Erin Thompson

Erin Thompson serves as a Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, and is recognized as America's only professor specializing in art crime. Her interdisciplinary work bridges art history, legal studies, and criminology with a focus on illicit cultural transactions.

Her educational background features:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Columbia Law School (2010)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Art History from Columbia University (2010)
• Certificate in Global Business Law through a joint program with Columbia Law School, Sciences Po, and Sorbonne University
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art History and Philosophy from Barnard College (2002), magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa

Professor Thompson's research examines critical intersections between art and criminal activity, including art theft networks, monument controversies, wartime cultural destruction, and ethical dilemmas in digital heritage reproduction. Her investigations extend to art created in constrained environments like Guantánamo Bay detention facilities. She actively contributes to public discourse through outlets such as Art in America, Hyperallergic, Smithsonian Magazine, and the New York Times, translating academic research for broader audiences.

Her scholarly output includes the award-recognized book Possession: The Curious History of Private Collecting from Antiquity to the Present (Yale University Press, 2016), named a Best Book of 2016 by NPR, and Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America’s Public Monuments (W.W. Norton, 2022), which analyzes America's contentious monument history through historical, legal, and social lenses.

No scientific awards or honors were documented in the source material.

The available information does not specify student advising activities, research grants, laboratory facilities, or collaborative research teams.