James Fraser

James Fraser is a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) in Berlin, focusing on historical epistemology of physics. He joined MPIWG after postdoctoral positions at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and University of Pittsburgh.

His educational background includes a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Leeds (2016), with thesis: "What is Quantum Field Theory? Idealisation, Explanation and Realism in High Energy Physics".

Fraser's research centers on renormalization theory in quantum field theory, specifically its historical development after 1950 and impact on final theory programs. His work bridges philosophy of science and history of physics, with demonstrated expertise in perturbation theory analysis as shown in his May 28, 2019 seminar "Historical Epistemology of the Final Theory / Rethinking Perturbation Theory in the 1950s".

He is affiliated with MPIWG's broader research ecosystem but no specific department or research group is documented. Current projects include "Renormalization after 1950" though no active projects were listed at time of scrape.

No scientific awards, student advisement, or grant activities are referenced in available materials. His scholarly contributions appear concentrated in seminar presentations and theoretical research within MPIWG's historical science framework.