ENN New Voices: Effects of slavery strategy: Interview with Julia Jorati

In this episode, Maheshi Gunawardane speaks with Julia Jorati, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, about the effects of slavery on enslaved people and the role of those effects in eighteenth-century antislavery arguments. They discuss what is meant by the "effects-of-slavery strategy," its potential drawbacks, and whether it can be deployed effectively for antislavery purposes. Julia's work has been central to understanding oppressive structures and their consequences, drawing on the insights of figures who had first-hand experience of enslavement and racism during this period.

To listen to this episode, please visit our podcast page.

Works mentioned in the episode

Anonymous. “Letters of a Negro: Letter 1." The Repository; Containing Various Political, Philosophical, Literary, and Miscellaneous Articles, no. 2 (January 16, 1788).

Jorati, Julia. Slavery and Race: Philosophical Debates in the Eighteenth Century. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024.

Jorati, Julia. Slavery and Race: Philosophical Debates in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024.

Jorati, Julia. “The Effects of Slavery on Enslaved People and Eighteenth-Century Antislavery Arguments." Journal of Modern Philosophy 6, no. 2 (2025). https://doi.org/10.25894/jmp.2498.

Jorati, Julia, ed. Slavery in Early Modern Philosophy 1500-1765: Essential Readings. Oxford Academic, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1093/9780197833339.001.0001.

Jorati, Julia, ed. Slavery in Early Modern Philosophy 1765-1800: Essential Readings. Oxford Academic, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1093/9780197833599.001.0001.