Brian Caton

Brian Caton is an Associate Professor of History at Luther College, specializing in South Asian and Environmental History. He has been affiliated with the History Department since 2003 and teaches courses on East Asia, South Asia, the Modern Middle East, and Environmental History. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in History from the University of Pennsylvania (2003), an M.A. in South Asia Regional Studies from the same institution (1995), and a B.A. in Government from the College of William and Mary (1993).

• Education:
• Ph.D., History, University of Pennsylvania, 2003 (Dissertation: “Settling for the State: Pastoralists and Colonial Rule in Southwestern Panjab, 1840-1900”)
• M.A., South Asia Regional Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 1995 (Thesis: “Politics of Sikh Historiography, 1700-1995”)
• B.A., Honors in Government, College of William and Mary, 1993 (Thesis: “Political Instability in the States of India: Four Case Studies”)

His research focuses on colonial histories, pastoral communities, and environmental interactions. Courses taught emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to regional histories, including thematic explorations of empire, trade, and cultural dynamics.