John Kipp

John Kipp is a junior in Winthrop House concentrating in History with a secondary in Government. His central academic interests are the history of political thought, 19th-century America, the late Roman world, and the philosophy of law. John’s recent work examines how President Andrew Jackson transformed the nature of the American executive by identifying himself, not Congress, as the primary representative of the popular will, and by demanding obedience from his subordinates in the executive branch, particularly his Treasury Secretary, William Duane. John also recently wrote about the rise of the jury trial in criminal proceedings in 13th-century England after the Fourth Lateran Council placed restrictions on trials by ordeal. John is a fellow at the Harvard Catholic Forum, where he leads a weekly reading group on the social teaching of the Catholic Church. He also helps to coordinate service opportunities at the Harvard Catholic Center as a member of the Student Board. Please feel free to reach out to chat about American history, political philosophy, selecting courses, or anything else.