Todd Thompson

Todd Thompson is a Professor in the Language, Literature, and Writing Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs. His office is located in 506-Q Leonard Hall, where he teaches courses on American literature, satire, and periodical studies. Thompson holds a PhD from the University of Illinois–Chicago (2008) and has established himself as a leading scholar in 19th-century American humor and political satire.

Thompson's research focuses on eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American literature and culture, with particular expertise in literature and politics, political satire, humor studies, and periodical studies. His scholarly work examines how humor functioned as a political tool during America's expansion era, exploring the connections between satire, journalism, and imperial ambitions. He has published extensively on Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln's use of satire, and the transnational circulation of jokes in 19th-century print culture.

Thompson's recent publications reveal a consistent scholarly trajectory examining the intersection of humor, politics, and American expansionism. His work demonstrates mastery of both historical context and literary analysis, with particular attention to how jokes and satire traveled through reprint networks across the Pacific. The scholarship shows increasing sophistication in connecting American humor to broader imperial narratives while maintaining focus on textual analysis and cultural contexts.

• University Awards:
  • IUP Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching (2022)
  • IUP Distinguished Faculty Award for Research (2017)
  • IUP Center for Teaching Excellence Instructional Technology Award (2024)
  • IUP Center for Teaching Excellence Content Pedagogy Award (2017)
  • IUP Center for Teaching Excellence Innovation Award (2013)
• External Awards:
  • Last Fellow, American Antiquarian Society (2024)
  • Norton-Strange Townshend Week-Long Fellowship, Clements Library, University of Michigan (2024)
  • Center for Mark Twain Studies, Quarry Farm Fellowship (2019, 2024)
  • Peterson Fellow, American Antiquarian Society (2017)

Thompson teaches a range of courses from undergraduate composition to specialized graduate seminars including ENGL 983 Seminar in American Literature: The Pacific Turn in Nineteenth-Century American Studies and ENGL 765/865 Literature as Genre: Satire and Parody. His teaching excellence has been recognized with multiple IUP awards, reflecting his innovative approaches to literature instruction and student engagement.