Alessandro Ferrara

Alessandro Ferrara is a Professor of Political Philosophy at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. He serves as Director of the Colloquium 'Philosophy and Society' in Rome and Director of the Center for Religion and Political Institutions in Post-Secular Society at Tor Vergata. Previously, he was President of the Italian Association for Political Philosophy and has organized an annual conference on philosophy and social sciences since 1991, initially held in Dubrovnik and later in Prague.

Education:

• PhD from the University of California, Berkeley
• Humboldt Fellow, collaborating with Jürgen Habermas in Munich and Frankfurt

Ferrara’s research centers on the concept of normative validity grounded in authenticity and judgment, seeking to reconcile Kantian reflective judgment with contemporary political philosophy. His work critiques antifoundationalist arguments while proposing a sustainable alternative to proceduralist normative frameworks.

Scientific Awards & Roles:

• Humboldt Fellowship
• Executive Committee Member of the Istanbul Seminars on Religion and Politics (since 2007)
• Editorial Board Member of journals like Constellations, Philosophy and Social Criticism, and The European Journal of Philosophy

Ferrara has taught at prestigious institutions including Harvard, Columbia, Yale, University College London, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He has authored influential books such as Reflective Authenticity and The Democratic Horizon, translated into multiple languages.