Bo Blew

B.A. in History from the University of Central Arkansas

U.S. Political History; History of Philanthropy; The American Presidency; History of Science; Digital Humanities

Bo Blew is a historian of the United States in the twentieth century. Completing his Ph.D. in history at Purdue University his research and teaching explore the role institutions, wealth, and individuals play in drafting public policy. His first book project “Laboratories of Government: Private Foundations in American Political History, 1968-2008,” charts the evolution of private foundations as they transformed American political culture and the policymaking process. Foundation grants paid for the policy briefs and studies lawmakers used in crafting legislation, foundation employees were among the first recruited in staffing new congressional offices and presidential administrations, and foundation leaders emerged as pundits on the 24-hour news cycle. Examining some of the most contentious policy debates of the last third of the 20^th century including energy, education, and health care, Blew’s work reveals how private foundations shaped public discourse and became key institutions in the implementation of state power.

His work has appeared in the Washington Post and published in an edited volume highlighting research using the C-SPAN video archive.