In an announcement that resonates globally, Chancellor Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale, Samuel Moyn, has secured a coveted spot on Prospect magazine’s prestigious list of Top Thinkers for 2024. The list, featuring 25 influential individuals worldwide, recognizes their impactful contributions to issues of critical global importance, spanning climate, economics, freedom, geopolitics, and technology. Moyn, distinguished in the category of top thinkers about freedom, was acknowledged for his work that has garnered acclaim, particularly from the left.
Prospect magazine commended Moyn for amassing a substantial following on the left, attributing it to his incisive critiques of liberalism and his propensity for challenging conventional narratives. At Yale Law School, Moyn’s expertise encompasses international law, human rights, the law of war, and legal thought, both in historical and contemporary contexts. His pursuits in intellectual history have covered a broad spectrum, with a particular focus on 20th-century European moral and political theory.
The magazine’s recognition of Moyn comes at a pivotal time, as it notes the approaching tipping points that will transform life on our planet and as a civilization. The list of Top Thinkers is positioned as those who will play a crucial role in navigating the complex landscape of the world in the upcoming year.
In his latest book, “Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times” published by Yale University Press, Moyn delves into the work of influential liberal intellectuals from the last century. In this insightful exploration, he identifies what he perceives as missteps in today’s liberal ideology, particularly highlighting the pitfalls of Cold War liberalism.
Moyn’s extensive body of work includes several books on the history of ideas and politics in the 20th century, such as “Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War” (2021), “Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World” (2018), and “The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History” (2010). His writings have been featured in renowned outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New Republic, The Nation, Commonweal, and Dissent.
As Samuel Moyn continues to make intellectual strides, his inclusion in Prospect’s Top Thinkers for 2024 solidifies his standing as a prominent figure shaping global discourse on critical issues.
