Dr. David Leopold

Biography

David Leopold is an Associate Professor in Political Theory at the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford, where he also serves as a fellow at Mansfield College. His research primarily focuses on political philosophy, with particular emphasis on G.W.F. Hegel and Karl Marx. Leopold's work engages critically with Marx’s views on human flourishing, exploring affinities with modern capabilities approaches, and he has contributed to the field of contemporary Analytical Marxism. Additionally, he is interested in utopianism, seeking to defend proponents of utopian ideas against their critics, as exemplified by his work on William Morris. His research also examines methodological questions within political theory, including the relevance of ‘ideal theory’ to the discipline. In his teaching, Leopold covers a range of topics in political theory for both undergraduate and graduate students, including courses on the history of political thought and research methods in the field, particularly focusing on important theorists like Hegel and Marx.

Research Interests