Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice

This research cluster is reshaping scholar’s understanding of the history and growth of capitalism and will bring together the best scholars in the world.  This is a three year project that is co-led by the Simmons Center and the International Institute of Social History (Amsterdam).

Recent News

The EDU Ledger

A Critical Thinker

At Brown University, Ph.D. candidate Arlin Hill is reimagining how culture, power, and identity intertwine. Drawing on the Black Radical Tradition and inspired by thinkers like Sylvia Wynter and Cedric Robinson, Hill examines how colonial assumptions embedded in Western thought shape behavior and self-perception. His work bridges disciplines to uncover the deep connections between race, gender, and capitalism — and to imagine new modes of resistance. Through public panels and community dialogue, Hill invites others to reflect on how social realities are formed, sustained, and transformed.
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In a joint project with the International Institute of Social History, the Cluster unites scholars from across continents. Since 2021, the group has met in Amsterdam and Jamaica to examine racial capitalism, colonial rule, and slavery’s lasting impact, fostering global discussions on these interconnected histories.
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Current and Past Faculty, Researchers, and Fellows

Race, Slavery, Colonialism and Capitalism Research Cluster Faculty Leadership

  • Anthony Bogues

    Inaugural Director, Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery & Justice (on leave July–December 2025); Director, MA in Public Humanities (on leave July–December 2025); Asa Messer Professor of Humanities and Africana Studies
  • Pepijn Brandon

    Simmons Center Research Associate; Professor of Global Economic and Social History at the Vrije Universiteit

Graduate Fellows

Arlin Hill ’27 Ph.D.
Race, Slavery, Colonialism and Capitalism Graduate Proctor (2024–2025)
Race, Slavery, Colonialism and Capitalism Graduate Fellow (2023–2024)