John Samuel Harpham
Assistant professor of classics and letters and Curie Professor at the University of Oklahoma, author of The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery (Harvard University Press, 2025), specializing in early modern intellectual history and the history of slavery.
Top 3 podcasts with John Samuel Harpham
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Jan 19, 2026 • 1h 35min
John Samuel Harpham, "Intellectual Origins of American Slavery: English Ideas in the Early Modern Atlantic World" (Harvard UP, 2025)
John Samuel Harpham, an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma, dives into the intellectual origins of American slavery, tracing ideas from ancient Rome through early modern thinkers. He discusses how English authors leveraged Roman law and natural rights theories to justify slavery, blending moral logic with economic interests. Harpham examines the evolution of perceptions about Africa, including the influence of travel narratives and the notorious Prester John legend. His insights expose the complex interplay between race and the emerging institution of slavery.
Jan 9, 2026 • 1h 35min
John Samuel Harpham, "Intellectual Origins of American Slavery: English Ideas in the Early Modern Atlantic World" (Harvard UP, 2025)
John Samuel Harpham, an Assistant Professor of Classics and Letters, navigates the intriguing intellectual landscape surrounding the origins of American slavery. He delves into how ancient Roman laws influenced early English views on slavery, arguing that these ideas became the foundation for justifying the slave trade. Harpham discusses notable philosophers like Locke and Grotius, and explores how navigational narratives reshaped perceptions of Africa. The moral contradictions in plantation slavery and racialized justifications for slavery also feature prominently in this thought-provoking dialogue.
Jan 9, 2026 • 1h 35min
John Samuel Harpham, "Intellectual Origins of American Slavery: English Ideas in the Early Modern Atlantic World" (Harvard UP, 2025)
John Samuel Harpham, an Assistant Professor at the University of Oklahoma and author of "Intellectual Origins of American Slavery," explores the intellectual roots of slavery in the English Atlantic. He contrasts Aristotle’s and Roman law’s views on slavery, revealing how early modern philosophers like Locke justified enslavement. Harpham also delves into how narratives about Africa influenced English practices and perspectives, showing a complex blend of ambivalence and justification behind the Atlantic slave trade.
