Shad Thielman is a Lecturer in the Department of History at California State University San Marcos. A veteran, Shad’s focus is the relationship between race, class, culture, and social constructs in the United States during the twentieth-century. Shad’s current research examines American burial traditions and highlights the changing attitudes and perspectives towards burial rituals during the Vietnam era (1955-1975). Shad's most recent research was highlighted in the chapter "Dead Space: Place Attachment and Cemeteries," in "Place, Meaning, and Attachment: Authenticity, Heritage, and Preservation." Shad’s scholarly interests include cultural history, oral history, pop culture, sports, and theology.