I am a Reader in Political Theory at Queen Mary University of London, where I joined the School of Politics and International Relations in 2016. Prior to that, I was a Lecturer in International Politics at City University London and a Fellow in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

My research draws (productively, and at times uncomfortably) from both agonistic political theory and a critical reading of American Pragmatism, especially the work of John Dewey.

At the centre of my research is a concern to interrogate the philosophical ideas through which we understand the world, and which guide our actions. In turn, I also try to attend to how philosophical reflection grounded in everyday political experience can assist in addressing pressing social problems, leading to my interest in developing ways of doing political theory that is engaged with practical political action.

My current research reconsiders how we think about key political concepts such legitimacy, justice, rights, and citizenship, using the city as both a site for theorising and a focal point bringing multiple political concerns together. I am interested in using the city to get our bearings—in the sense of knowing where we are, as well as developing a distinctive urban disposition—and how this can help us understand what the pursuit of justice means in our troubled present. 

In my previous research, I focused on the contested idea of universal human rights, including how this idea developed, how it transformed world politics, and what further changes it may yet enable. I am particularly interested in the use of human rights by diverse political movements, as a way to take the measure of their limitations and their potential contribution to a more democratic world. My work has looked at the human right to housing and the right to the city, as well as questions of responsibility in international criminal law.