Scholarship in Early Modern Philosophy

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 June 14–19, 2026: Journal of the History of Philosophy Summer Seminar

Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Topic: “Early Modern Debates About Slavery”
Instructor: Julia Jorati (Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst)
Course Description: 

In 17th and 18th-century Europe and America, there were intense debates about various aspects of slavery. These debates form a crucial but understudied part of the history of early modern philosophy. They contain discussions about many central philosophical questions and often approach these questions from surprisingly different angles—for instance, questions from moral and political philosophy, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and epistemology. In this seminar, we will analyze a few early modern texts about slavery by canonical authors and by authors who aren’t widely known but whose contributions are at least as important.

Application: Applicants should send a letter of interest and CV to Prof. Eileen Sweeney by using this form.
Qualifications: PhD in the topic area of the seminar received no earlier than January 1, 2021 and no later than January 1, 2026. AOS in the area relevant to the seminar and a good reading knowledge of the necessary language(s) is required.
Deadline for submission: The deadline for applications is February 1, 2026. Notifications will be made by March 15, 2026.