John N. Low

Dr. John N. Low (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi) is a Professor at The Ohio State University – Newark with dual appointments in the Department of Comparative Studies and the American Indian Studies program. He holds a Ph.D. in American Culture and a J.D. from the University of Michigan, along with a graduate certificate in Museum Studies and additional degrees from the University of Minnesota and University of Chicago.

• Leadership: Director of the Newark Earthworks Center, Coordinator of the American Indian Studies minor.
• Professional Affiliation: Collaborates with MacArthur Foundation, Chicago History Museum, Field Museum, and World Heritage Ohio.

His research spans Indigenous histories, literatures, and cultural practices, with a focus on material culture, treaty rights, and critical landscape studies. He explores Native environmental perspectives and urban Indigenous identities, particularly in Chicago.

Publication Trends include:

• 2023-2021: Articles on land acknowledgments, treaty debates, and ecological crises affecting Indigenous basketry.
• 2019-2018: Contributions to heritage management and intercultural interactions in the Great Lakes region.
• 2015-2011: Foundational works on canoe cultures, Fort Dearborn conflicts, and Potawatomi authorship.

Scientific Awards:

• Robert F. Heizer Award (2015) for Best Article in Ethnohistory.

As a public intellectual, Low engages in decolonizing monuments, land-grant university reforms, and Indigenous storytelling through exhibitions like "Pokagon Black Ash Baskets: Our Storytellers" at the Field Museum. His work bridges academia, tribal communities, and public policy to address historical legacies and contemporary Indigenous sovereignty.