Dr. Kinch Hoekstra

Biography

Kinch Hoekstra is a Chancellor's Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on the history of political, moral, and legal thought, especially in ancient, renaissance, and early modern political philosophy. He has published several significant works in ancient political thought, including 'Athenian Democracy and Popular Tyranny' (2016), 'Thucydides and the Politics of Necessity' (2017), and 'The Liberties of the Ancients' (2018). His research includes a focus on the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes, covering theories of equality, obligation, democracy, tyranny, mixed government, and natural law. He co-edited the 'Oxford Handbook on Hobbes' (2016) and has produced works bridging various areas, such as 'Hobbes and Aristotle: The Foundation of Political Science' (2019). Hoekstra has been actively involved in teaching and mentoring graduate students. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Northern California Association of Phi Beta Kappa in 2018 and the Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award from the Graduate Assembly in 2016. He has also served as a Benedict Lecturer at Boston University and a Carlyle Lecturer at the University of Oxford.

Research Interests