Dr. Thomas Kemple

Biography

Thomas Kemple is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of British Columbia. He specializes in classical social science and contemporary social theory, with a focus on the formation of concepts relevant to sociological arguments. His research encompasses post-structuralist, semiotic, psychoanalytic, feminist, and queer theories, along with the history of social and political thought. Kemple employs interpretive methods and interdisciplinary approaches, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, to examine the relationship between science, technology, media studies, and visual popular culture. His current research activities address European and Anglo-American traditions of classical critical social theory, analyzing significant figures such as Karl Marx, Max Weber, Georg Simmel, and Emile Durkheim in the context of socio-political transformations. Kemple's extensive publication record includes multiple books and articles in a variety of international academic venues, reflecting his commitment to bridging social sciences and humanities while recovering overlooked ideas and texts from the history of social sciences.

Research Interests