Interview of Professor Quentin Skinner - part 1

In this interview, Professor Quentin Skinner discusses his early life, family background rooted in northeast Scotland, and unconventional upbringing due to his father's colonial service in West Africa. He recounts his education at Bedford School, where he was influenced by his history teacher, John Eyre, and developed a passion for literature and theater. Skinner reflects on his academic journey, from winning a scholarship to Cambridge to becoming a fellow at Caius College and later a teaching fellow at Christ's College. He shares insights into his intellectual development, influenced by figures like Walter Ulman, Moses Finley, Duncan Forbes, and John Burrow, and discusses the impact of Peter Laslett's work on Locke. Skinner also touches upon his time at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where he interacted with influential thinkers like Thomas Kuhn, Albert Hirschman, and Clifford Geertz, and details his research on Renaissance political theory, Machiavelli, and classical theories of freedom.