Interventions | The Intellectual History Podcast

Why is Carl Schmitt one of the most widely read political theorists of the twentieth century? A lifelong antisemite, a petty careerist, a Nazi ideologue who only avoided being tried at Nuremberg because he wasn’t considered important enough, Schmitt was an unlikely candidate for canonical fame. And yet from today’s perspective, few other authors present as many opportunities to think through the struggles of the twentieth century. From the besieged cities of the First World War to the global delusions of the Cold War superpowers, the stuff of Schmitt’s thought both excites and repels, forcing us to face a world in which liberal democracy is the enemy and fool. Join Lars Vinx and Samuel Zeitlin as they travel in time from Schmitt’s early years in Catholic Westphalia to his spectral afterlife in today’s divided world, shedding light on his theories of dictatorship, the political, sovereignty, and law.

In 1686, a French witness spoke openly of a Native American declaration of independence. ‘We have to assume’, he said, ‘that the Iroquois do not accept any master’. Claims such as this were made frequently throughout the history of European colonialism, forming a rich tapestry of indigenous ideas. Although often dismissed by historians as badly documented and politically irrelevant fictions, these ideas helped shape the destiny of peoples and polities across the globe, from New Zealand and New Caledonia to Ontario and Quebec. Join Saliha Belmessous, a leading light in the emerging field of indigenous intellectual history, as she looks at the legacy of the Treaty of Waitangi, visits the insulated offices of Victorian lawyers, and reflects on the interplay of colonial cooperation and violence. 

Join Mark Goldie, Emeritus Professor of Intellectual History at the University of Cambridge, as he delves into the paradox of John Locke's legacy. They explore Locke's complex relationship with slavery, his troubling role in colonial practices, and the contrasting ideologies of liberty he championed. Goldie challenges the notion of Locke as merely a liberal thinker by revealing his connections to imperialism and the moral implications of his views on property and servitude. This thought-provoking discussion prompts a reevaluation of Locke's influence on modern democracy.

According to some, Francis Bacon accomplished nothing less than a scientific revolution. Some even say he was the founder of modern science itself. Born into a world where natural magic, astrology, alchemy, and the wisdom of the Ancients were all accepted as authentic sciences, he left behind a body of work expressing a new and strange idea. In this radical vision, humanity was destined to free itself from its mundane misery by investigating nature and discovering its laws. It was a vision of collective action and incremental progress that sustains scientific practice to this day. Yet Bacon was also a deeply paradoxical figure. A lover of humanity and believer in progress, he was also a Machiavellian statesman committed to advancing the interests of the English state, as well as a self-seeking loner who married for money and disinherited his wife.  Richard Serjeantson, Cambridge’s foremost authority on Bacon’s life and legacy, tells us the intellectually exhilarating story of the man who ushered in our modern age of science. This episode is hosted by Sam Tchorek-Bentall

What lessons can we draw from eighteenth-century thought about the relationship of big and small states? What are the limits of intellectual history? How and why did the Enlightenment end? Richard Whatmore, Professor of Modern History at the University of St Andrews, joins us to discuss these questions and more.

Teresa Bejan, a political theory professor at the University of Oxford and author of 'Mere Civility,' dives into the intriguing dynamics of equality in the seventeenth century. She critiques the notion of civility as a true marker of equality, exploring its ties to social hierarchies. Bejan also unpacks ancient concepts of free speech, linking them to modern debates, and highlights the nuanced differences between descriptive and prescriptive narratives of equality. Her insights challenge conventional thinking and encourage a broader engagement with political philosophy.

How can we understand thinkers in their own terms? Why is such an approach particularly fruitful to understanding Hume? What can philosophy and the history of political thought learn from one another? What can Hobbes's conception of the people teach us about populism? James Harris, professor of the history of philosophy at the University of St Andrews, joins us to discuss these questions and more in this episode. This episode's hosts: Zack Rauwald & Elena Yi-Jia Zeng.

What is the relationship between war and representation? Why can't we understand the French Revolution without thinking about the political management of public debt? And what does the future have to do with how we write history? These are some of the questions answered by Michael Sonenscher, Fellow of King's College, University of Cambridge. This episode's hosts: Michael Kretowicz & Charlotte Johann.

How does skepticism serve history? What lessons does Hegel hold for the modern historian? Why is an understanding of historical consciousness so important across the humanities? These are some of the questions we asked Richard Bourke, Professor of the History of Political Thought at the University of Cambridge.  Publications mentioned in this episode include:  István Hont and Michael Ignatieff, Wealth and Virtue: The Shaping of Political Economy in the Scottish Enlightenment (CUP: 1983) Richard Bourke, Peace in Ireland: The War of Ideas (Pimlico: 2003) Richard Bourke, Empire and Revolution: The Political Life of Edmund Burke (Princeton University Press: 2015) Richard Bourke and Quentin Skinner, eds. History in the Humanities and Social Sciences (CUP: 2002) Richard Bourke, Hegel’s World Revolutions (Princeton University Press: forthcoming, 2023)

What makes the seventeenth century such a fascinating period in the history of philosophy? In what ways does Spinoza speak to contemporary philosophical problems? And in what sense is philosophy an inherently historical discipline? These are some of the questions that we asked  Susan James, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College London.  Some books and papers mentioned in this episode are: - Augustine of Hippo: A Biography by Peter Brown - The Blazing World by Siri Hustvedt  - Spinoza on philosophy, religion, and politics: the Theologico-political treatise by Susan James - 'Responding Emotionally to Fiction: A Spinozist Approach' by Susan James - Early Modern French Thought by Michael Moriarty