David Leopold is an Associate Professor of Political Theory at the Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR), University of Oxford, and a Fellow of Mansfield College. He specializes in the political philosophy of G.W.F. Hegel, Karl Marx, and theoretical connections between them. His research also explores utopianism, methodological questions in political theory, and the history of socialist thought. Leopold holds an MA from Sussex University and a DPhil from the University of Oxford. His teaching includes undergraduate and graduate courses on political theory, research methods in the history of political thought, and the theories of Hegel and Marx. He advises doctoral students on Marx, Hegel, and related topics. Research interests span Marx's views on human flourishing (linked to capabilities approaches), Analytical Marxism, William Morris's utopianism, and the role of ideal theory in political philosophy. He critiques dismissals of utopian thinkers like Morris and engages with Engels's early communitarian socialism. Leopold is affiliated with the Political Theory Network and the Centre for Socio-Spatial Justice (CSSJ). His work bridges historical and contemporary political thought, emphasizing critical engagement with classical texts and their relevance to modern debates.
Steven Ma is a Professor at Clemson University's College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. He is affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, though the department name is not explicitly mentioned. His contact information includes an office in 222 Fluor Daniel Building, phone number (864) 656-5537, and email sma22@clemson.edu. Education : Ph.D. from State University of New York at Buffalo (1991), MS from Beijing Polytechnic University (1986), BS from Beihang University (1983). Steven Ma's research interests focus on engineering disciplines, specifically Autonomous Wheeled Vehicles, Machine Design and Manufacturing, Hydraulics and Electro-Hydraulic Control, Welding & Fatigue, and Bolted Joints Design. These areas highlight his expertise in mechanical systems and manufacturing technologies. Analysis of his publications reveals a secondary focus on historical and political topics, particularly Russia's Great War and Revolution, the Russo-Japanese War, and transnational cultural exchanges. His work explores themes like military finance, ideological propaganda, and the global impact of capitalism and revolutionary movements. As of the latest data, there are no documented scientific awards or student advisement records for Steven Ma. His affiliations and contributions to engineering research remain central to his academic profile.
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)United Kingdom
Nora Waitkus is a Professor of Sociology at Heidelberg University's Max-Weber Institute of Sociology and an Assistant Professorial Research Fellow at the London School of Economics' International Inequalities Institute. Her research focuses on socio-economic stratification, wealth inequality, class dynamics, housing inequalities, and economic elites. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Bremen, an M.A. in Political Science from Freie Universität Berlin, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Hamburg. Key research areas include: wealth concentration mechanisms, institutional drivers of inequality, cross-national comparative analysis, and media portrayals of economic elites. She employs methods like longitudinal household surveys, media data analysis, and survey experiments. Her recent work emphasizes how redistribution policies moderate income-wealth linkages, the role of inheritance in wealth legitimacy, and gender disparities in wealth accumulation across occupational classes. Awards: RC28 Significant Scholarship Award, Aleida Hagenaars Memorial Award, NWO Talent Grant (VENI) Grants: VENI project on Varieties of Wealth , Wealth Conflicts within Families (TiU Grant) She leads the Chair of Comparative Social Stratification at Heidelberg University and maintains active collaborations with institutions like Tilburg University and the University of Michigan.
