About the Chair

The Chair in Technology and Society focuses on the impact of fast-changing technologies on human societies, using the rapidly growing digital resources of the Library of Congress in addition to a wealth of holdings on the history of science and technology.

One of five Kluge Chairs articulated in the founding documents of The John W. Kluge Center, the Chair in Technology and Society is occupied by scholars of great accomplishment chosen for their intellectual and communicative abilities. While in residence they are free to pursue their own research in the Library’s collections.

Together, these broadly defined Chairs bring a critical mass of the world’s leading thinkers to Washington from all over America and the world. Their presence provides an opportunity for ongoing dialogue with political leaders on matters of importance to civic and political life.

Find more information on Kluge Chairs in the Kluge Center charter.

Most Recent Chair

Thomas Mullaney

Kluge Chair in Technology and Society (2021)

Thomas Mullaney

Tom Mullaney is a professor of Chinese history of Stanford University, a Guggenheim fellow, and the Kluge Chair in Technology and Society at the Library of Congress. He is the author or lead editor of six books, including The Chinese Typewriter, Your Computer is on Fire, and the forthcoming The Chinese Computer—the first comprehensive history of Chinese-language computing.

View past chairs