Dr. Richard Meckel

Biography

Richard Meckel is a Professor Emeritus of American Studies at Brown University, holding a Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan. His academic career is centered on U.S. social cultural history, particularly focusing on late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Meckel's research and teaching interests encompass various topics including immigration histories, ethnicity, childhood, child welfare, medicine, public health, epidemiology, and demography. He is noted for authorship of significant works such as 'Save Babies: American Public Health Reform Prevention Infant Mortality, 1850-1929' and 'Classrooms Clinics: Urban Schools Protection Promotion Child Health, 1870-1930', as well as co-editing 'Children Youth Sickness Health'. His current research investigates the interplay between poverty, nutrition, and health in childhood, revealing how state policies have shaped child health practices from the late nineteenth century onwards. Meckel has been recognized for his contributions to the field with various awards, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Library of Medicine, alongside numerous publications in the realms of child health and immigration.

Research Interests

Experience