معرفی
Arthur Ghins is a British Academy Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Political Economy at King's College London and a FNRS Research Fellow at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). His work bridges the history of political thought, democratic theory, and liberalism. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and previously taught at Brown University and Yale University. His research focuses on modern democracy, public opinion, and the conceptual evolution of popular sovereignty, particularly in French political thought. He is completing a monograph, The People's Two Powers: Public Opinion and Popular Sovereignty from Rousseau to Liberal Democracy, and developing a second project on propaganda and democracy.
Research Interests: Ghins examines the interplay between political institutions, public opinion, and sovereignty in historical contexts. Key themes include:
- French Revolution-era debates on democracy and legitimacy
- Benjamin Constant's theories of public opinion and liberalism
- Empire and its impact on political thought
- Historical and contemporary dynamics between democracy and propaganda
Publications: His articles analyze Constant's rejection of popular sovereignty, the role of public opinion in constitutionalism, and the contested origins of French liberalism. Recent work challenges traditional narratives linking Montesquieu to Constant and Tocqueville.
Awards: Recipient of the British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022–present).
Labs/Teams: Active in the Centre de Théorie Politique at ULB and collaborates with global research networks on political theory and intellectual history.
