Join the League of Women Voters of Chicago on Constitution Day for a special talk by John Engle, Vice President of LWV Chicago and its historian-in-residence.
A published historian and political theorist, John will explore the framing of the U.S. Constitution—its historical context, the people and political processes that crafted it, and how it shaped the early American republic. Drawing on his scholarship in history and political science, John will trace parallels between past and present, inviting reflection on how America’s founding charter continues to shape—and be tested by—our democracy today.
About the Speaker
John Engle is Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Chicago and its historian-in-residence. A published historian and political theorist, John is the author of Trinity Student Pranks (The History Press) and has contributed widely to journals and reviews. His historical writing includes essays on H.P. Lovecraft (Mythlore) and the Icelandic Commonwealth (Medievalists). His work in political theory spans topics from political speech American exceptionalism (Etcetera: A Review of General Semantics) to political consent theory (International Journal of Political Science and Development) and land rights (Georgist Journal). He is currently completing a forthcoming book on the decline and fall of the Roman Republic and the lessons it offers for the American republic today.
A lifelong debater, he was ranked first in Ireland, second in Europe, and fourth in the world. He has gone on to coach public speaking and debate for groups including civil servants at the UK Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence, Oxford executive MBA candidates, and US elected officials and political candidates at the local, state, and national level.
John holds an MA in Philosophy and Economics from Trinity College Dublin, a BA and MBA from the University of Oxford, and a diploma from the London School of Economics. He was elected a member of the Royal Historical Society in 2023.