Dr. Galen Watts

Biography

Galen Watts is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo. He holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from Queen's University in Canada. His research interests primarily focus on social theory, culture, religion, morality, inequality, solidarity, and political philosophy. His current work explores the changing nature and function of religion in late modernity, particularly in relation to cultural dynamics and social inequalities. Watts investigates how shared meaning systems influence social interactions, and the potential of culture to unite or divide people. His academic contributions also emphasize the role of national cultures in shaping economic and social disparities. An advocate for critical social theory, he draws inspiration from theorists like Marx, arguing for the transformative power of social theory in understanding and changing societal structures. He is open to supervising students interested in these fields and values collaborative scholarly inquiry.

Research Interests