Melinda Cooper

Melinda Cooper is a Professor in the School of Sociology at the Australian National University (ANU), specializing in political and social theory with a focus on capitalism's historical intersections with gender, class, and race. She is a co-founder of the ANU Capitalism Studies Network and serves as an editorial advisor to Phenomenal World Books. Her scholarly works include seminal monographs such as Counterrevolution: Extravagance and Austerity in Public Finance (2024), Family Values: Between Neoliberalism and the New Social Conservatism (2017), and Life as Surplus: Biotechnology and Capitalism in the Neoliberal Era (2008).

Academically, Cooper holds a PhD in Sociology from Université Paris 8 Vincennes Saint-Denis (2001), alongside earlier qualifications in French-to-English translation and advanced studies in psychoanalysis. Her research explores contemporary political economy, including topics like asset-based inequality, far-right movements, and the biopolitical dimensions of neoliberalism.

Recent publications highlight themes of class division, ethnonationalism, and the resurgence of dynastic wealth. These works analyze regimes of austerity, familial capitalism, and the ideological underpinnings of anti-abortion movements. She has led a major research project (2018–2025) challenging neoliberal critiques of public debt and deficit-spending.

Cooper's collaborative projects and editorial roles reflect her commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship. Her contributions bridge theoretical analysis with contemporary policy debates, offering critical insights into global economic structures and their socio-political ramifications.