Victoria Kahn

Victoria Kahn is a Professor and Katharine Bixby Hotchkis Chair in English at the University of California, Berkeley. She specializes in Renaissance and Early Modern literature, Critical Theory, and political thought. Her research explores the intersections of literature, philosophy, and political theology, with a focus on figures like Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Milton. She has held academic roles at Princeton University and UC Irvine before joining Berkeley in 1997.

Her key publications include The Trouble with Literature (2020), The Future of Illusion (2014), and Wayward Contracts (2004). These works analyze early modern texts and their impact on modern political and philosophical discourse. She also contributes to comparative literature, examining continental Renaissance texts and literary theory.

• Education: Ph.D. in English Literature (implied by career path but not explicitly stated)
• Research Interests: Contract theory, political obligation, Machiavelli’s legacy, and the role of literature in shaping political thought.

Her scholarly contributions include interdisciplinary analyses of early modern political theology, rhetoric, and aesthetics. Kahn’s work bridges literary studies with political philosophy, emphasizing the enduring relevance of Renaissance texts.

Grants and advising details are not explicitly mentioned, but her extensive publication record reflects sustained academic engagement. She is affiliated with the Department of English and Comparative Literature programs at Berkeley.