My primary area of research is the political philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. In particular, I am currently focusing on interpreting the underlying claims that Nietzsche makes about political states, including their formation and their periods of decadence and decline. I am investigating the complex relationship between political states and 'higher individuals', who are both a product of certain types of state but are also often the driving impetus behind the emergence of strong states.

I also write on the philosophies and political theories of several twentieth-century Nietzscheans, including Georges Bataille and Michel Foucault, both in respect to their interpretations of Nietzsche and their overall body of work. I am also interested in contemporary agonistic democracy, both the Nietzschean and non-Nietzschean strands, which focuses on the inevitability of conflict between social groups and the necessity of processing this conflict democratically. 

I have convened several Masters level modules focused primarily on exploring the writings of Nietzsche and Foucault, including their views on politics, power, and ethics. I am also the convenor for a first-year module, Power and Democracy, which introduces students to many of the most significant strands of contemporary democratic theory, including competitive elitism, participatory democracy, deliberation democracy, and agonistic democracy. I have also taught on a wide range of undergraduate modules (see teaching tab for more information). 

Open office hours:

Tuesday 14.30-16.30.