Dr. John Findlay

Biography

John M. Findlay became Professor Emeritus in December 2020. His scholarly work focuses on the history of the North American West and the Pacific Northwest, with a special emphasis on social and urban history, particularly in the 20th century. He has authored several noteworthy books, including 'People of Chance: Gambling in American Society from Jamestown to Las Vegas' (Oxford University Press, 1986), 'Magic Lands: Western Cityscapes in American Culture 1940' (University of California Press, 1992), 'Atomic Frontier Days: Hanford and the American West' (University of Washington Press, 2011), and 'Mobilized: The American West, 1940-2000' (University of Nebraska Press, 2023). In addition to books, he has written numerous articles and chapters covering topics such as Indian reservations in 19th-century California, utopianism in the American West, regional identity in Pacific Northwest literature, and the historiography of the American West. Findlay has also co-edited multi-author volumes on themes such as the Atomic West and the interplay between Canadians and Americans at the Western border. He has served as Managing Editor for 'Pacific Northwest Quarterly' and held various leadership positions in the UW Department of History.

Research Interests