the institute for thomas paine studies - iona … · from paine’s common sense, crisis, and other...
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Iona College l 715 North Avenue l New Rochelle, NY 10801
THE INSTITUTE FORTHOMAS PAINE STUDIES
In 2009, the Thomas Paine National Historical Association (founded in 1884) chose Iona College to preserve and develop its rich collection of writings and other items by and about Thomas Paine. The Thomas Paine National Historical Association (TPNHA) Collection is, like the man himself, of both national and international significance.
Inspired by the bestowal of this collection, the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies was established to be the premier academic center for the preservation, study, and dissemination of Thomas Paine’s life story, work, and global legacy through stewardship of related archival material, research, and development of educational programming.
Disdained by many at the time of his death, Paine’s ideas have recently enjoyed a renaissance among liberal and conservative thinkers alike. The establishment of this Institute creates an unprecedented academic affiliation for a long-neglected national treasure of American history and thought.
In collaboration with the TPNHA, the Institute illuminates and studies Thomas Paine’s life and legacy in two complementary ways:
First, through the TPNHA Collection, now housed in Ryan Library, Iona College both cares for and makes accessible one of the richest collections of materials by and about Thomas Paine. Visit the Library’s online information about the Collection.
Second, through publications, conferences, exhibitions, internships, fellowships, and grants, as well as undergraduate and graduate curricula, the Institute provides students and faculty at Iona, members of the communities where Thomas Paine lived and worked, and the rest of the world with an exceptional opportunity to study and learn about one of the intellectual founders of our nation. It is our belief that such programming will cure a long-standing and unacceptable lack of academic affiliation for Thomas Paine.
TPNHA COLLECTION
The TPNHA Collection at the Ryan Library Archives is one of a handful of Paine collections in the world. Along with Paine artifacts at the New York Historical Society, the American Philosophical Society, Princeton University, The Library of Congress, and the University of Virginia, this Collection contains unique letters, original documents, and first editions. Unlike his other collections, we have the only personal effects of Paine, including his gravestone and the only surviving remnants of his body.See the Libraries link on the Iona website for information.
PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, AND EXHIBITS
The Text Analysis Project:This project entails the use of computers for SVM and other original computer analyses of eighteenth-century writings in order to determine if Paine has authored texts which have hitherto only been linked to him by innuendo or have never been linked to him at all.
Likewise, the project aims to correct misattributions of Paine’s authorship and establish which pseudonymously published writings, a frequent eighteenth-century authorial practice, may have been written by Paine. Papers were presented at three conferences so far, and more are being planned. Breakthroughs in correcting the Paine corpus have resulted from this work.
Minor in Thomas Paine Studies:A multi- and inter-disciplinary minor whose core curriculum will include courses in History, English, Political Science, and Philosophy.
Minor Requirements (12 Total Credits) (ENG 423) Eighteenth-Century Literature (HST 410) Seminar in History (PHL 355) Thomas Paine / Revolutionary Tradition (POL 391) Thomas Paine /Struggle for Democracy
Minor Electives (3 Total Credits) (ENG 369) Themes in American Literature (ENG 470) Literature Seminar (ENG 480) Internship in English (HST 207) Growth of the American Republic (HST 495) Internship in History (POL 315) Great Political Thinkers (POL 483) Internship in Political Science
Thomas Paine Internships:These internships offer students from a wide array of disciplines the experience of working with the faculty and staff of the ITPS on projects using the TPNHA collection, as well as independent research, and text analysis projects.
Thomas Paine Grants:These grants catalyze the development of courses, research, and programing which draw upon Paine’s life and legacy.
Conferences, Seminars, and Speakers:An international gathering of professional, graduate and undergraduate scholars, historical associations, and individuals dedicated to the study of Thomas Paine, his ideas, and their legacy, was held at Iona College in October 2012. Scholars from around the world gathered, 32 papers were presented, and Lewis Lapham gave the keynote address. In September 2014, the Second International Paine Studies Conference was held in
Paris, France and co-hosted by ITPS which extended the cooperative, international approach to Paine scholarship. Future Paine Studies conferences are planned for England, and again at Iona College in the coming years.
Common Sense and the Common Core:A primary focus of the ITPS is the development of K-12 curriculum for free distribution to teachers in Westchester County, New York, and throughout the United States. Working with Paine experts and faculty, students majoring in education will create lesson plans using excerpts from Paine’s Common Sense, Crisis, and other works, which will then be posted on the ITPS website for use by teachers.
“The Thomas Paine Encyclopedia”:A unique app developed by the ITPS is available free for iPads on iTunes. Other apps for Android and PCs are scheduled for future development. The app can be used in classrooms or by the general public, and it contains a complete map-based biography, quotations, major works, and links to TPNHA’s website containing the complete works of Paine.
EXHIBITS:
n “An Unpublished Thomas Paine Letter to Garat from 1800” features a never before published letter from the TPNHA Collection from Paine to a French leader. The letter is written in both French and English, and the University of Paris is linked to, providing various translations.
n “Thomas Paine in New Rochelle” exhibit was displayed at the TPNHA building as part of New Rochelle’s 325th Anniversary celebration.
n “The Adventures of Thomas Paine’s Bones” exhibit revealed the legacy of Thomas Paine’s bones which have, sadly as well as allegedly, become scattered all over the globe due to the removal of his body to England by William Cobbett.
n “The First Great Disinformation Campaign: The Use of Slander in Political Cartoons to Discredit the Political Philosophy of Thomas Paine.” This exhibit assembled cartoons used to undermine Paine’s influence with the British and American people in the 1790s.
n “Thomas Paine and the American Revolution”, at the TPNHA building, detailing Paine’s impact on and activity in the American Revolution.
Note: See the Library website for a partial display of these exhibits.
The Thomas Paine Collected Works ProjectThe ITPS has undertaken a multi-year project to produce an official collected works of Thomas Paine. Using our text analysis methodology, and involving students and faculty, we are researching the databases of 18th century newspapers, pamphlets, and journals in a search for undiscovered Paine works, and correcting misattributed works from previous collections.
THE INSTITUTE FOR THOMAS PAINE STUDIES
ITPS Websitewww.thomaspainestudies.org
The Institute for Thomas Paine StudiesIona College
715 North AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10801
Media InquiriesDawn Insanalli
Director of Media RelationsIona College
715 North AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10801
914-633-2726Mobile: 914-217-4061
To View or Visit the CollectionNatalka Sawchuk
Assistant Director of Libraries for Public Services & SystemsRyan LibraryIona College
715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801
Scholarly and General InquiriesScott Cleary, Ph.D.
Faculty Director of the Institute for Thomas Paine StudiesIona College
715 North AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10801
Gary BertonCoordinator of the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies
Iona College715 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801914-633-2648
Thomas Paine National Historical Association983 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10804www.thomaspaine.org