James Schmidt

James Schmidt is a Professor of History, Philosophy, and Political Science at Boston University, specializing in European intellectual history and the history of political and social thought from the 18th century to the present. He holds a Ph.D. from MIT and has taught widely in intellectual history, including courses on the Enlightenment, European artists/intellectuals during WWII, and cultural responses to catastrophes.

• Education: Ph.D. in Political Science (MIT, 1974), B.A. in Political Science (Rutgers University, 1969).
• Affiliations: Boston University (since 1981), Harvard University (Visiting Professor, 2001-2002).
• Research Interests: Enlightenment controversies, Kantian philosophy, Frankfurt School critique, and the legacy of 18th-century thought.

His research explores how Enlightenment ideals were contested and reinterpreted, particularly through works like Maurice Merleau-Ponty: Between Phenomenology and Structuralism (1985) and What is Enlightenment? (1996). He has received NEH grants, the James L. Clifford Prize, and fellowships at the Liguria Center. His blog, Persistent Enlightenment, further engages with these themes.

• Awards: James L. Clifford Prize, Bogliasco Fellowship, NEH grants (multiple).
• Administrative Roles: Director of Honors Programs (Boston University, 2008–2011), Associate Director of University Honors College (2010–2011).