Patrick J. Ryan is a past-President of the Society for the History of Children and Youth and an expert in the history, laws, policies, and discourses of childhood and youth. He has recorded 71 publications, including 2 single-authored books and 12 single-authored peer-reviewed articles. In addition, Dr. Ryan has made over 300 contributions to scholarly editing and conferencing. More about him can be found at https://www.patrickjryan.ca/home.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Department of History, Case Western Reserve University 1998.
Master of Arts, American History, Case Western Reserve University 1994.
Bachelor of Arts, History Major, University of Minnesota 1991.
Teaching
Dr. Ryan has taught over 20 different courses at KUC, most recently CYS 2212F/G Childhood and the Law, CYS 2210F/G Childhood and Social Policy, CYS 3313F/G Research Methodologies using Discourse Analysis, CYS 3314F/G Research Methodologies in Governmentality Studies, CYS 3361F/G and History 3261F/G The History of Childhood in Canada, History 3851F/G Capitalism and the Law.
Selected Publications
Recent Scholarly Contributions
"Introducing the School of Policy, Law, and Social Change," with Dr. Allyson Larkin. The Catalyst Chat at King's University College, March 24, 2026.
"Why Do We Debate?" opening address delivered at the Ontario Secondary School Regional Debate Tournament in London, Ontario on February 7, 2026.
"An Intellectual Journey to Childhood Studies," delivered for the Family Studies Club, Western University, London, Ontario on January 28, 2026.
"Sex Crime and Children's Evidence," delivered at the Society for the History of Children and Youth an online conference held June 27, 2025.
"Continuity and Change in the History of Eugenics" an interview with Digital Childhoods (January 21, 2025).
"Interview with Patrick Joseph Ryan about his book, Childhood and the Law in Canada – The Family/State Relationship" on The Childhood, Law, and Policy Network, Queen Mary University of London, UK (December 24, 2024).
Childhood and the Law in Canada: the family/state relationship (LexisNexis, 2024).
"Childhood and the Law in Canada" delivered for Kings University College - Research Week in London, Ontario on March 28, 2024.
"Eugenic Continuities: Youth, Sex, Disability, and the Rise of Liberal Eugenics in the Late Twentieth Century," in Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth vol. 17 no. 1 (2024): 104-126.
"E. v. Eve," delivered for the Osgoode Society for Legal History's workshop on September 27, 2023.
"Recovering Records of Children and Youth at Trial: Courthouses, Law Libraries, and Archives in Ohio," delivered at the Society for the History of Children and Youth at University of Guelph in Ontario on June 10, 2023.
"The Landscape of Modern Childhood," an invited discussion with a Doctoral Seminar on Approaches to Early Childhood Education - Graduate School of Education, Northeastern University on March 28, 2023.