Dr. Evan Carton

Biography

Evan Carton joined the University of Texas at Austin English Department faculty in 1978, holding the emeritus Joan Negley Kelleher Centennial Professorship in Rhetoric and Composition. He is the author of several books on 19th century American literature and is known for his narrative non-fiction account of the life of abolitionist John Brown, titled 'Patriotic Treason: John Brown's Soul America' published by Free Press in 2006. His academic interests include 19th and 20th century American literature, literary cultural theory, historiography, antebellum evangelism, secularism, and radical politics. In 2001, he founded the University of Texas Humanities Institute and served as its director until 2009. His current research project focuses on exploring the charismatic intellectual, religious, and political vocation in America from the early 19th century to the present, centering on figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Joseph Smith, and John Brown.

Research Interests