Political Theory research group
Political Theory Research Group brings together scholars from within the School of Government who share an interest in exploring how the world of politics ought to work.
Political Theory Research Group brings together scholars from within the School of Government who share an interest in exploring how the world of politics ought to work. Reflecting the broad array of intellectual traditions making up what ‘political theory’ means today, members of the group have varied expertise across the history of political thought, ideology criticism, both continental and Anglo-American political philosophy, Critical Theory, feminist and anti-racist approaches, international ethics, and discourse and rhetoric.
Activities
Activities
The core activities of the group are its regular, informal meetings to present 'work in progress'. By longstanding convention, these meetings are convened in a consciously collegiate and supportive atmosphere. Postgraduate researchers are especially encouraged to share their work.
On 15 January 2026, the group held its first ever whole-day annual ‘Spring’ conference where the following works-in-progress were presented:
- Mark Wenman: ‘Populism and the “lost object of society”’
- Jacob Skelhorn-French: ‘Culture, reasonableness and the ethics of exclusion’
- Richard Shorten: ‘Vulnerability and political thought’
- Sarah Bufkin: ‘Theorizing Racial Capitalism with Stuart Hall’
Feedback from these meetings has allowed members of the group to bring various book and journal article publications to completion. (Details can be found by following the links to individual staff profile at the bottoms of this page.)
Ongoing projects include:
- Rethinking cosmopolitanism, world citizenship, and universalism amidst geopolitical tensions and the breakdown of the rules-based international order (Mark Wenman)
- Exploring the concept of vulnerability and vulnerable political writing as resources for combatting nationalism, authoritarianism, and extremism (Richard Shorten)
- Political theory and critique in the afterlife of empire (Sarah Bufkin)
Academic members
Academic members
Contact
Contact
For further information about the research group contact:
- Richard Shorten, Email r.c.shorten@bham.ac.uk
- Sarah Bufkin, Email s.m.bufkin@bham.ac.uk