Colin Gordon

Colin Gordon is Professor of History and Department Chair at the University of Iowa in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He is a leading scholar in 20th-century U.S. history, specializing in American public policy, political economy, and urban inequality. His research focuses on racial segregation, housing policy, labor history, and federalism, with a particular emphasis on St. Louis. He is an active public intellectual, contributing to outlets such as Dissent, Jacobin, and The Conversation.

• University of Iowa, Department of History, Professor
• Department Chair, 2006–2011, 2023–present
• Senior Research Consultant, Common Good Iowa

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison

His research interests include 20th-century U.S. history, American political economy, racial segregation, urban decline, and the history of social policy. He combines rigorous historical analysis with digital humanities methods, creating innovative public-facing projects such as the Growing Apart data-visualization platform and digital companions to his books. His recent scholarship critically examines the role of federalism, state discretion, and private interests in perpetuating inequality.

His publications span major academic presses and journals, with a strong trend toward analyzing structural inequality, the legacy of the New Deal, and the political economy of health and housing. His recent articles focus on federalism and class struggle, neoliberalism, health care policy, and the institutional mechanisms of segregation. He frequently collaborates with scholars like Sarah K. Bruch and Kennedy Gardner, often addressing contemporary crises through historical lenses.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship (2021–22)
• Russell Sage Foundation Visiting Scholar (2022–23)
• Mellon Foundation Higher Learning Grant (2023–26)
• F. Wendell Miller Professorship (2016)
• University of Iowa Regents Award for Faculty Excellence (2016)
• Distinguished Achievement in Publicly Engaged Research (2015)
• CLAS Collegiate Fellowship (2014)

Professor Gordon has secured significant research funding and has held leadership roles including Director of Graduate Studies (2000–2004). He teaches courses on American inequality, public policy, and digital history. He advises on policy through Common Good Iowa, authoring reports on health coverage, economic development, and labor conditions. His digital projects serve as models for public history and engaged scholarship.

Labs and Teams:

He leads digital history initiatives including Growing Apart: A Political History of American Inequality and online companions to his books. He collaborates with researchers across disciplines and institutions, particularly on projects involving spatial analysis and public policy. His work with Common Good Iowa connects academic research to community and policy needs in Iowa.