Luke Hawksbee

Dr. Luke Hawksbee is a Teaching Professor in Sociology at the University of Cambridge, specializing in the Political Economy of Biomedicine within the Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science. He has taught in the Sociology Department since 2014 with appointments at King's College.

His academic credentials include:

• BA and MPhil in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge focusing on social and political philosophy, feminist thought, and cultural appropriation
• PhD in Sociology with thesis titled 'The role of financial and intangible assets in pharmaceutical business models in the financialised pharmaceutical sector'

Hawksbee's research critically examines pharmaceutical business models through Marxist political economy frameworks, analyzing how financialization impacts healthcare systems and drug pricing. His work bridges theoretical political economy with practical health policy concerns, particularly regarding intellectual property rights during global health crises. He investigates power dynamics between pharmaceutical corporations, healthcare systems, and patients within global capitalism.

His publication trajectory shows consistent focus on pharmaceutical economics and health policy, with increasing emphasis on global equity issues as evidenced by his 2022 BMJ article addressing Covid-19 intellectual property waivers. Both publications demonstrate rigorous analysis of market structures affecting healthcare accessibility.

As an educator, Hawksbee teaches across sociology and medical curricula including Global Capitalism, Health Medicine and Society, and Social and Ethical Context of Health and Illness modules. He convenes interdisciplinary workshops and supervises graduate students in Political and Economic Sociology.