Kenneth Owen

Kenneth Owen is an Associate Professor of History and Associate Dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois Springfield. He previously taught at Ohio University and the University of Sussex, and holds BA, MSt, and DPhil degrees from the University of Oxford. His academic work focuses on political and constitutional history, with a specialization in popular politics of the American Revolution and early republic.

Education:

• BA, University of Oxford
• MSt, University of Oxford
• DPhil, University of Oxford

Research interests include the political history of the early American republic, the role of ordinary citizens in political change, and the long history of secession movements in the United States. He also engages in digital and public history projects, such as the History Harvest initiatives and co-creation of the podcast The JuntoCast.

His recent article in The Atlantic (2020) reflects his broader scholarly focus on democratic resilience and political mobilization. This work aligns with his ongoing research on secession movements from the late 18th century to contemporary examples like Calexit.

Scientific Awards:

As an educator, Owen teaches courses spanning colonial and revolutionary American history, American political history, sports history, and digital media applications in historical research. He co-convenes the Missouri Research Seminar on Early American History through the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy.

He has been involved in organizing community-facing digital archives and was a founding member of The Junto, a collaborative blog on early American history.