Dr Dan Taylor

Professional biography

I work in political theory, and my research spans contemporary political theory and the history of political thought. I am interested in the 17th century philosopher Spinoza, the subject of my PhD and third book, and this interest extends to early modern political thought more broadly. I have also written widely on British politics, contemporary political theory and cultural studies. My most recent book is Spinoza and the Politics of Freedom (Edinburgh University Press, 2021). Prior to that, I wrote Island Story: Journeys Through Unfamiliar Britain, a political travelogue published in 2016, and shortlisted for the Orwell Prize in 2017; and Negative Capitalism: Cynicism in the Neoliberal Era (Zero, 2013).

PhD supervision

I enjoy postgraduate supervision and welcome inquiries from students working on contemporary political theory, the history of political thought, or projects related to Spinoza.

I work on a number of modules in politics, including the level 3 module Modern Political Ideas (DD316), and the level 2 module Understanding Politics: Ideas and Institutions in the Modern World (DD211).

I have presented my research nationally and internationally over two-dozen times. I have been an invited speaker at the OECD Forum in Paris, 2017, several Radio 4 programmes (Open Country, Moral Maze, and Making History) and at the House of Commons. I have published articles in the New Statesman, The Conversation and numerous other left-wing magazines and websites. You can read more on my webpage in the sidebar.

Peer review for MIT Press, Edinburgh University Press, Political Theory, History of European Ideas, the British Journal for the History of Philosophy, Constellations, Marx and Philosophy Review of Books, and the Journal of Modern Jewish Studies.