Nicholas Thoburn

Nicholas Thoburn is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Manchester, specializing in architecture and social housing, material cultures of publishing, and social/political theory. He holds a PhD from Goldsmiths, University of London. His work bridges critical theory, urban studies, and radical publishing, with monographs such as Brutalism as Found (2022) and Anti-Book (2016), both translated into eight languages. His research on Robin Hood Gardens, a Brutalist estate, was funded by the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust. Thoburn co-edits New Formations and advises on PhD projects in social movements, urban theory, and political economy.

• Education: PhD in Sociology, Goldsmiths, University of London
• Key Research Themes:
  • Brutalist architecture and social housing policy
  • Radical publishing practices and materiality
  • Deleuzean-Marxist political theory

His articles analyze intersections of urban space, class, and cultural critique, with recent work exploring post-digital publishing and anti-racist media. Collaborations include exhibitions on Robin Hood Gardens residents' lives and co-organized public lectures on publishing and activism.

Thoburn supervises 15+ PhD students focusing on global social movements, urban inequality, and radical theory. His grants include major funding for research on housing crises and publishing's political potential.