In memoriam: Carolyn Boyd, professor emerita of history
Carolyn Boyd, UCI professor emeritus of history, died July 19 at 71. A distinguished historian of modern Spain, she taught at UCI from 1999 to 2010, serving as professor of history, chair of history and dean of graduate studies.
Carolyn Boyd, UCI professor emerita of history, died July 19 at 71. A distinguished historian of modern Spain, she taught at UCI from 1999 to 2010, serving as professor of history, chair of history and dean of graduate studies. Boyd was internationally renowned for her groundbreaking work in Spanish political and cultural history, including her classic 1980 Praetorian Politics in Liberal Spain, which shed new light on the history of military intervention in modern Spanish politics; as well as her 1997 Historia Patria: Politics, History & National Identity in Spain, 1875-1975, which opened up a new field of study in Spanish history by examining the connection between history education in modern Spain and the problematic character of Spanish national identity. In addition to these works, both of which were translated into Spanish, Boyd received the signal honor of being named one of only two U.S. authors for the magisterial, 12-volume Historia de España, published in Spain in 2013. In addition, she was a superb teacher at both the undergraduate and graduate levels – but is perhaps best remembered for providing extraordinary and generous mentorship for graduate students in Spanish history across the country, including students from academic institutions other than her own. Boyd’s administrative career was cut short only by the onset of pancreatic cancer in 2007. Her battle with cancer hardly stopped her, however. After retiring from UCI in 2010, Boyd continued to mentor graduate students; to assist junior colleagues across the country; to write scholarly articles; to attend national meetings – in short, to be a major leader in her field. She is survived by her husband, Frank Bean; sons Peter and Michael Bean and daughter-in-law Roni Ayalla; stepson Alan Bean and his wife, Janet; stepdaughter Deborah Copas and her husband, Jeff; grandchildren Julia and Graham Copas; and brother Paul Boyd. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Orange County Women’s Chorus at http://www.ocwomenschorus.org. A memorial service will be held in the fall.