Thijs Keulen

Profile

I am a political theorist with a special interests in the politics of work, democratic theory, and critical social and political theory. I joined the School in 2025, prior to which I was completing my PhD at the University of Edinburgh entitled ‘Freedom In and Out of Work: Platforms, Precarity and the Democratization of Work’. I have also taught at both the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling before coming to Leeds.

Research interests

My research is concerned with questions pertaining to the relationships between work, freedom, and democracy in contemporary political theory. I’m especially interested in the relations of power and forms of resistance related to contemporary developments in work and labour relations, particularly with regards to platform labour. A related though more capacious strand of my research is concerned with exploring theories and practices of workplace and economic democracy as ways of expanding our democratic imaginary and repertoire beyond that of representative government, and for their potential to address intertwined social, political and ecological crises. Lastly, I am interested in the relationship between work and political emotion in democratic society, particularly the emotion of resentment.

Qualifications

• PhD in Political Theory, University of Edinburgh
• M.Litt in International Political Theory, University of St Andrews
• BA in Philosophy, University of Groningen
• BA in International Relations, University of Groningen