Estelle Ferrarese

Estelle Ferrarese is a Professor of Moral and Political Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, University of Picardy Jules Verne, and a Senior Member of the Institut Universitaire de France (class of 2022). She is the principal investigator of the International Research Network (IRN) 'The Norms of Life,' a collaborative project involving institutions such as Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Cape Town. Her academic affiliations reflect a strong international presence, with visiting positions at the New School, Humboldt-Universität, and Goethe-Universität.

• Professor of Moral and Political Philosophy, University of Picardy Jules Verne (2016–present)
• Senior Member, Institut Universitaire de France (2022–)
• Principal Investigator, IRN 'The Norms of Life' (2023–2027)
• Former Researcher, Marc Bloch Center, Berlin (2014–2016)
• Former Professor, University of Strasbourg (2012–2016)

Her research lies at the intersection of critical theory, feminist philosophy, and political theory, with a focus on vulnerability, public space, forms of life, and ethical consumption. She critically engages with thinkers such as Adorno, Habermas, Nancy Fraser, and Agamben, exploring how subjectivity, recognition, and care are shaped within capitalist and democratic frameworks. Her methodological approach combines continental philosophy with social theory to interrogate normative structures in contemporary society.

The trend in her recent publications reveals a deepening exploration of emotional and bodily expressions—such as sobs, gémissements (moans), and physical vulnerability—as political acts and ethical responses. Her work bridges philosophical abstraction with lived experience, particularly in contexts of care, gender, and democratic participation. Themes of reification, micrology, and the commodification of virtue recur across her writings, signaling a sustained critique of neoliberal rationality.

• Senior Member, Institut Universitaire de France (2022)
• Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Fellow (multiple appointments: 2003–2006, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2024)
• Hoover Fellow, University of Louvain-La-Neuve (2006)
• Writing Grant, National Book Centre (2006)
• Lavoisier Scholarship (2002–2003)
• Gastprofessur, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt (2015)
• Visiting Professor, New School for Social Research (2006–2007)

Ferrarese has supervised and collaborated with numerous scholars, though specific advisees are not listed in the provided text. She has secured significant research funding through fellowships and institutional grants, including support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the French CNRS. Her editorial work includes directing special issues on 'The Politics of Vulnerability' and 'Forms of Life,' as well as co-editing volumes with leading philosophers like Sandra Laugier. She is actively involved in shaping contemporary debates in critical theory and feminist philosophy through publications, international collaborations, and leadership in transnational research networks.

She leads the International Research Network 'The Norms of Life,' which brings together scholars from North America, Europe, and Africa to examine the normative dimensions of everyday life forms. This project reflects her commitment to interdisciplinary and globally engaged philosophy. She has also been affiliated with research centers such as CURAPP-ESS and has collaborated with institutions including the Maison Française d’Oxford and CUNY.