Episode 7: The Limits of Academia with Professor Joy James

Professor Joy James is the Ebenezer Fitch Professor of Humanities at Williams College. In this episode, Carlotta Hartmann speaks to her about coming to philosophy and the limits of academia. Professor Joy James is the Ebenezer Fitch Professor of Humanities at Williams College. In this episode, Carlotta Hartmann speaks to her about coming to philosophy and the limits of academia. Professor James speaks about how the presence of power in her early life informed her politics, and about the contradictions and loneliness that come with working in the academy. She has written extensively on police and prison abolitionism and radicalizing feminisms, and here speaks about her work with formerly incarcerated folk. Ultimately, she says, the academy has given her the extra time to pursue her work on social justice – the connections she makes in doing this work give her hope.