Dr. Gideon Elford

Assistant Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Gideon Elford. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Gideon Elford is a Departmental Lecturer in Contemporary Political Theory at the University of Oxford. His research primarily focuses on themes of equality and agency. A significant aspect of his work is the exploration and defense of egalitarianism, particularly how it relates to the ability of judges to address inequalities and the respect for choices that individuals make. Gideon reflects on the conditions required for holding individuals responsible for their choices and investigates appropriate ways to conceptualize the value of equality. His more recent research delves into the relationship between freedom of expression and the various threats it faces, particularly from non-state actors. He is currently developing a framework for understanding the freedom-restricting effects of social penalties on expression and considers the implications of these penalties in relation to the responsibilities individuals have to refrain from imposing them. Elford teaches various undergraduate and graduate courses, including topics in Political Theory and Ethics, showcasing his broad engagement with contemporary philosophical issues in the realm of political thought.

Research Interests

Courses

Undergraduate Introduction to Political Theory Theory of Politics (prelims paper) Theory of Politics (core finals paper) Plato and Rousseau (finals paper) Graduate Political Theory (core MPhil class) Reasoning in Political Philosophy (methods MPhil class) Ethics (methods MPhil class) Research Design Preparation (MPhil/MSc/PRS class)

Requirements for University of Oxford

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.7
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:24
Writing
Required:24
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:110
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Politics, International Relations, Economics, History, Law, Philosophy or Sociology
Application Checklist
  • Three academic references
  • Official transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Statement of Purpose (1,000 words)
  • Two academic essays (2,000 words each)
Specialization Notes

Department of Politics and International Relations - Higher Level English requirement.