Lewis Gordon

Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Global Affairs and Department Head

---

Areas of specialization: Africana Philosophy, Existentialism, Phenomenology, Philosophy of Science, Social and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Education, Aesthetics and Philosophy in Film, Literature, and Music, Philosophy of Culture, Race, and Racism, Philosophy of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Psychoanalysis, and Global Southern Thought

 

Editor of the American Philosophical Association Blog series Black Issues in Philosophy; with Jane Anna Gordon, the book series Global Critical Caribbean Thought; and, also with Jane Anna Gordon, the journal Philosophy and Global Affairs

 

Announcements and Speaking Appearances

Award Sessions

• 2021 – 2022 Global Development Section Eminent Scholar Roundtable Honoring Professor Lewis Gordon

Recent Conversations

• “From the Blues to Black Panther: Lewis Gordon on Building Black Identity through History, Art and Popular Culture,” Intelligence Squared (13 January 2022)
• Lewis Gordon & Jason Stanley: A Conversation: When Philosophers Talk, in the Brainwaves Video Anthology(2020): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7
• “Thinking from and within the Global South: Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Lewis R. Gordon, and Maria Paula Meneses in Conversation,” CES TV (10 November 2019).
• “Liberation and Decolonization: Lewis Gordon with Olufemi O. Taiwo,” The Philosopher (April 27, 2021).

Recent Public Lectures

• “Why one eminent thinker believes philosophy belongs in the pub — and kitchen,” Ideas for the Mind, “Philosophy from the Pub,” with Lewis Gordon, CBC Radio (26 May 2023), recording from 19 March 2023 lecture in St. John’s, Newfoundland.  
• “Freedom, Justice, and Decolonization,” Global Liberal Studies, New York University (April 9, 2021).
• “Fanon, the Teacher,” Frantz Fanon: A Colloquium, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research (presented on 5 March 5, 2020; posted 25 April 2020).  Q&A.
• “Decolonizing Black Aesthetics,” Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) in São Paulo, Brazil (October 18, 2018).

Recent Interviews, Media Appearances, Panels, and Public Community Engagements

• “An Interview: ‘The Brilliance of an Intellectual Philosopher& Scholar,’ Dr. Lewis Gordon,” Professor Man (25 May 2023). 
• “‘Frantz Fanon and The Wretched of the Earth’: Lewis R. Gordon in conversation with Brad Evans,” The Philosopher (18 April 2023). 
• “Fear of Black Consciousness: A Conversation with Lewis Gordon,” The Leadership Center for Social Justice Podcast (March 1, 2023).
• “Lewis Gordon on Frantz Fanon,” “History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps” (18 September 2022)
• “Fear of Black Consciousness: Lewis Gordon in Conversation with Hortense Spillers,” Charis Books/Charis Circle (15 January 2022).  Also available on YouTube (16 January 2022).
• “Lewis R Gordon: The Fear of Black Consciousness & How Radical Love Transcends It,” Seize the Moment Podcast (16 January 2022).
• “Lewis R. Gordon Discusses ‘Fear of Black Consciousness’ with Jamaica Kincaid,” The Harvard Bookstore (18 January 2022).  Also available on YouTube.
• “‘Fear of Black Consciousness’ Lewis R. Gordon in conversation with Kehinde Andrews,” The Philosopher (19 January 2022).
• “Lewis Gordon with Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: The Revolutionary Act of Black Consciousness,” Seattle Town Hall’s Civic Series (25 January 2022).  Also available on YouTube.
• “Fear of Black Consciousness” (in conversation with Amanda Alexander), Source Books (9 February 2022).
• “We Need to Talk About Whiteness—With Lewis R. Gordon,” We Need to Talk About Whiteness Podcast, host and interviewer Myriam Francois (11 February 2022).
• “Lewis R. Gordon’s ‘Fear of Black Consciousness,’” The LARB Radio Hour (18 February 2022). “Reflections on Black Consciousness: Lewis Gordon and Paul Gilroy in Conversation” Intelligence Squared Podcast on Spotify (26 March 2022).
• “What Is Fear of Black Consciousness? With Philosopher Lewis Gordon,” The Ethics and Religion Report, with Stan Grant, ABC Radio, Australia (11 May 2022).
• “Why We Need To Be Politically Responsible—with Professor Lewis R. Gordon,” Episode 59: How to Be, with  Suswati Basu, Apple Podcast (15 May 2022).  Full-length interview available on YouTube.
• “OBJECT RELATIONS | Lewis R. Gordon: Frantz Fanon and Black Consciousness,” Red Medicine (1 September 2022).  On Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
• “The Crime Without a Name: Barrett Holmes Pitner with Lewis R. Gordon” Live from New York Public Library (21 October 2021).
• “The Political Problem of Racism, with Dr. Lewis Gordon, Part 1,” Politeia (10 August 2020) and “The Political Problem of Racism, with Dr. Lewis Gordon, Part 2.” 
• יש אנטישמיות מצד שחורים בארצות הברית. לטענתו, הימין מנפח אותה במכוון / “There is anti-Semitism on the part of blacks in the United States. According to him, the right is deliberately inflating it,” Haaretz (13 August 2020).
• A Virtual Townhall Meeting on Racism and the COVID-19 Pandemic in the African American Community (4 June 2020).
• “#918: Philosopher Lewis Gordon on Racism, Moral vs Political Responsibility, and Relational Metaphysics,” Voices of VR Podcast (5 June 2020).
• “Lewis Gordon on engaging with Fanon in the time of Covid,” interviewed by Firoze Manji (4 May 2020). 
• La Question Noire – Ep. 1 : “Afro-Décolonial?” Partie 1 (16 June 2020).
• “Conceptualizing Difference | Talking Difference,” Centre for Citizenship, Civil Society, & Rule of Law (Episode 1).