Martin Shuster

Martin Shuster is a Professor of Philosophy and the Isaac Swift Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, affiliated with the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences (CHESS). He directs the Philosophy and Critical Theory Lab (PaCT Lab), founded in 2019. His research spans political philosophy, ethics, aesthetics, critical theory, and genocide studies, with interdisciplinary engagement in film theory and psychoanalysis. He has held visiting roles at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Notable works include Genocide and the State and co-editing the Oxford Handbook of Theodor W. Adorno. Shuster also writes for public platforms like The Jewish Forward and engages in prison education initiatives.

Education: Ph.D. and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University, M.A. from Yale University, B.A. from University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Research focuses on the structural connections between political agency and genocidal violence, critical theory applications to new media, and intersections of Jewish thought with modern philosophy. Recent scholarship critiques state homogenization imperatives and explores television's evolving aesthetics. His awards include the Isaac Swift Chair and a visiting fellowship with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Teaching includes groundbreaking courses like 'Ethics after Auschwitz' and 'Critical Theory and Philosophy.' He collaborates on major projects like the Oxford Handbook of the Frankfurt School and leads the 'TV-Philosophy' book series at University of Exeter Press. His work bridges academic rigor with public intellectual engagement.