Shalini Satkunanandan

Shalini Satkunanandan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Davis. Her interdisciplinary work bridges political theory, legal theory, and ethical analysis, emphasizing both historical and contemporary frameworks. She holds a Ph.D. from the Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program at UC Berkeley and degrees in political science and law from the University of New South Wales, Australia. Before joining UC Davis, she served as a Harper Schmidt Fellow in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago.

Education:

• Ph.D., Jurisprudence and Social Policy, University of California, Berkeley
• Law Degree and Political Science Degree, University of New South Wales, Australia

Research Interests: Dr. Satkunanandan’s work explores four key areas:

1. The ethical dimensions of political responsibility, including how moral focus can lead to political irresponsibility.
2. Non-technocratic passions and orientations that resist instrumental governance.
3. The role of religious/secularized faiths in modern liberal democracies.
4. Strategies for coexistence with political and existential opponents, including the 'wisdom of disengagement.'

Her approach combines Anglo-Analytic and Continental traditions, fostering dialogue across disciplinary and methodological divides.

Recent Trends in Articles: Her publications address themes like moral calculus in politics, the ethics of bureaucracy, and the philosophical underpinnings of political accountability. She engages with thinkers such as Nietzsche, Plato, Kant, Weber, and contemporary scholars like Ella Myers and Antonio Vázquez-Arroyo. Her work often critiques technocratic systems while exploring emotional and ethical dimensions of governance.

Scientific Awards: None explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Advising and Grants: No advisees or grant details are listed here. Her current focus appears to be on theoretical research and book reviews.

Labs/Teams: There is no information available regarding specific research groups or laboratories associated with Dr. Satkunanandan in the provided text.