Frank Ruda

Frank Ruda (born 1978) is Professor for Modern and Contemporary Philosophy at the University of Dundee, Scotland, and a member of the Scottish Centre for Continental Philosophy. He also serves as Visiting Professor at the Institute of Philosophy, Scientific Research Center, Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Previously, he has taught at Capital Normal University Beijing, Bard College Berlin, Free University of Berlin, Goethe University Frankfurt, University of Nanjing, Bauhaus University Weimar, and University of Potsdam.

Ruda earned his PhD in philosophy in 2008 from the postgraduate program "Forms of Life and the Know-How of Living" at the Universities of Potsdam and Viadrina with a thesis on Hegel. In 2017, he received his venia legendi for philosophy from the Free University of Berlin for a habilitation thesis entitled "Worse than Error. Indifference and Fatalism." His academic journey includes research associate positions at the Free University of Berlin (2008-2014), Goethe University Frankfurt (2015/16), and as a Senior Fellow at IKKM in Weimar (2017).

Ruda's research primarily focuses on Continental Philosophy, particularly Hegelian thought, Badiou's philosophy, and contemporary Marxist theory. His work critically examines concepts of freedom, fatalism, and political philosophy. He argues for "comic fatalism" as a means to overcome "mythical" understandings of freedom, and has developed significant contributions to Hegelian studies, particularly regarding the concept of the "rabble" in Hegel's Philosophy of Right. His scholarship bridges historical philosophical analysis with contemporary political concerns.

Examining Ruda's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on conceptual history, political philosophy, and Hegelian thought. His work demonstrates a trajectory moving from analyses of Hegel and Badiou toward explorations of courage, freedom, and contemporary political challenges. The recurring themes across his publications include dialectical thinking, the critique of contemporary politics, and the exploration of alternative philosophical frameworks for understanding modern society.

Ruda is co-editor of the journal Crisis and Critique and co-authors a column (R-Files) at the Philosophical Salon of the Los Angeles Review of Books. His academic service includes editorial work that supports critical philosophical discourse and provides a platform for contemporary philosophical debates on politics, culture, and society.