Benjamin Seyd

Benjamin Seyd is a Scientific Staff Member and Editorial Director at the Max-Weber-Kolleg for Cultural and Social Science Studies at the University of Erfurt, Germany. He serves as Editorial Director of the Berliner Journal für Soziologie (Berlin Journal of Sociology) and Editor of the Journal for Business and Corporate Ethics, with significant responsibilities in science communication and academic publishing.

His research spans multiple interconnected domains within contemporary social theory:

• Affect theory and the role of emotions in social and political processes
• Political theory, particularly hegemony and post-structuralist approaches
• Critiques of capitalism and explorations of post-growth societies
• The sociology of globalization and contemporary social transformations
• Populism studies and democratic theory
• Editorial practices and academic knowledge production

Seyd's scholarly work demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersections between emotion, politics, and social change. His recent publications have increasingly addressed contemporary crises, including the pandemic and ecological challenges, examining how societies respond to disruption and uncertainty. Through his editorial leadership of the Berliner Journal für Soziologie, he has shaped important debates in German sociology around categorization practices, gendered language, and the concept of 'system relevance' during crises.

His academic contributions include numerous lectures at prestigious institutions across Germany on topics such as affective capitalism, the emotional constitution of modernity, and the relationship between emotion and political theory. As Editorial Director, Seyd plays a pivotal role in shaping contemporary sociological discourse in the German-speaking world, bridging theoretical sophistication with engagement in current social debates.

Seyd's teaching portfolio at the University of Erfurt reflects his research interests, covering courses on the sociology of globalization, affective labor, capitalism studies, and the emotional dimensions of contemporary political and social transformations, demonstrating his commitment to integrating research and pedagogy.