Activities

2020–Present | Volunteer Proofreader
Forschungen zur baltischen Geschichte | Tallinn/Tartu, Estonia

2012–2017 | Project Manager, Event Planner, and Non-Formal Educator
Estonian Printing Museum | Tartu, Estonia

2013–2014 | Project Manager
Creative Center Carnation, Estonia | European Voluntary Service

Downloadable CV: James Baxenfield (CV – January 2026).