About
Waller R. Newell is a Professor of Political Science and Philosophy at Carleton University, where he co-founded and teaches in the College of the Humanities—the only four-year Great Books baccalaureate program in Canada. He holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto, an M.A. in Political Economy from the same institution, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University. His academic career includes visiting roles at the University of Florida, University of Nevada Las Vegas, and other prestigious institutions.
- Senior Fellow at the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy (2023)
- Adjunct Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (2022)
- Former Visiting Fellow at the Black Mountain Institute (2014-15)
- Past fellowships include the Woodrow Wilson International Center, National Humanities Center, and Eccles Centre
His research focuses on tyranny, political philosophy, and classical/modern thinkers like Rousseau, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, and Heidegger. Major works include Tyranny and Revolution (2022), Tyrants: A History of Power, Injustice, and Terror (2016), and Ruling Passion (2000). Newell critiques totalitarian ideologies and explores how philosophical ideas influence political catastrophes.
Key awards include the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship and SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship. He is a sought-after speaker, presenting at Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, and the Onassis Cultural Center.