Matt Vidal is Reader in Sociology and Political Economy at Loughborough University London's Institute for International Management and Entrepreneurship. He holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has previously been a postdoctoral fellow at the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, a research fellow at the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society, and a visiting researcher at Paris Dauphine University and the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies. His research focuses on work, organizations, employment relations, labor markets, capitalist growth regimes, and capitalist crises. Vidal has developed an original theoretical framework called 'organizational political economy,' which integrates concepts from organization theory into a classical Marxist framework. His work emphasizes how contradictory developments in labor management lead to divided management approaches, where some managers adopt best practices while others settle for 'good enough' solutions, making capitalist management increasingly a source of organizational inefficiency. Vidal's research methodology combines rich empirical fieldwork (including interviews with 109 individuals across 31 firms and 169 hours of direct observation) with rigorous theoretical synthesis. His work examines not only manufacturing but also extends to education, healthcare, software development, and other sectors where managers face contradictory pressures between standardization versus discretion and deskilling versus upskilling. His 2022 book Management Divided: Contradictions of Labor Management published by Oxford University Press has received significant acclaim from prominent scholars across multiple institutions, establishing him as an important voice in critical management studies and labor sociology. The book presents a synthetic theory explaining why capitalist management often adopts relatively inefficient practices despite the existence of better alternatives. Vidal has also edited The Oxford Handbook of Karl Marx and Comparative Political Economy of Work , and has published over twenty articles or book chapters on work, human resource management, employment relations, labor markets, comparative political economy, and social theory. His contributions have been praised for their theoretical depth, empirical richness, and interdisciplinary approach that bridges sociology of work, organization theory, institutional theory, and Marxist analysis. His work has been recognized through extensive scholarly reviews and endorsements from leading academics including Paul Adler (University of Southern California), Ruth Milkman (CUNY Graduate Center), and Nathan Wilmers (MIT), who commend his ability to develop complex theoretical frameworks grounded in rich empirical evidence from American manufacturing.
Dr. Stephanie Roberta Graf is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Religious Studies (Department of History and Cultural Studies) at the Free University of Berlin since 2025. She previously worked as a Universitätsassistentin at the University of Innsbruck (2021-2025) and participated in the FWF-funded project 'Membership Metaphors as Doorkeepers'. Her research bridges philosophy, critical theory, and religious studies, with a focus on the Frankfurt School's theology and metaphorology. Diploma in International Development (University of Vienna & UNAM, 2005-2011) Master in Latin American Studies (UNAM, 2013-2015) Doctorate in Political and Moral Philosophy (UAM-I & Hebrew University, 2015-2019) Her research explores the theology and metaphysics of the Frankfurt School , German-Jewish thought, coloniality in diaspora religions, and political theology. She has published on topics ranging from Walter Benjamin's natural history concepts to critical analyses of capitalism as religion and heretical mysticism. Her recent work examines ecological crises, cultural appropriation, and interdisciplinary approaches to social critique. Selected publications reveal trends in Frankfurt School philosophy , Jewish mysticism , coloniality , and Benjaminian metaphorology , with subfields including divine violence, nonidentity theory, diaspora cultures, and interdisciplinary hermeneutics. She has presented at international conferences in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Austria, and Israel. She contributes to the academic community through her involvement in projects like the Metaphorology Lecture Series at the University of Innsbruck and the International Colloquium on Heretic Argumentation in Argentina. Her work intersects philosophy, religious studies, and socio-political critique.
Bernd Ladwig is a University Professor of Political Theory and Philosophy at the Free University of Berlin's Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science. He has held this position since February 2011, following a Junior Professorship at the same institution from 2004-2010. His academic career includes previous positions as a Scientific Assistant at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg (2000-2004) and at Humboldt University Berlin (1998-2000). Ladwig received his doctorate in philosophy from Humboldt University of Berlin in 1999 (summa cum laude) with a thesis on "Justice and Responsibility: A Study of the Concept of Equality in Ethical Liberalism," supervised by Prof. Dr. Herfried Münkler and Prof. Dr. Axel Honneth. He completed his Diplom in Political Science at Freie Universität Berlin in 1994 with highest distinction. His research focuses on human rights, animal rights, justice theory, political philosophy, and applied ethics. He has developed significant expertise in normative theories of global relations, multiculturalism, democracy theories, and the intersection of political theory with animal ethics. His work often explores the anthropological foundations of ethics and the relationship between theoretical frameworks and practical political issues. Ladwig has published extensively on topics ranging from the philosophical foundations of human rights to the political theory of human-animal relationships. Ladwig's recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward integrating animal ethics into mainstream political theory. His work challenges traditional boundaries between human and non-human rights while maintaining rigorous philosophical standards. He has developed a distinctive position that advocates for political justice for animals without necessarily granting them citizenship status in human political communities. Principal Investigator of the Interdisciplinary Graduate College "Human Rights under Pressure - Ethics, Law, and Politics" (2014-2017) Director of the annual course "The Diversity of Human Rights" at the Inter-University Center Dubrovnik Member of the Green Academy Co-editor of the journal Leviathan - Berlin Journal for Social Science Member of the Political Theory and Intellectual History section of the German Political Science Association (DVPW) Ladwig has supervised numerous doctoral students and has been actively involved in academic service as a reviewer for major journals and research foundations. His teaching covers a wide range of topics including political theory, philosophy of human rights, animal ethics, and classical political philosophy from Rousseau to Kant.
