1. Faculty of Social Sciences
  2. School of Politics and International Studies
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  4. Profile

Dr Graham M Smith

  • Position: Associate Professor in Political Theory
  • Areas of expertise: Political theory; friendship; Continental political thought; Anglo-American political thought; the subject
  • Email: ipigms@leeds.ac.uk
  • Phone: +44(0)113 343 4396
  • Location: 14.17 Social Sciences Building

Profile

I am a political theorist with a special interest in friendship and how this relates to our understanding of 'the political'. More generally, I have interests spanning from the Ancients to post-modernity. My approach to political thought is both open and broad and this allows me to connect its themes and problems to allied fields such as International Relations, Philosophy, and Religion.

Responsibilities

  • Deputy Director of Student Education

Research interests

My research focuses on the notion of friendship and how this relates to our understanding of the political. I understand friendship to be a concern with the bonds between person and person. These bonds can be located and conceptualised in a variety of ways but they provide the basic fabric upon which the political is woven. I understand the political to indicate a domain of order and value constructed by persons who must negotiate their mutual dependency and freedom.

I am the co-editor of the online, peer-reviewed, open-access journal AMITY: The Journal of Friendship Studies

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Qualifications

  • BA Hons Political and Religious Thought (University of Lancaster)
  • MA Philosophy (University of Sheffield)
  • Ph.D. Political Theory (University of Lancaster)

Student education

I teach political theory in the School.  This has involved teaching on:

PIED 1601 Freedom Power and Resistance

PIED 2601 Revolution and Reaction

PIED 3611 Radical Political Ideas

Research groups and institutes

  • Centre for Contemporary Political Theory

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>The school welcomes enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>