John Samuel Harpham

John Samuel Harpham, historian of political thought and lecturer on Social Studies at Harvard University, discusses The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery: English Ideas in the Early Modern Atlantic World. Harpham provides a landmark account of the origins of American slavery, showing how ancient Roman ideas were revitalized to justify the trade in human cargo during the early years of Atlantic capitalism. This event is part of University Press Week, an annual celebration recognizing the impact of university presses.