Thomas Godfrey

Dr Thomas Godfrey is a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Sussex, School of Law, Politics and Sociology. He completed his PhD at Sussex in February 2023 and has been teaching there since November 2023, with five years of overall teaching experience at the institution. He holds an Education and Scholarship Contract within the department, reflecting his dual focus on research and pedagogical innovation.

Dr Godfrey earned his BA in Philosophy from the University of Warwick, followed by an MA in Philosophy at the University of Sussex, where he then specialized in Political Theory for his doctoral studies. His academic journey demonstrates a clear progression from philosophical foundations to applied political theory.

His research centers on Political Theory and Applied Political Theory, with particular interest in how historical theories of governance and statehood can address modern challenges. His work bridges theoretical political philosophy with practical regulatory issues, examining Offshoring Practices, Immoral Markets, and Regulatory Capture through a liberal theoretical lens. He is currently exploring Post-Liberalism and questioning the role of Political Ideals in contemporary democracies.

Dr Godfrey's publication record shows consistent scholarly output across respected journals like Res Publica and Teaching Philosophy, with his most recent work reviewing cutting-edge contributions to political legitimacy theory. His upcoming book 'Effective Regulation in Liberal Democratic Societies: Theoretical Perspectives' (Bloomsbury, June 2025) represents the culmination of his doctoral research.

• Spirit of Sussex award (2022)
• Shortlisted for Teaching to Disrupt award (2022)
• Shortlisted for Employability and World Readiness award (2025, with 18 nominations)

As an educator, Dr Godfrey teaches across multiple undergraduate levels, serving as Module Convenor for key courses while also developing innovative programming like the Politics Widening Participation Programme and specialized summer school modules. His commitment to student experience extends beyond the classroom through employability workshops and alumni engagement initiatives that have earned institutional recognition.

Dr Godfrey maintains an active conference presence, regularly presenting his research at international academic events, demonstrating his engagement with the broader scholarly community in political theory and philosophy.