New Books in Intellectual History

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This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

120 ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	1044	Founded	13 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	HistorySociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

Stephen C.E. Hopkins, "⁠Translating hell: Vernacular theology and apocrypha in the medieval North Sea"⁠ (Manchester UP, 2026)

In the Middle Ages, hell was useful because it was vaguely defined.

Canonical scriptures scarcely mention hell, leaving much to the imaginations of early Christians, who used it to sort out who belonged within the faith. Translating hell: Vernacular... more

Yesterday • 1 hr 3 min

Susanna Drake, "Veiling in the Late Antique World" (Cambridge UP, 2026)

Veiling meant many things to the ancients. On women, veils could signify virtue, beauty, piety, self-control, and status. On men, covering the head could signify piety or an emotion such as grief. Late Roman mosaics show people covering their hands w... more

Yesterday • 1 hr 35 min

Lawrence Douglas, "The Criminal State: War, Atrocity, and the Dream of International Justice" (Princeton UP, 2026)

The Criminal State: War, Atrocity, and the Dream of International Justice (Princeton University Press, 2026) offers a gripping account of how law has confronted the most radical forms of state violence. Beautifully written, broad in scope, and bracin... more

3 Jun 2026 • 52 min • Popular

Alex Law, "The Roots of Sociology: Scottish Enlightenment and the Civilising Process" (Routledge, 2026)

The thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment have often been claimed

for sociology. But, what does it mean to say these thinkers were

sociologists, or at the very least precursors to the subject? Does it,

for example, mean that intellectuals of 18th... more

2 Jun 2026 • 1 hr 34 min • Popular

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Recent Guests

Lawrence Douglas

Grosfeld Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought at Amherst College

Amherst College

Episode: Lawrence Douglas, "The Criminal State: War, Atrocity, and the Dream of International Justice" (Princeton UP, 2026)

Alex Law

Professor of Sociology

Abertay University

Episode: Alex Law, "The Roots of Sociology: Scottish Enlightenment and the Civilising Process" (Routledge, 2026)

Christos Lynteris

Professor, medical anthropologist, author

University of St. Andrews

Episode: Christos Lynteris, "How Plague Got Rats: Mastering a Zoonotic Pandemic" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2026)

Annette Gordon-Reed

Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University

Harvard University

Episode: Annette Gordon-Reed ed., "Jefferson on Race: A Reader" (Princeton UP, 2026)

HA Drake

Professor of history, University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Barbara

Episode: H. A. Drake, "The Wisdom of the Ancients: Four Ideas That Changed the World" (Oxford UP, 2025)

Christopher S. Celenza

Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and Professor of History and Classics at Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University

Episode: Christopher S. Celenza, "The Evolution of Western Thought: Volume 1, From the Ancient World to Late Antiquity" (Cambridge UP, 2025)

Timothy McCall

Professor of Art History at Villanova University

Villanova University

Episode: Timothy McCall, "Making the Renaissance Man: Masculinity in the Courts of Renaissance Italy" (Reaktion Books, 2023)

Matthieu Felt

Author; Professor of Japanese studies

University of Florida

Episode: Matthieu Felt, "Meanings of Antiquity: Myth Interpretation in Premodern Japan" (Harvard UP, 2023)

An-Ting Yi

Author of From Erasmus to Maius, The History of Codex Vaticanus in New Testament Textual Scholarship

Frey Universiteit Amsterdam

Episode: An-Ting Yi, "From Erasmus to Maius: The History of Codex Vaticanus in New Testament Textual Scholarship" (de Gruyter, 2024)

Host

Miranda Melcher

Host of The New Books Network; guides interviews and episode introductions; scholarly orientation.

