
Noah Feldman is a prominent public intellectual, law professor at Harvard University, and author of several books. He is a Rhodes Scholar and earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Oriental Studies from Oxford University, writing his dissertation on Aristotle's Ethics and its Islamic reception. Feldman specializes in constitutional law and ethics, with a particular focus on the relationship between law and religion, free speech, and the history of legal ideas. He has advised governments and organizations such as Facebook and eBay on ethical decision-making and governance solutions. Feldman is also a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and has written for publications including The New York Review of Books and The New York Times.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Noah Raam Feldman |
| Date of Birth | May 22, 1970 |
| Profession | Legal Scholar and Academic |
| Specialization | Constitutional Law, Constitutional Studies |
| Area of Emphasis | Power and Ethics, Law and Religion, History of Legal Ideas |
| Institutions | Harvard University, Yale Law School, Oxford University |
| Positions Held | Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Chairman of the Society of Fellows, Founding Director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program |
| Publications | 10 books, including "The Broken Constitution", "Scorpions", "The Arab Winter", "To Be a Jew Today" |
| Media | Host of "Deep Background" podcast, Columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, Writer for "The New York Review of Books" |
| Consultancy | Ethical Compass Advisors, Facebook Oversight Board |
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What You'll Learn

Noah Feldman's academic background
Noah Feldman is an American legal scholar and academic. He specializes in constitutional studies, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between law and religion, free speech, constitutional design, and the history of legal theory. Feldman is the author of several books, including 'Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices', 'The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State', and 'Divided By God: America's Church-State Problem and What We Should Do About It'. He is also a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and an adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Feldman received his AB summa cum laude in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University in 1992. He was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and earned a D.Phil. in Islamic Thought or Oriental Studies from Oxford University in 1994. Feldman then received his JD from Yale Law School in 1997, serving as Book Reviews Editor of the Yale Law Journal. He clerked for Justice David Souter of the US Supreme Court and Chief Judge Harry T. Edwards of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit.
In 2007, Feldman joined the Harvard Law School faculty as the Bemis Professor of International Law, teaching classes on the First Amendment, the Constitution, and the international order. In 2014, he was appointed the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He is also the chairman of the Harvard Society of Fellows and the founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law.
In addition to his academic career, Feldman has been involved in public affairs and policy. In 2003, he served as a senior constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and advised on the drafting of the interim constitution. He has also testified before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the constitutional grounds for presidential impeachment. Feldman is a public intellectual and a voice on public affairs, contributing to publications such as Bloomberg Opinion and The New York Review of Books.
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Areas of specialisation
Noah Feldman is an American legal scholar and academic specialising in constitutional studies. He is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Chair of the Society of Fellows, and founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, all at Harvard University. Feldman's work is focused on ethics and constitutional law with an emphasis on innovation, free speech, law and religion, and history.
Feldman has published several books, including nonfiction works such as *The Broken Constitution*, *Divided By God*, *What We Owe Iraq*, *Cool War*, *Scorpions*, *The Three Lives of James Madison*, and *The Arab Winter*. He has also co-authored textbooks with Kathleen Sullivan, including *Constitutional Law* and *First Amendment*.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Feldman served as a senior constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in 2003, advising on the drafting of the country's interim constitution. He has also contributed to policy and public affairs as a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and written for publications like *The New York Review of Books* and *The New York Times Magazine*.
Feldman's expertise in constitutional law and its interplay with religion and free speech has established him as a prominent public intellectual. His opinions and analyses are highly regarded, earning recognition from various media outlets, including *Esquire* and *New York Magazine*.
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Career as a public intellectual
Noah Feldman is an American legal scholar and academic who has established himself as a prominent public intellectual. He is a Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where he teaches classes on the First Amendment, the Constitution, and the international order. Feldman is also a public affairs columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and has contributed to The New York Review of Books and The New York Times Magazine. He is the author of several books, including The Broken Constitution: Lincoln, Slavery & The Refounding of America and The Arab Winter: A Tragedy, and has co-authored textbooks on Constitutional Law and First Amendment Law.
