Graham Harman

Graham Harman is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Liberal Arts Program Coordinator at Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc). He was born in 1968 in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and holds an MA from Penn State University and a PhD from DePaul University. Harman is renowned for pioneering Object-Oriented Ontology and has authored eighteen books, including the recent Art and Objects (2019).

• Education:
  • BA, St. John's College (Maryland)
  • MA, Penn State University
  • PhD, DePaul University

Harman’s research spans metaphysics, speculative realism, and their intersections with architecture and art. He critiques literalism and explores the autonomy of objects, retroactivity, and the aesthetics of weirdness, often engaging with thinkers like Bruno Latour, Slavoj Žižek, and Alain Badiou. His work reconfigures traditional philosophical debates to address contemporary cultural and design challenges.

Recent publications highlight speculative realism, flat ontology, and architectural theory, with a focus on objects in design, art, and environmental education. Articles from 2025–2024 emphasize metaphysical frameworks, aesthetics, and interdisciplinary dialogues between philosophy and science.

• Scientific Awards:
  • AUC Excellence in Research Award (2009)