About

Founded at Iona University in 2011, the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies (ITPS) is dedicated to advancing the study of Thomas Paine’s writings, life, and legacy. Since then, the ITPS expanded its scope as a dynamic scholarly and public-facing organization focused on archival collections, public history, and the digital humanities. A prolific author and far-reaching thinker, Paine shaped debates in media, philosophy, religion, and political economy. Inspired by this model, the ITPS fosters interdisciplinary research in early American history, particularly the revolutionary and early national periods, and explores how these histories continue to shape our world today.

The ITPS supports research and civics initiatives, such as fellowship programs, digital projects, conferences, workshops, public programming, and exhibits, as well as the ongoing curatorial development of the Thomas Paine collections, a central component of the ITPS. We are deeply appreciative of support from the Lapidus Initiative for Early American Inquiry, the U.S. Department of Education Program for American History & Civics (ACH) Seminars, Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, and the James Hervey Johnson Charitable Educational Trust, among others, which make this work possible.

The ITPS is deeply committed to fostering undergraduate research and scholarly engagement. As the ITPS continues to grow, it actively encourages Iona University students to participate in its work and connect with the broader historical community. In an era of rapid change in higher education, the ITPS serves as a vital hub for the exchange of ideas across disciplinary, professional, geographic, and chronological boundaries.

Community Partners

The Institute for Thomas Paine Studies collaborates with a diverse network of community partners whose work enriches our research, public programming, and outreach. These partnerships strengthen our shared commitment to preserving history and making it meaningful to broader audiences.

  • The McNeil Center For Early American Studies Consortium
  • The Thomas Paine Cottage Museum and Huguenot & New Rochelle Historical Association
  • The Center For Digital History at the Washington Library at George Washington’s Mount Vernon
  • The American Irish Historical Society
  • The Dyckman Farmhouse Museum
  • Bull House and Thomas Paine: Legacy
  • Revolutionary Westchester 250
  • New York City Law Department
  • New York State Archives Trust
  • International Federation for Public History
  • REV250 NY
  • The Thomas Paine Historical Association
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