Robert Johnston

Robert D. Johnston is a professor of history at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he also directs the Teaching of History program. His academic work centers on the Progressive Era, modern U.S. history, the history of medicine, and the politics of historiography.

He is the author of The Radical Middle Class: Populist Democracy and the Question of Capitalism in Progressive Era Portland, Oregon, a book that received the Social Science History Association's President’s Book Award. He has also edited or co-edited works on topics including the American middle class, rural politics, and natural healing, and has contributed to broader history publishing projects.

Alongside his writing, Johnston has been active in the teaching and public presentation of history. His profile at UIC notes ongoing work on a book about American vaccination controversies, reflecting his interest in the intersection of politics, public health, and democratic culture.