Postgraduate community
Postgrad community
The PhD in Political Theory
The Centre for Political Thought is home to an intellectually vibrant and supportive network of PhD students who benefit from being teaching colleagues as well as fellow researchers. Students pursue a range of research interests, and have excellent facilities in which to discuss topics, texts and thinkers. Theory students are part of a cohort of postgraduate researchers doing work in other research clusters and have ample opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary work. There are many opportunities to develop professionally by participating in conferences, workshops, and the weekly reading group meetings. Doctoral students in political theory also benefit from frequent and supportive contact with the fantastic academic staff here at Exeter.
All PhD students have the opportunity to take on paid employment as teaching assistants during their time at Exeter.
The Centre for Political Thought at Exeter has an outstanding record for the professional placement of completed PhDs.
PhD funding opportunity
The University of Exeter and its Centre for Political Thought offer an ideal place where to pursue PhD research. Candidates with an interest in themes related to Political Theory and the History of Political are welcome to apply to one of the studentships currently available. They are encouraged to approach one of our staff. See under the “Who we are page” for the relevant research interests). We also welcome applications from candidates who would like to pursue a research project across different areas of expertise or in conjunction with other subjects such as Philosophy, Historical Studies, and more empirical Political Science. Our main areas of expertise include: the history of modern political and philosophical thought; environmental ethics, rights and social justice, feminist philosophy, politics of resistance; radical and deliberative democracy, political representation, constitutionalism and citizenship; communities, civil society, and wellbeing; political liberalism, republicanism, critical theory, socialism and anarchism; the digital and co-operative economy; conceptual history and the interpretation of texts; besides the study of particular thinkers such as Hume, Burke, Paine, Proudhon, Nietzsche, Arendt, Rawls, and Rorty.
See current funding options below.
Application for PhD Studentships starting in September 2023 are now opened, the deadline for submissions is 16 January.
Applicants for the AHRC DTP should have two named supervisors from two separate institutions members of the DTP.
For some more info see the annual Q&A sessions to support applicants. You should sign up via EventBrite:
Workshop: Finalising your Application
Monday 9 January 12.30-14.30 GMT
Up to 48 fully-funded PhD studentships are available for entry in September 2023 for the AHRC South West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership. The SWW DTP is the main source of government PhD funding for Humanities, Arts and qualitative Social Science students who want to study at Exeter. Applications open on Monday 21 November and close on Monday 16 January 2023. Further information can be found on SWWDTP Prospective Students webpages.
There are up to 39 student-led awards available and 9 pre-selected Collaborative Doctoral Awards. For student-led projects, applicants must secure agreement in advance of submission from two supervisors to supervise their project. There is a very strong preference for joint-supervision across two of the DTP institutions. Supervisors can be identified via the DTP 'Find a Supervisor' portal (be please note this is not comprehensive, so you may also have to search department webpages).
Please see the Exeter PhD funding pages for information on applying for a SWWDTP studentship to study at Exeter.
Applications for PhD Studentships for October 2023 now open
The closing date for applications to all our partner institutions is 12.00 (Noon) GMT Friday 13th January 2023.
The SWDTP supports doctoral students by developing not only their research skills, but by offering a wide range of training, placements, activities and events as well. We work in a collaborative way across the five institutions and have SWDTP students that will also form part of your cohort. The SWDTP is funded by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC). We have 45 fully-funded studentships from the ESRC available through twelve disciplinary pathways. These span the social sciences and five innovative interdisciplinary pathways. This offers students the broadest possible approach to their studies with us.
Further information on the application here.
General information on HASS funding and awards can be found here.
The following HASS fully-funded studentships will be available for September 2023 entry:
1. Home studentships – up to 4 awards available: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/award/?id=4637
2. International studentships - up to 3 awards available. These now include an additional allowance of up to £3000 for visa fees and health surcharge costs.
