معرفی
Abram Van Engen is the Chair of the Department of English and holds the Stanley Elkin Professorship in the Humanities at Washington University in St. Louis. He also serves as a courtesy Professor in the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics. His research focuses on Early American Literature, Religion and Literature, and the History of Emotions, with a specialization in Puritanism and American Exceptionalism. Van Engen earned his PhD from Northwestern University in 2010, following a BA in English and Philosophy from Calvin College (2003) and an MA in English from Northwestern (2005).
Van Engen’s work bridges literature, religion, and history. He is renowned for his book City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism (2020), which won the 2021 Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Prize and the 2022 Pelikan Award. His research explores how Puritan narratives have shaped American identity through collective memory and exceptionalist rhetoric. Collaborative projects, such as digital initiatives tracing the phrase 'city on a hill,' reflect his commitment to interdisciplinary and team-based scholarship.
He teaches courses on early American literature, Marilynne Robinson’s fiction, and the intersection of markets and morality. His academic leadership includes co-editing journal issues, directing the Humanities Digital Workshop, and co-founding the A Rich Life podcast, which examines market systems and existential meaning through literature. Van Engen’s writing extends to accessible poetry guides like Word Made Fresh (2024), merging spiritual practice with literary analysis.