Feldman's expertise in constitutional law and his ability to engage with both popular and scholarly audiences have earned him recognition as a leading public intellectual. In 2006, New York Magazine proclaimed him "the next big public intellectual," and he has since been featured in lists of influential people by publications such as Esquire and The New York Observer.
Feldman's contributions as a public intellectual extend beyond his writings. In 2019, he testified before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the constitutional grounds for presidential impeachment during the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. He has also served as a constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, advising on the drafting of the country's interim constitution.
Through his consultancy, Ethical Compass Advisors, Feldman advises companies like Facebook and eBay on improving their ethical decision-making and governance solutions. He played a key role in conceiving and establishing the Facebook Oversight Board and continues to provide guidance on ethics and governance issues.
Additionally, Feldman hosts the podcast Deep Background, where he explores the historical, scientific, legal, and cultural contexts behind significant news stories. His ability to provide insightful analysis and commentary on a range of topics has solidified his reputation as a respected public intellectual.
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Published works
Noah Feldman is a constitutional law scholar and Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He is also the Chairman of the Society of Fellows and the founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law, all at Harvard University.
Feldman has published numerous books and papers in the field of constitutional law and related areas. He has authored or co-authored ten nonfiction books, two casebooks, and several papers in law reviews and journals. His published works include:
- "Constitutional Law" (co-authored with Kathleen Sullivan, 18th edition in 2013, 21st edition in 2022)
- "First Amendment Law" (co-authored with Kathleen Sullivan, 7th edition in 2019)
- "Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices" (Twelve Books, 2010)
- "The Broken Constitution: Lincoln, Slavery, and the Refounding of America" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021)
- "The Arab Winter: A Tragedy" (Princeton University Press, 2020)
- "The Three Lives of James Madison: Genius, Partisan, President" (Random House, 2017)
- "Cool War: The Future of Global Competition" (Random House, 2013)
- "The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State" (Princeton University Press, 2008)
- "Divided By God: America's Church-State Problem and What We Should Do About It" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005)
- "What We Owe Iraq: War and the Ethics of Nation-building" (Princeton University Press, 2004)
- "After Jihad: America and the Struggle for Islamic Democracy" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003)
- "To Be a Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel, and the Jewish People" (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2024)
In addition to his books, Feldman has also published articles and opinion pieces in various publications, including The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, and Bloomberg Opinion. He also hosts the Deep Background podcast, where he explores the historical, scientific, legal, and cultural contexts behind major news stories.
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Consultancy work
Noah Feldman is a constitutional law scholar and the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard University. He has authored or co-authored ten books, including *Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices* and *The Arab Winter: A Tragedy*.
Feldman's consultancy work is primarily conducted through his firm, Ethical Compass Advisors (also known as Ethical Compass). The firm advises companies on improving their ethical decision-making and governance solutions. Feldman has notably advised major companies like Facebook and eBay in this capacity. He also played a role in conceiving and establishing the Facebook Oversight Board.
In addition to his private consultancy work, Feldman has served in public advisory roles. Notably, in 2003, he served as a senior constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. He subsequently advised members of the Iraqi Governing Council on drafting the country's interim constitution.
Feldman's consultancy work is informed by his expertise in constitutional law and his academic interests, which include power and ethics, governance solutions, law and religion, and the history of legal ideas. He also shares his insights on these topics through his newsletter, "Ethical Compass," and as a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and The New York Review of Books.
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Frequently asked questions
Noah Feldman is a law professor at Harvard University, a public intellectual, and a voice on public affairs. He is also a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion and author of several books.
Feldman graduated from Harvard with an A.B. summa cum laude, finishing first in his class. He was then awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Christ Church, Oxford, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Oriental Studies, writing his dissertation on Aristotle's Ethics and its Islamic reception. He then attended Yale Law School, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 1997.
Noah Feldman specializes in constitutional law and the relationship between law and religion, ethics, and free speech. He has advised clients such as Facebook and eBay on ethical decision-making and governance solutions.
Noah Feldman has authored several books, including "Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices" (2010), "The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State" (2008), and "To Be a Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel, and the Jewish People" (2024). He has also written for publications such as The New York Review of Books and The New York Times.












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