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 120 ratings

Excellent book selection, not always great interviews
The concept was always unique. These books, mostly from academic presses and mostly in the humanities, have long failed to receive the attention they deserve. There are obviously limits to how many books in these areas can be reviewed in the NYT, NYRB and the LRB and other publications of that type. Yet in the field of intellectual history the quality of the interviewers is highly variable. One must be instantly suspicious of those such as Morteza Hajizadeh who are a fixture in this series, revi... more
Apple Podcasts
3
sidneyhart
United Statesa year ago
Such a great show
Great discussions - thanks!
Apple Podcasts
5
C Rattat
United Statesa year ago
Unqualified interviewers
Not sure how a 'grants researcher' for medicine & science qualifies as an interviewer on issues dealing with intellectual & religious history. The bench at NB Network can't be that shallow can it?
Apple Podcasts
1
t78tt.r
United States4 years ago
Simon Critchley
The host for that episode asked profoundly dumb question. He almost implied the program was about him and his questions.
Apple Podcasts
1
Hardy5414
United States4 years ago
Sound needs urgent attention
Excellent material, but frustrating to have the sound phasing in and out and distorted. Is there a way to record both sound sources and edit together, rather than record a zoom call from just one end? It might help. I’ve had to abandon several tracks because I can’t follow what’s being said.
Apple Podcasts
4
JFPhil
United Kingdom5 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the depth of scholarly discussion and book-focused format.

Sound quality and interview skill vary across episodes, impacting accessibility.

The caliber of guests is strong, with notable critiques about some interviews missing deeper engagement with complex texts.

Chart Rankings

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Apple Podcasts

#193

Finland/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Annette Gordon-Reed ed., "Jefferson on Race: A Reader" (Princeton UP, 2026)

Q: Could you walk us through how you organized the book into three sections and why that structure helps readers understand Jefferson's complexity?

The book starts with self-image to explore how Jefferson saw his own role as a progressive figure, then moves to Theories to show his writings on race, and finally to Actions and Interactions to examine what he actually did and how his words matched or diverged from his conduct, particularly in the context of Monticello and his relationships with enslaved people.

Alex Law, "The Roots of Sociology: Scottish Enlightenment and the Civilising Process" (Routledge, 2026)

Q: What's different in how you approach the Scottish Enlightenment versus earlier treatments by Bryson, Berry, Schneider, and Brewer?

Law argues that while those scholars made important contributions, they approached the period from distinct angles (social theory, functionalism, empirical sociology) and often underplayed the direct sociological themes. His approach combines a Berduusian, Elias-influenced relational framework to foreground processual links and historical context, while critically avoiding anachronistic readings and acknowledging the diverse aims of the thinkers.

Alex Law, "The Roots of Sociology: Scottish Enlightenment and the Civilising Process" (Routledge, 2026)

Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to write this book?

Alex Law describes three guiding puzzles driving the book: linking the Scottish Enlightenment with Norbert Elias's civilising process, examining how later sociology has used the Scottish Enlightenment in ways that may be anachronistic, and exploring sociology's own roots to recover overlooked connections and methods for understanding social processes. He also discusses his aim to recover the pre-sociological work of the period and situate these thinkers within broader intellectual traditions.

Christopher S. Celenza, "The Evolution of Western Thought: Volume 1, From the Ancient World to Late Antiquity" (Cambridge UP, 2025)

Q: How does the book differ from other histories of Western thought?

The author argues for a narrative grounded in monumentality and exemplarity, focusing on impactful thinkers and the conversations that connect cultures, rather than a comprehensive, linear timeline.

Carlos Martins, "Fascism: Beyond Hitler and Mussolini" (Desassossego, 2022)

Q: How do you distinguish fascism from populism or conservatism?

He explains that fascism centers on a revolutionary aim to create a new man and new social order, while populism and conservatism may borrow elements without adopting the core revolutionary project.

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Intellectual History

What is New Books in Intellectual History about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Scholarly interviews that center recently published books in intellectual history, philosophy, law, and cultural studies. Conversations tend to unpack the historical context, methodological approaches, and broader implications of the works, with careful attention to how ideas travel across borders and through time. Expect rigorous questions that illuminate conceptual shifts—ownership, nationalism, moral capitalism, and the role of literature, law, and culture in shaping modern societies. A notable strength is the blend of historical depth with topical relevance, plus a roster of guests who are leading researchers in their fields. This program is likely to appeal to academics, graduate students, and intellectually curious listeners who want ... more

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1. New Books in Critical Theory
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3. Jacobin Radio
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New Books in Intellectual History launched 13 years ago and published 1044 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on New Books in Intellectual History?

Recent guests on New Books in Intellectual History include:

1. Lawrence Douglas
2. Alex Law
3. Christos Lynteris
4. Annette Gordon-Reed
5. HA Drake
6. Christopher S. Celenza
7. Timothy McCall
8. Matthieu Felt

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