Dr. Tom O Shea

Biography

Tom O'Shea is a lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science. His academic background includes a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Sheffield. He joined the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and has previously held positions at the Universities of Essex, York, and Roehampton. Additionally, O'Shea spent time as a visiting researcher at the Universitat de Barcelona. His research interests focus on political theory and its intersection with the history of political thought, specifically examining themes of freedom, civic republicanism, socialism, and radical political traditions. He is particularly concerned with understanding the relationship between freedom and social power, and he is developing a socialist republican approach to the problem of economic domination. O'Shea has published works on political theory that delve into social philosophy, feminism, metaethics, moral and political thought, the philosophy of religion, medical ethics, and the study of autonomy. At Edinburgh, he teaches courses on Freedom and Slavery, Political Thought, and Political Thinkers, and he currently serves as Co-Director of the CRITIQUE Centre for Ethics and Critical Thought.

Research Interests