Simon Hajdini

Simon Hajdini is an Assistant Professor and Senior Research Associate in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Ljubljana, where he teaches social and political philosophy. He holds a PhD in Philosophy (2012) and dual BAs in Philosophy and Comparative Literature (2004) from the University of Ljubljana.

• Affiliations: Affiliate Member at Concordia University’s Centre for Sensory Studies, Head of the Chair for Social Philosophy and Theoretical Psychoanalysis, and Editor of Problemi and Borec.
• Research Focus: Critical theory, political economy, hyperstructuralism, psychoanalysis, sensorial politics, and the philosophy of olfaction.

His recent work explores the olfactory dimension of culture and capitalism, exemplified by his book What’s That Smell? A Philosophy of the Olfactory (MIT Press, 2024), which examines the intersection of smell, language, and social divisions. Hajdini’s research has been supported by grants such as the Slovenian Research Agency’s Names at the Tip of the Nose: Naming, Smell, and Truth (2022–2026).

He has held visiting appointments at The University of Chicago (since 2016) and Concordia University, Montreal, and regularly presents at international conferences. Notable lectures include A Lamellar Ecology of Breastfeeding (Concordia, 2025) and Biohybrid Enjoyments: On Freud and Biotechnology (University of Ljubljana, 2024).

Award-winning scholar and theorist, Hajdini’s work bridges philosophy, psychoanalysis, and political economy. He supervises 3 PhD candidates and has advised numerous MA and BA students. His editorial contributions span journals like Cultural Critique and Open Philosophy.