THE INSTITUTE
FOR THOMAS 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.
In the 1990s, a lack of resources at the TPNHA
meant that for far too long, these inspiring archival
materials, from first editions to coins depicting
Paine’s trial for treason, were neither properly
stored and secured, nor broadly available for exhibition to scholars or the general public. 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 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 Paine.
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. The first paper from the
Project will be delivered in July 2013 at the
Eighth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Prague, Czech Republic.
Minor in Thomas Paine Studies: A multi- and
inter-disciplinary minor has been created in Paine
Studies. The core curriculum will include courses
in History, English, Political Science, and Philosophy, two of which have already been offered.
Thomas Paine Internships: These internships
give 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.
The First International Conference of Thomas
Paine Studies: 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 in October 2012. Scholars
from around the world gathered, 34 papers were
presented, and Lewis Lapham gave the keynote
address. In subsequent years, the conference will
be held in France and England in order to establish a cooperative, international approach to Paine
scholarship. For additional information about the
2012 Conference, please visit the TPNHA Collection section of the Iona College website.
Above, from left: First International Conference of
Thomas Paine Studies keynote speaker Lewis Lapham,
Institute Coordinator Gary Berton, Iona Provost Brian Nickerson
Thomas Paine Grants: These grants catalyze the
development of courses, research, and programing
which draw upon Paine’s life and legacy. Examples
of previous grants include the development of a
History Seminar on the Politics of Thomas Paine
(HST 410), the production of the play Citizen
Paine, and the incorporation of writings by Paine
into English composition classes (ENG 120).
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 in education will create lesson
plans using excerpts from Paine’s Common Sense,
Crisis, and other works, which will be posted on
this website for use by teachers.
“The Thomas Paine Encyclopedia”: An app in
development by the ITPS and to be distributed free
for iPads in the near future. 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.
The Institute’s collection includes Paine’s Common Sense,
Rights of Man, Age of Reason and Crisis.
Exhibits
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“An Unpublished Thomas Paine Letter to
Garat from 1800” features a letter never
published 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. (Currently at Ryan
Library)
“Thomas Paine in New Rochelle” exhibit will
be displayed at the TPNHA building as part
of New Rochelle’s 325th Anniversary celebration. (June 2013)
The Adventures of Thomas Paine’s Bones”
exhibit reveals the legacy of Thomas Paine
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. (Currently at the TPNHA building)
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“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.
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“Conference Exhibit,” displayed in Ryan
Library during the conference in October
2012, featured rare documents along with
personal effects.
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“An Introduction to the TPNHA Collection”
exhibit featured the wide range of artifacts
held in the Collection, from Paine’s personal
effects, to rare books about Paine, and early
editions of Paine’s writings. (Ryan Library,
Summer 2012)
The Institute for
Thomas Paine Studies
Iona College 715 North Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10801
[email protected]
Media Inquiries
Dawn Insanalli
Director of Media Relations
Iona College
715 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801
914-633-2726
Mobile: 914-217-4061
[email protected]
To View or Visit the Collection
Natalka Sawchuk
Assistant Director of Libraries for Public Services & Systems
Ryan Library
Iona College
715 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801
914-633-2220
[email protected]
Scholarly and General Inquiries
Scott Cleary, Ph.D.
Faculty Director of the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies
Iona College
715 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801
914-633-2056
[email protected]
Gary Berton
Coordinator of the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies
Iona College
715 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10801
[email protected]
Thomas Paine National Historical Association
Bradley A. Mulkern
Executive Director
Thomas Paine National Historical Association
983 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10804
[email protected]