Declan Sean Kenny
PhD Candidate, Department of Politics and International Studies, The University of Leeds |-| -
My main background is in political theory. My research area is on global justice, with a particular focus on grounding a critical variant of cosmopolitanism. My research interest extends to areas of development theory, the politics of climate change, and social movements.
Educational Qualifications
PhD Political Theory, 2018 – 2022 – My thesis attempted to ground a critical cosmopolitanism, utilising a structural injustice framework that focuses on the rules, norms, and broader rationality that frames the widespread agential action that produces a range of global structural injustices.
MA Politics (Distinction), The University of Sheffield -)
BA (Hons) Political Science (2:1), The University of Birmingham -)
Awards and Funding
School of Politics and International Studies Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship, University of Leeds.
White Rose Brussels Climate Change Article Competition, 2019
Contemporary Centre for Political Theory Ambassadorship, 2021
Knowledge Exchange
White Rose Brussels Climate Change Event, European Union Parliament (Brussels), February 2019. Presented: Getting tough: resolving the double standard before it’s too late
HKU Legal and Political Theory Postgraduate Conference, Online, May 2021. Presented: Justice across borders: contesting the “global” in global justice theory
Invited Talks
Centre for Contemporary Political Theory, University, Online, April 2021. Presented: Justice across borders: contesting the “global” in global justice theory
Publications
Kenny, D. forthcoming. “Structural Injustice” In: Scholz, S. eds. Encyclopaedia of the Philosophy of Law and Social Philosophy. Springer [invited; submitted]
Teaching Experience
Freedom, Power and Resistance, Seminar Leader (Semester 1, 2019 - 2022), University of Leeds – This is a first year module introducing students to key thinkers and ideas in political theory. I have taught on Hobbes, Rousseau, Mill, Locke, Wollstonecraft, Marx, and Douglass.
Sociology of Modern Societies, Seminar Leader (Semester 1, 2020), University of Leeds – This is first year module introducing students to key thinkers in social theory – e.g. Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Mead, Goffman, Simmel, Adorno & Horkheimer.
Global Justice MA, Guest Lectureship (Semester 3 2021), University of Leeds – taught two 2-hour lectures/seminars on Thomas Pogge’s account of global justice.
Relevant Experience
Polemic, Founder and Editor (August 2020 – Present) – www.polemic.org.uk
COP26 Taskforce, University of Leeds, (March 2021 – November 2021)
- Connecting Voices for Climate Action week, Event Lead on VC event, (April 2021)
- The Ripple Effect (July 2021 – Novemeber 2021), Intern, helping young people to produce and promote climate change film, as well as organising and overseeing premier of the film at COP26 in Glasgow.
