Joseph Kelly

Joseph Patrick Kelly is a scholar, author, and professor of literature whose work encompasses Irish literary studies, American history, and democratic theory. Kelly serves as a professor of literature and director of Irish and Irish American Studies at the College of Charleston. He teaches modern British literature, Irish literature, composition, biography and autobiography, and Honors Western Civilization. Kelly is co-director of the President's Diversity Commission and has served as Speaker of the Faculty; he also serves as a Senator for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Kelly began his scholarly career in literary criticism with a focus on Irish modernism. His book, "Our Joyce: From Outcast to Icon," examines James Joyce's influence in American culture. He has published critical articles on Joyce and presented at the American Conference for Irish Studies. In addition to his work in modern British fiction, Kelly has conducted research in antebellum South Carolina history, publishing "Henry Laurens and the Southern Man of Conscience" in South Carolina Historical Magazine. He also edited the five-volume "Seagull Reader" series for W.W. Norton, which includes "Seagull Reader: Essays," "Seagull Reader: Poetry," "Seagull Reader: Plays," "Seagull Reader: Stories," and "Seagull Reader: Literature."

Kelly has developed a reputation as a narrative historian of American democracy. His book, "Marooned: Jamestown, Shipwreck, and a New History of America's Origin," reinterprets the Jamestown colony and its role in the development of American democracy. He also published "America's Longest Siege: Charleston, Slavery, and the Slow March Towards Civil War," which examines the evolving ideology of slavery in America. "The Biggest Lie: The Prehistory of American Fascism, 1818–1915" traces the roots of American fascism back to the antebellum South.

Kelly is an active public commentator on Irish culture, American history, and democracy. He has studied and written about Irish literature for decades and leads study-abroad trips to Ireland, highlighting locations such as Dublin, Galway, Connemara, and Belfast featured in Irish films. Kelly contributes commentary to outlets including The Conversation, Ohio Capital Journal, and Kentucky Lantern, sharing his expertise in history and democracy with broad audiences. His writing emphasizes vivid characters, compelling stories, and significant ideas, establishing him as a knowledgeable voice on the forces shaping American society.