Georgios Varouxakis
Professor of the history of political thought at Queen Mary University of London and co-director of the Centre for the Study of the History of Political Thought; author of The West: The History of an Idea (Princeton UP, 2025), the book discussed in this episode.
Best podcasts with Georgios Varouxakis
Ranked by the Snipd community
Oct 4, 2025 • 1h 10min
Georgios Varouxakis, "The West: The History of an Idea" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Georgios Varouxakis, a political thought professor at Queen Mary University of London, dives deep into the evolution of the idea of 'the West.' He reveals that the term emerged in the 1820s to avoid the ambiguity of 'Europe,' largely shaped by thinkers like Auguste Comte. Varouxakis discusses how this concept differentiated Western Europe from Russia and traces the unexpected assimilation of the U.S. into this identity. He also examines notable critiques from figures like James Baldwin and the implications of labeling values as uniquely 'Western.'
Oct 4, 2025 • 1h 10min
Georgios Varouxakis, "The West: The History of an Idea" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Georgios Varouxakis, a Professor of the history of political thought at Queen Mary University of London, dives into the fascinating evolution of the idea of ‘the West.’ He argues it emerged in the 1820s, with significant promotion by Auguste Comte, differentiating Western Europe from Russia amidst political needs. Varouxakis explores varied perspectives, including Kant's vision of a peaceful West, the impact of World War I on Western identity, and critiques from figures like James Baldwin, revealing the complexity of what 'the West' truly signifies.
