Joseph E. Hower

Joseph E. Hower is an Associate Professor of History at Southwestern University, specializing in U.S. History, Labor and Politics in Modern America, Social Movements, Urban History, and Policy History. He earned his Ph.D. from Georgetown University (2013), M.A. from the University of Virginia (2007), and B.A. from Saint Joseph’s University (2005). Before joining Southwestern, he was a Visiting Research Associate at the University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Historical Studies.

Education:

• Ph.D., Georgetown University, 2013
• M.A., University of Virginia, 2007
• B.A., Saint Joseph’s University, 2005

Research Interests: Hower’s work focuses on the history of public sector unions, particularly AFSCME’s role in postwar America. His forthcoming book A Revolution in Government: Jerry Wurf and the Rise of Public Sector Unions in Postwar America explores the rise of public-sector labor under AFSCME leader Jerry Wurf. His research bridges labor history with broader themes of postwar liberalism, taxation, and social policy.

Awards & Grants:

• Jesse E. Purdy Excellence in Scholarly Works Award (2021)
• Summer Stipend, National Endowment for the Humanities (2017)
• Franklin Research Grant, American Philosophical Society (2015)
• Winner, Best Dissertation Prize, Labour History (2014)

Grants & Fellowships (Internal/External): Includes Competitive Faculty Development Awards, Mellon Foundation Inclusive Pedagogy Workshops, and multiple external grants for archival research.

Advising & Labs: Hower advises history capstone projects, such as Katherine Montgomery’s work on Anna Coleman Ladd’s mask-making during WWI. He collaborates with colleagues on interdisciplinary projects and leads campus talks on topics like public sector labor history and political discourse.

Labs/Teams: Engaged with Southwestern’s Race & Ethnicity Studies program and EMPIRE initiatives, co-organizing panels on Black History Month and labor justice.