Samuel Burry

Samuel Burry is a Procter Fellow in Politics at Princeton University, having recently completed his DPhil in Politics at the University of Oxford under supervisors Sophie Smith and Cécile Laborde. His doctoral research was fully funded by the Rothermere American Institute.

He earned a BA in History and Politics and an MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History from the University of Cambridge, graduating with a starred first and receiving the History and Politics Prize for top performance.

Burry specializes in twentieth-century American and African American political thought, with deep expertise in legal theory, intellectual history, and American political development. His work critically examines figures like Derrick Bell, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson, exploring intergenerational obligations, judicial decision-making frameworks, and the intersection of ordinary language philosophy with legal principles.

His publications in leading journals reveal a consistent trajectory analyzing the evolution of American political-legal thought across the 20th century, with particular focus on foundational jurisprudential debates and the conceptual underpinnings of rights discourse.

Key recognitions include:

• Cambridge University History and Politics Prize
• Rothermere American Institute Fellowship
• Procter Fellowship at Princeton University

As a postdoctoral fellow, Burry does not currently supervise graduate students but contributes significantly through his editorial role at Anthroposphere: The Oxford Climate Review, where he bridges political theory with contemporary climate discourse.