Chris A. Chambers is a political theorist with research and teaching interests in the history of political thought and political economy; twentieth-century Continental philosophy (especially existentialism, phenomenology, and critical theory); Black social and political thought; and representations of philosophy and politics in literature and film. In Fall 2024, he will be an Assistant Professor of Political Science. He is currently pursuing two lines of research. The first, based on his dissertation work, examines how claims about the degrading and de-humanizing effects of poverty have paradoxically animated while limiting conservative, liberal, and radical perspectives on (regulating/uplifting/empowering) the poor. The second explores the writings and biographical encounters of Richard Wright to reevaluate post-War attempts to imagine freedom and agency at the intersection of existentialist, Marxist, and post-colonial thought. His writings have been published or are forthcoming in venues such as Polity, Global Intellectual History, and Tocqueville21. Chris hopes to advise students with similar interests in historical political theory, race, and political economy, but is open to helping all students in whatever ways he can.
Chris obtained bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and political science from the University of Central Florida. He holds an MA in political science from the University of Chicago and a PhD in political science from Yale University. Outside academia, he is an active DJ and hip-hop head. He loves living in West Philly with his partner and two cats, Ada and Junius.
- History of Political Thought
- History of Political Economy
- Black political thought and post-colonial theory
- 20th Century Continental Philosophy
- Politics in Film and Literature
- Poverty in the History of Political Thought
- Modern Political Thought
- Histories of Capitalism