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)United Kingdom
Bruno Leipold is a political theorist and historian of political thought, currently a Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Department of Government. From September 2025, he will assume the role of Assistant Professor in Political Theory at LSE. His research focuses on Karl Marx’s intellectual development, the republican political tradition, and democratic theory. He holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford, with prior postdoctoral positions at The New Institute (Hamburg), the European University Institute (Florence), and Goethe University Frankfurt. Key publications include the monograph *Citizen Marx* (Princeton UP, 2024), co-editing *Radical Republicanism* (Oxford UP, 2020), and peer-reviewed articles exploring Marx’s analysis of class struggle, republican theory, and 19th-century political movements. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary debates in political philosophy. Teaching responsibilities include courses on political theory foundations, contemporary justice debates, and liberal ideas of freedom. Leipold’s research emphasizes the intersections of republicanism, socialism, and democratic theory, with a particular focus on Marx’s intellectual legacy and radical political thought.
Tomás Rotta is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Director of Economics in the Institute of Management Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a member of the Structural Economic Analysis Research Unit and serves on the management committee of the Association for Heterodox Economics. Education: Post-graduate certificate in higher education (HEA fellow), 2015 PhD in Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA, 2014 MA in Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA, 2010 MSc in Economic Development, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2008 BSc in Business Management, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2004 Tomás’ research focuses on Political Economy, value theory, and input-output analysis. He investigates economic growth and distribution, the impact of intellectual monopoly on digital assets and the knowledge economy, and computational/quantitative methods in contemporary issues. His work often integrates Marxian theory with empirical modeling using R and Python. Recent publications analyze global value chains, income inequality in the United States, and comparative economic exploitation across 43 countries. These studies employ quantitative frameworks to explore how information rents and intellectual monopoly affect value creation, distribution, and productivity. Tomás’ affiliations include the Structural Economic Analysis Research Unit and the Association for Heterodox Economics. He teaches Advanced Econometrics, Econometrics, and Applied Quantitative Economics at postgraduate and undergraduate levels.
Peter Minowitz is a Professor in the Political Science Department at Santa Clara University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He specializes in political philosophy, with a focus on thinkers like Leo Strauss, Adam Smith, Nietzsche, and Machiavelli, as well as intersections between political philosophy and science fiction. He teaches courses on the history of political philosophy, Leo Strauss, Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil , and the role of science fiction in political thought. Education: Ph.D., Harvard University (1988) B.A., Middlebury College (1976) Minowitz has authored two books— Straussophobia (2009) and Profits, Priests, and Princes (1993)—and written extensively on figures such as Karl Marx, Frank Herbert, and Woody Allen. His recent public commentary includes critiques of Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E. Act and analyses of Critical Race Theory discourse, as seen in his letters to the New York Review of Books and San Jose Mercury News . He also contributes to public engagement, notably through his jazz piano performances with the band Med’s Mood Swings .
