Thomas Lemke

Thomas Lemke is Professor of Sociology with a focus on 'Biotechnology, Nature and Society' at the Institute of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. He has held this position since September 2008 and is an active faculty member in the Graduate Research College (GRK) 'Life Sciences – Life Writing,' contributing his expertise in biopolitics and science and technology studies.

His educational background includes studies in Political Science, Sociology and Law in Frankfurt am Main, Southampton and Paris. He obtained his doctoral degree at Goethe University in 1996 for research on the concept of power in Michel Foucault's work.

Lemke's research focuses on the intersection of social theory, biopolitics, and science and technology studies. His work explores governmentality, new materialism, and the sociological implications of biotechnology. He approaches these topics through a critical lens that challenges conventional understandings of life, agency, and power relations in contemporary society.

His recent publications demonstrate ongoing scholarly productivity with works published in 2025, including the third revised edition of 'Biopolitics for introduction' and a Spanish translation of 'Foucault, Governmentality and Critique.' These works reflect his continued engagement with theoretical frameworks for understanding power dynamics in biomedicine and the life sciences.

• Heisenberg scholarship from DFG (2007)

Lemke contributes significantly to interdisciplinary research through his involvement with the GRK program, which brings together expertise from medicine, life sciences, and social sciences. He is currently working on a book project entitled 'The Government of Things: Foundations and Perspectives of New Materialism' funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, exploring posthumanist concepts of agency and self-organization.