Joseph A McCartin

Joseph A. McCartin is a Professor in the Department of History at Georgetown University, where he has taught since 1999. He serves as the founding Executive Director of Georgetown's Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor (KI), which he has led since 2009. His academic appointment is in the College of History, Department of History.

McCartin earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in History from Binghamton University and his B.A. in History from the College of the Holy Cross. His scholarly work has established him as a leading expert on U.S. labor, social, and political history.

McCartin's research focuses on the intersection of labor organization, politics, and public policy. He has authored more than 130 articles, chapters, and reviews in labor history and labor studies. His scholarship examines the historical development of labor relations in America, with particular attention to the decline of collective bargaining and efforts to revive worker representation. His work connects historical analysis with contemporary labor movement challenges, exploring the relationship between economic democracy and political power.

His publications demonstrate a consistent focus on critical moments in American labor history, particularly the 1981 PATCO strike and its long-term implications for the labor movement. His work analyzes how labor organization intersects with broader political and social structures, examining both historical developments and contemporary challenges facing workers.

• Philip Taft Labor History Book Award (1999) for Labor's Great War
• Richard A. Lester Award for the Outstanding Book on Industrial Relations and Labor Economics for Collision Course

As Executive Director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative, McCartin has secured funding from the Kalmanovitz Charitable Foundation, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and Ford Foundation. He currently serves as the 2024-26 president of the Labor and Working-Class History Association and holds positions on several labor-related boards including the Catholic Labor Network and the Interreligious Network for Worker Solidarity. His work with the KI has led to initiatives like Bargaining for the Common Good, which seeks to develop creative strategies to improve workers' lives and strengthen their voices in the workplace.

Under McCartin's leadership, the Kalmanovitz Initiative has become a leading center for labor research, education, training, and innovation, drawing on Georgetown's Catholic and Jesuit traditions to develop approaches that address contemporary labor challenges while connecting to historical labor movement principles.