Udo Tietz is PD Dr. and Lecturer at the Institute of Social Sciences, Department of International Relations and European Integration. Holding the venia legendi in philosophy, he has served as substitute professor for Social Philosophy and Anthropology at Freie Universität Berlin (2010–2012) and for History of Philosophy at Philipps-Universität Marburg (2005, 2006–2007), while maintaining a research affiliation with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin since 2000. Education & Academic Career: 1975–1980: Studies in Mechanical Engineering (Diplom), Technische Hochschule Karl-Marx-Stadt (Chemnitz) 1980–1983: Studies in Philosophy (Diplom), Karl-Marx-Universität Leipzig 1989: Dr. phil., Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin – Dissertation: Ästhetik und Geschichte 1999: Habilitation, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin – Thesis: Verstehen und Begründen aus dem Kontext. Aspekte eines antifundamentalistischen Universalismus Research Interests span Political Philosophy, Collective Identity, Institutional Theories and the Philosophy of Language. His work focuses on how modern societies integrate normative orders through institutions, the role of collective identities under conditions of modernity, and the tension between freedom and political correctness in liberal democracies. Across monographs, edited volumes and articles, Tietz has interrogated thinkers such as Hegel, Nietzsche, Marx, Gadamer and Carl Schmitt. Recurring themes include the boundaries of political community, the rational integration of plural identities, and the philosophical critique of prevailing moral and legal structures. Scientific Production & Trends: Since 2000 he has produced more than a dozen books and over fifty scholarly articles. Recent work (2015–2022) increasingly addresses contemporary political culture—especially the culture-war dynamics triggered by political correctness—and re-evaluates classical theories of community and freedom in light of current social conflicts. Grants & Projects: Since 2012: Research associate in the DFG-funded project “ Corpus-based Analysis of News Coverage on War and Intervention ” 2008: Fellow in Residence, Nietzsche-Kolleg Weimar Editorial & Institutional Roles: Tietz is co-editor of the journal Berliner Debatte Initial and has edited numerous collected volumes on social philosophy, dialectics, and political theory. His long-standing collaboration with Cathleen Kantner has advanced the study of multiple collective identities in modern societies.
Ulrik Lögdlund is an Associate Professor at the Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning (IBL) at Linköping University, affiliated with the Division of Education and Sociology (APS). His research focuses on sociological theory, education sociology, and work-related studies. He has contributed chapters on major sociological thinkers including Karl Marx, Erving Goffman, Charles Horton Cooley, and Bruno Latour, demonstrating expertise in social theory and its applications. His work also addresses contemporary issues in labor markets, as seen in the 2020 study on youth employment challenges within the Rethink Project. Research interests span organizational studies, social inequality, and the interplay between theory and practice in sociological analysis. He is part of the Work and working life research group at IBL, which investigates topics such as workplace health, leadership, and sustainable work conditions.
Doug Haynes is a Reader in American Literature and Visual Culture at the University of Sussex , affiliated with the School of Media, Arts and Humanities. His work bridges modern American literature and visual art with critical theory, focusing on affect, economy, and everyday life. He has supervised 13 PhD students, several of whom hold academic positions globally. Education: DPhil in American Literature, University of Sussex (2004) MA in Fine Art, Brighton University MA in Culture and Social Change, University of Southampton BA in English Literature, University of Southampton Haynes’ research explores humor, particularly 'dark humor,' in works by Thomas Pynchon, Nathanael West, and Mike Kelley, integrating critical theory and transnational perspectives. His recent publications analyze Pynchon’s narratives of economy and affect, while earlier work examines surrealism, Kafka’s influence, and Adorno’s philosophy. Scientific awards include editorial roles on Orbit: Readings Around Pynchon and Cogent OA , alongside organizing international symposia like Pynchonomics and Facing America . He leads the Sussex Centre for American Studies and serves on university committees including the Joint Negotiating Committee and Senate.
