PhD Research

In my PhD I examine the moral and political theory of the Italian philosopher Giovanni Gentile (1875-1944). I argue that Gentile can be usefully interpreted as a radical constructivist whose moral theory, when considered separately from his work as a Fascist propagandist, implies a more sophisticated and nuanced concept of the political than most commentators have been willing to allow.

With this established, I apply Gentile’s theory to a series of debates in contemporary liberal thought. In this way I bring some of the assumptions underlying liberalism into clearer view, allowing me to assess which are justified and which are not. On the basis of my findings, I try to re-construct a minimal version of liberalism’s foundations, showing how some of the conceptual problems therein can be resolved using elements of Gentile’s metaphysics.

With this research I mean to show that, when handled correctly, Gentile’s hitherto neglected theory provides an unconventional but valuable critical tool for use in current live debates.

Research unit

Political theory

Research interests

Ethics; idealist political philosophy; identity formation; political obligation and the philosophy of law; philosophy of education; liberty and autonomy.

Academic history

Political Theory MA (research-track) – University of Sheffield 2009-10 [Distinction]
Dissertation: “Equal opportunity and the limits of legitimate parental partiality”
Supervisor: Dr. Fiona Woollard

Political Science BA – University of Birmingham 2006-09 [First]
Dissertation: “The intellectual roots of Fascism: Giovanni Gentile’s neo-Hegelian synthesis” Supervisor: Dr. Richard Shorten