Melissa Lane
Class of 1943 Professor of Politics
Director of University Center for Human Values
Princeton University
Melissa Lane is the Class of 1943 Professor of Politics at Princeton University, and director of the University Center for Human Values. She is also an associated faculty member in the Department of Classics and the Department of Philosophy at Princeton. As of August 1, 2023, for a term of three academic years, she is also the 50th Professor of Rhetoric at Gresham College, a non-degree-granting institution founded in London in 1597. In this role, she will deliver an extended series of public lectures over the next three academic years, which will also be livestreamed and put online.
Discussions and extensions of her newest book, Of Rule and Office: Plato’s Ideas of the Political (PUP, 2023) can be found:
On the Political Theory Review podcast, interviewed by Jeffrey Church: here
On the Classical Wisdom podcast, interviewed by Anya Leonard: here
And a short opinion piece based on the book, asking how one might think with Plato about Supreme Court ethics: here
Research Interests
Melissa Lane is a political theorist whose work focuses primarily on ancient Greek philosophy, especially the writings of Plato. She also works on the reception and uses of Plato, informing work which she also does in contemporary political theory, including especially on issues in regard to scientific knowledge, communication, and climate change.
New Publication
Melissa Lane’s major new monograph is Of Rule and Office: Plato’s Ideas of the Political, published by Princeton University Press on 20 June 2023.
In fall and winter 2023, the book is the topic of panel sessions of the American Political Science Association and UK-IVR Association for law and philosophy, and of book launches at Oxford, Princeton, and Labyrinth Books. Symposia on the book have been commissioned to date by the journals History of European Ideas and The Review of Politics.
Melissa Lane discusses the book with Jeffrey Church for The Political Theory Review here, and with Anya Leonard for the Classical Wisdom podcast here.
A short opinion piece based on the book, asking how one might think with Plato about the ethics of the Supreme Court, is here.
Recent & Upcoming Events
Fri 1 September 2023
Author Meets Critics:
Melissa Lane, Of Rule and Office
Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association (Los Angeles, CA)
Comments by Danielle Allen, Kinch Hoekstra, and Matthew Simonton; chaired by Jill Frank
https://tinyurl.com/2azoat3k
Zoom session: requires APSA Annual Meeting registration
Thurs 19 October 2023
'Plato on the Idea of Political Office'
Inaugural Lecture as the 50th Professor of Rhetoric at Gresham College
Barnard’s Inn Hall, London
& livestream
18:00 (GMT+1)
Register in advance here for in-person or livestream (YouTube version will be posted later)
Fri 20 October 2023
UK-IVR Workshop:
Melissa Lane, Of Rule and Office
Workshop hosted by IVR International Association of Legal and Social Philosophy (UK branch)
Barnard’s Inn Hall, London
& livestream
Details for registration will be posted here in early September
Weds 29 November 2023
In Conversation, Labyrinth Books: Princeton & livestream
18:00 (Eastern Time)
Melissa Lane in conversation with Benjamin Morison, Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy, Princeton University, about Of Rule and Office
Register in advance here for livestream, or attend in person (122 Nassau Street)