Brian Leiter is Karl N. Llewellyn Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Chicago Law School, where he has been a prominent faculty member specializing in legal philosophy and jurisprudence. His work focuses primarily on legal realism across multiple traditions (American, Scandinavian, Italian, and French) and its connections to political theory. Leiter's research interests span legal philosophy, jurisprudence, constitutional theory, and Marxist theory. He is particularly known for his work on legal realism, having published extensively on American Legal Realism and its connections to other realist traditions. His scholarship critically engages with contemporary jurisprudential debates, including critiques of the "metaphysical turn" in American jurisprudence and analyses of "common good constitutionalism." Leiter has also made significant contributions to Marxist legal theory through his co-authored book on Marx. His recent publications show a consistent focus on realist approaches to law, with particular attention to theoretical disagreements, legal indeterminacy, and the relationship between law and political power. Leiter's work often bridges philosophical analysis with practical legal concerns, demonstrating how realist perspectives can illuminate contemporary legal and political challenges. Among his notable scholarly achievements are his forthcoming monograph From a Realist Point of View (Oxford University Press, Spring 2026), his co-authored book on Marx, and his editorship of the Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Law series. His work has been recognized internationally, with translations of his scholarship appearing in Spanish for Latin American audiences. Leiter actively contributes to legal academia through his blog Leiter Reports , where he comments on legal education, scholarly trends, and current events in the legal profession. He has organized fellowship programs and workshops that foster interdisciplinary engagement between law and philosophy, demonstrating his commitment to advancing legal scholarship through collaborative intellectual exchange.
Dr Kieran Durkin is a Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of York. He holds an MA (Hons.), MRes, and PhD from the University of Glasgow. His research focuses on Marxism, Marxist-humanism, critical theory, decolonial theory, and feminist theory, with an emphasis on reinserting humanism into critiques of capitalism. Durkin has held a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Fellowship (2018–2021), during which he was a Visiting Fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Education: PhD in Politics, University of Glasgow MRes in Politics, University of Glasgow MA (Hons.) in Politics, University of Glasgow Teaching: Undergraduate: Karl Marx Politics, State, Economy, and Society, Politics of Gender Postgraduate: Critical Theories of International Political Economy His research explores intersections between Marxist-humanism, decolonial thought, and feminist theory to critique capital's impact on human agency. He has published widely on Erich Fromm, Raya Dunayevskaya, and the Marxist-Humanist tradition. Key works include The Radical Humanism of Erich Fromm (shortlisted for the Philip Abrams Memorial Prize) and edited volumes on Raya Dunayevskaya and Fromm’s critical theory. He has collaborated on projects such as the Marie Curie-funded Humanist Marxism (2018–2022) and engages in public scholarship through articles in Jacobin and podcast discussions on Erich Fromm’s legacy.
Max Planck Institute for the History of ScienceGermany
Sonja Brentjes is a historian of science affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) in Berlin. She specializes in institutions, mathematics, and mapmaking in Islamicate societies until 1700, as well as cross-cultural encounters in the Mediterranean and western Asia since the eighth century. Studied mathematics at Technical University Dresden (1969–1973) History of mathematics and science at Karl Marx University Leipzig (1973–1976) Near Eastern history and Arabic at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (1978–1982) Her research focuses on the history of science in Islamicate societies, cross-cultural knowledge transfer through translation, and material cultures of astral knowledge. She led the Visualization of the Heavens (VoH) project (2017–2021) and contributed to studies on Al-Khazini’s Book on the Balance of Wisdom . Recent work includes developing a digital database of astral imagery across Eurasia and North Africa, with publications in journals like NTM and Intellectual History of the Islamicate World . Her edited volumes, such as the Routledge Handbook on the Sciences in Islamicate Societies (2023), highlight her expertise in pre-modern scientific practices. The VoH project’s findings reveal the diversity of zodiac representations and their conceptual transformations across cultural boundaries, challenging earlier text-based understandings. Brentjes collaborates with an international interdisciplinary team, including art historians, historians of astronomy, and religious scholars.
