“History is a record of crimes and follies—but also of resistance."
Joining HowTheLightGetsIn 2026 via Zoom from New York, Cornel West, described by Bernie Sanders as "one of the most important philosophers of our time," has long challenged the moral and political complacency of American society. His landmark work Race Matters solidified his position as one of America's leading public intellectuals, and he has since gone on to publish dozens of books on politics and philosophy. In 2024, West extended his critique of power into the political arena, running for president to demand a more just, accountable, and humane democracy.
He holds the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair in Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and is Professor Emeritus at Princeton University, having also taught at Harvard, Yale, and the University of Paris. West’s influence extends far beyond academia: through lectures, media, and activism, he relentlessly calls for a society rooted in truth, justice, and the courage to resist oppression.
"Cornel West is not simply a lucid African-American guide equal to the complexities of real multiculturalism, but also an authentic teacher of hope and reason. " — Edward Said