3. Postgraduate Teaching Assistant Studentship – open only to CAHRT, SPSPA and HaSS Cornwall applicants.
Our students
|
Name |
Year |
Title |
Supervisors |
Placement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bingshu Zhao |
Current |
Bringing the family back into |
Dario Castiglione and |
|
|
Lingzheng Zeng |
Current |
Isaiah Berlin: Pluralism and Toleration |
Dario Castiglione and Catriona McKinnon |
|
|
Dougie Booth |
Current |
Marxism and Socialist Republicanism |
James Muldoon and Andy Schaap |
|
|
Lewis Cooper |
Current |
To follow |
Andy Schaap and Bice Maiguashca |
|
|
Vivian Hall |
Current |
The Whig Coryphaeus: Walter Moyle and the Civic Humanist Tradition |
Ross Carroll |
|
|
Riina Ylinen |
Current |
Hannah Arendt’s capitalism’ and the ‘value of value’ in contemporary India |
Andy Schaap |
|
|
Oliver Roberts-Garratt |
Current |
Foucault, Hyppolite, and the Ineffable |
James Muldoon |
|
|
Current |
Phenomenology and Aging |
Robin Durie |
|
|
|
Current |
Overturning the Majority |
Andrew Schaap and Alex Prichard |
|
|
|
Roberto Baccarini |
Current |
The Nature of the EU’s Institutional Structure and its Role in the Response to the Covid-19 Crisis |
Dario Castiglione |
|
|
Yutao Zhao |
2021 |
Self-love and the artificiality of Civil Society: Hobbes, Mandeville and Hume |
Dario Castiglione |
Lecturer, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou (China) |
|
2021 |
The Capacity to World: The Transcendental Ground of Hannah Arendt’s Conception of the Human |
Andrew Schaap and Robin Durie |
Postdoctoral Researcher, Sichuan University, Chengdu (China) |
|
|
2020 |
Liberalism and Problems with Female Genital Cutting |
Robert Lamb and Andrew Schaap |
Associate Lecturer, Politics, Exeter |
|
|
2019 |
Afghan asylum seekers in the U.K. |
Andrew Schaap |
|
|
|
2019 |
Marx's "Riddle": Alien Politics in the Thought of Karl Marx |
Iain Hampsher-Monk and Dario Castiglione |
Associate Lecturer, Politics, Exeter |
|
|
2018 |
Rethinking "Flourishing" as an Organic Concept of the Good: The Interpretation of Development and the Evaluation of Life |
Robin Durie and John Dupré |
Associate Lecturer, Politics, Exeter |
|
|
2017 |
Giving Up on the Concept of Representation |
Dario Castiglione |
Partner, Imprint Academic |
|
|
Roberto Baldoli |
2016 |
Aldo Capitini and the Religious Liberation of Nonviolence |
Claudio Raedelli and Andy Schaap |
Associate Researcher, UCL |
|
Farhad Kerimov |
2016 |
Pluralism, Discourse, and Democratic Politics |
Andy Schaap and Dario Castiglione |
Head of International and Comparative Politics Department, American University of Central Asia |
|
Biao Zhang |
2015 |
Concepts of Rationality in Classical Political Theorists and Their Representations in IR Theory |
Iain Hampsher-Monk and Alex Prichard |
Associate Professor, China University of Law and Politics, Beijing (China) |
|
2015 |
Popular Sovereignty in Europe |
Dario Castiglione and Nicole Bolleyer |
Assistant Professor, Utrecht University |
|
|
Stuart Ingham |
2015 |
Egalitarianisms and Exploitation |
Robert Lamb |
Deputy Director of Policy at the Labour Party |
|
Alexandra Boehme |
2014 |
The Multidimensional Sovereignty of the European Union |
Dario Castiglione |
Senior Associate, EMEA Centre for Regulatory Strategy |
|
Christiane Smith |
2014 |
Articulating Ecological Injustices |
Bice Maiguashca and Andy Schaap |
|
|
Gabriel Thebolt |
2014 |
Reconceptualising Emergent Wholes |
Robin Durie |
|
|
2014 |
The Iraq Enquiries: Publicity, Secrecy, and Liberal Security |
Andy Schaap and John Heathershaw |
Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter |
|
|
Christopher Fear |
2013 |
Concepts of Time and History in Nineteenth Century (British) Political Theory and Cultural Criticism |
Iain Hampsher-Monk and Ed Skidelsky |
Lecturer, University of Hull |
|
2012 |
The Divergence of Thought on War and Peace in Renaissance and Early Modern Europe |
Iain Hampsher-Monk |
|
|
|
2012 |
Immanent Creativity and Constitutive Power |
Robin Durie and Andy Schaap |
Lecturer, University of Brighton |
|
|
Marios Filis |
2012 |
Political Ethics: History and Theory |
Dario Castiglione |
Outsourcing Business Manager, LCH |
|
2012 |
The Basis of Human Equality |
Keith Hyams |
Research Fellow, University of Warwick |
|
|
2012 |
Nietzche's Monster of Energy: The Self-Creation of the Great Man |
Robin Durie |
Associate Lecturer, Politics, Exeter |
|
|
2011 |
The Political Thought of Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
Iain Hampsher-Monk |
Senior Lecturer in Political Theory, Kings College London |
|
|
Claire Bonham |
2010 |
Rethinking the Divide: Beyond the Politics of Demand vs. The Policy of the Act Debate |
Bice Maiguashca and Andy Schaap |
Strategic Lead, Volunteering, Salvation Army |
|
2010 |
Why is Cornwall so Poor?: Narrative, Perception, and Identity |
Robin Durie and Jonathan Githens-Mazer |
Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter |
|
|
Saud Al-Tammami |
2009 |
Enlightenment in Contemporary Arab Thought: Juxtaposing Averroes and Kant |
Iain Hampsher-Monk |
|
|
Cassie Hague |
2009 |
Polluted Inheritances?: Children, The Political Imagination, and the Search for a Non-Oppositional Notion of Child Citizenship Rights |
Bice Maiguashca and Robin Durie |
|
|
2009 |
Magistra Vitae: History as Inducement for Action |
Iain Hampsher-Monk |
Research Fellow, Australian National University |
|
|
2009 |
Activity, Passivity, and the Politics of Will and Disposition in the Thought of Locke and Rousseau |
Iain Hampsher-Monk and Dario Castiglione |
Associate Professor, Kyungpook National University |