Professor Mark Wenman

• PhD Politics, 2005 (Essex)
• MSc Politics and Sociology, 1996 (London)
• BA Social Science, 1995 (Westminster)

Mark joined POLSIS in January 2016. Prior to this, he held posts at the University of Nottingham, where he taught political theory for over ten years, alongside responsibilities as Warden of Derby, Lincoln, and Sherwood Halls. Mark was educated at Christ’s Hospital, the University of Westminster, and Birkbeck College, and he completed a PhD in the Ideology and Discourse Analysis programme at the University of Essex in 2005. During this time, he was taught by several leading political theorists, including John Keane, Paul Hirst, Ernesto Laclau, Aletta Norval, and David Howarth.

Mark’s research interests include continental philosophy, contemporary political theory, the philosophy of the social sciences, and the history of political thought. He has particular expertise in twentieth- and twenty-first-century theories of democracy, theories of political pluralism, post-structuralism, agonistic democracy, critical cosmopolitanisms, and the work of Hannah Arendt.

Mark’s monograph, Agonistic Democracy: Constituent Power in the Era of Globalisation, was published by Cambridge in 2013. This work is complemented by a strong record of innovative and significant single-authored articles in leading peer reviewed political theory journals, including Philosophy and Social Criticism, Contemporary Political Theory, and Political Theory, as well as discipline wide Social Science Citation Index journals such as Political Studies and Political Studies Review.

Over the past two decades, Mark has also led transformational change in education leadership and strategy, most notably as Head of Education for the School of Government (2019–2022) and currently as Director of Education for the College of Social Sciences (2023– ). Similarly, Mark has a strong track record of research leadership. From 2011 to 2016, while at Nottingham, he was one of three Lead Editors of Political Studies, the flagship journal of the Political Studies Association (UK), alongside Professors Chris Pierson and Cees van der Eijk. During the same period, Mark also served as Editor-in-Chief of the sister journal, Political Studies Review. In addition, he has been Co-Director of the POLSIS Political Theory Research Group since 2016. Previously, Mark was a founding member and later Director (2013–2016) of CONCEPT, the Nottingham Centre for Normative Political Theory.

Mark is an experienced PhD supervisor, having supervised 12 students to successful completion.

Mark is keen to take on new students, with projects that correspond broadly with his research interests.

Mark’s monograph, Agonistic Democracy: Constituent Power in the Era of Globalisation, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2013. The book offers the first systematic account of agonistic democracy and provides a critical assessment of leading contemporary theorists of agonism, including William Connolly, James Tully, Chantal Mouffe, and Bonnie Honig. These theorists are examined through a critical framework derived from Hannah Arendt, with particular reference to her conceptions of revolution and augmentation, as well as her distinctive understanding of political judgement. The book has been widely reviewed in journals such as European Political Science, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, Contemporary Political Theory, Political Theory, and Perspectives on Politics. It has been described as “the first comprehensive and critical survey of the whole field of agonistic democracy… an excellent introduction to this new field that makes an original contribution” (James Tully, Distinguished Professor, University of Victoria, Canada).

Mark is currently bringing to fruition two related, long-standing projects. The first focuses on rethinking cosmopolitanism, world citizenship, and universalism in the context of increasing geopolitical tensions and the breakdown of the rules-based international order. The second examines how to rearticulate a theory of political pluralism in response to the rise of reactionary populism and the erosion of democratic norms within the domestic political context.

As Director of Education for the College of Social Sciences (CoSS), Mark oversees the strategic and operational delivery of education for more than 12,500 students across four Schools—including the Birmingham Business School (BBS)—and three locations: Edgbaston, Dubai, and Singapore. He is responsible for 160 programmes, delivered by approximately 900 academic and supported by 300 professional services colleagues. This represents the University’s largest and most complex educational portfolio, including seven of the top ten PGT programmes for overseas student recruitment.

In this role, Mark works closely with the PVC Education and the University’s Senior Education team to deliver the University’s 2030 Strategy. Within the College, he also led the education workstream for the CoSS 2030 strategy. Key priorities include improving teaching and learning through the embedded critical use of AI, delivering a truly excellent student experience, closing awarding gaps to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to succeed, and integrating skills and graduate attributes into the curriculum to prepare graduates for a rapidly changing world of work.

With over 15 years’ experience at Department, School, College and University level, Mark also has a comprehensive understanding of student recruitment and admissions. Mark has represented both the College and the University with external partners through in-country visits to India, Dubai, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore and China. In addition, he has worked directly with a wide range of overseas stakeholders, including recruitment agents, overseas schools and University partners. And he has managed the portfolio to deliver continued growth and quality in increasing challenging market conditions.

Mark’s key skills include portfolio management; strategic vision and leadership; delivering transformational change; and building high performing education leadership teams through collaboration, innovation, and a shared sense of purpose.