Nils Baratella

Nils Baratella is Professor of Social Philosophy and Social Ethics with a focus on Political Philosophy and Theories of Justice at Hochschule Düsseldorf (University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf) since September 1, 2022, affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Cultural Studies. Previously, he served as Research Associate at the Chair of History of Philosophy at the University of Oldenburg (2013-2022), where he managed the Hannah Arendt Center research facility and participated in multiple research groups including the Adorno Research Center and the Scientific Center 'Genealogies of the Present.' He has also held teaching positions at the University of Bremen's Institute of Sports Science and the Free University of Berlin's Institute of Philosophy.

Baratella earned his Magister Artium in Philosophy, History, and Modern German Literature from the Free University of Berlin in 2009. He was awarded a NaFöG scholarship from the State of Berlin and joined the DFG-funded Graduate College 'Self-Formations. Practices of Subjectification' in 2010, completing his doctorate in 2014 with the dissertation 'The Combatant Subject: Combat as a Subtext of Modern Subject Philosophy and Its Performance in the Boxing Ring.' From 2017-2022, he pursued part-time teacher training studies for philosophy and history at the Free University of Berlin.

His research program centers on the history of philosophy, particularly the anthropological presuppositions of political philosophies and the possibilities of distanced and critical judgment. He focuses on historically and culturally contingent constitutions of subjectivity and their manifestations in popular cultural forms like sport, employing a phenomenologically grounded and application-oriented approach. His systematic interests span social philosophy, political philosophy, philosophical anthropology, German Idealism, and political phenomenology, with historical engagements ranging from Augustine through Hegel, Nietzsche, and Plessner to Arendt and Blumenberg. Interdisciplinary work includes theories of violence, justice theories, subjectification research, and sports philosophy.

Baratella's publication record demonstrates consistent engagement with political phenomenology, Hannah Arendt studies, and the philosophical dimensions of sport and competition. Recent works show increasing attention to contemporary political challenges including conspiracy narratives and pandemic ethics while maintaining deep connections to historical philosophical traditions. His editorial leadership on 'The Routledge Handbook for Political Phenomenology' (2024) reflects his growing influence in shaping contemporary philosophical discourse.

• DFG reviewer
• Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes reviewer
• Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung reviewer
• HannahArendt.net reviewer
• Human Studies reviewer
• Journal 360° reviewer
• Zeitschrift für praktische Philosophie reviewer
• History of the Human Sciences reviewer
• Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaften reviewer
• Sport und Gesellschaft reviewer

As an academic mentor, Baratella has supervised research within the DFG Graduate College and contributed to multiple collaborative projects. His editorial work includes co-editing special journal issues on Hannah Arendt, conspiracy narratives, and subjectivation. He maintains active membership in numerous scholarly societies including the Adorno Research Center, Hannah Arendt Center Research Center, German Society for Philosophy, Helmuth Plessner Society, International Hegel Society, Karl Jaspers Society, and the Society for Phenomenological Research, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach bridging philosophy, political theory, and cultural studies.

Baratella's academic work is complemented by his background in social work and pedagogy, having worked with Lebenshilfe Berlin eV from 1998-2013 and led violence prevention programs at Berlin-Friedrichshain's 'Liebig 19' youth club. His office is located at Building 3, Floor 2.014, Münsterstraße 156, 40476 Düsseldorf, with office hours by appointment via email.