Pauline Kleingeld

Professor Pauline Kleingeld is a distinguished academic in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Groningen, specializing in Ethics and its History. She has held academic positions at Washington University in St. Louis (1993–2010) and Leiden University (2004–2010) before joining Groningen in 2011. Her research focuses on Kantian philosophy, moral universalism, and cosmopolitanism, with significant contributions to ethical theory and political philosophy.

Her educational background includes a PhD from Leiden University (1994) and studies in Leiden and Frankfurt. Kleingeld has directed major research initiatives, including the NWO-funded Universal Moral Laws (2019–2023) and the Spinoza Prize-funded project on Kantian moral universalism. She co-leads the Sustainable Cooperation consortium grant (2017–2026), exploring interdisciplinary ethics. Her expertise has earned her prestigious fellowships, including membership in the British Academy, Academia Europaea, and multiple national academies.

Research interests include Kant's moral theory, the critique of racism in philosophy, and the intersection of ethics with contemporary social issues. Her work challenges historical interpretations of Kant while advancing Kantian ethics in modern contexts. Notable publications include Kant and Cosmopolitanism (2012) and edited volumes on Kantian texts.

Recent projects emphasize moral universalism's relevance to global ethics and social justice. Her Spinoza Prize (2020) recognized her transformative contributions to Kant studies. Collaborative efforts include leading the Groningen Kant research group, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on ethics and political philosophy.