The Concept of the Political

In ‘The Concept of the Political’, Schmitt presents the friend-enemy distinction, arguably his most well known political concept. This seminar seeks to unpack Schmitt’s full defence of his agonistic account of politics as an existential fact of life. We will also connect the friend-enemy distinction to Schmitt’s concept of sovereignty discussed last week. After unpacking Schmitt’s argument, we will shift focus to Schmitt’s somewhat unexpected quasi-Marxian condemnation of economic warfare and his critique of liberalism as an ideology which seeks to dispense with politics.

Political Theology

‘Political Theology’ is most well known as the book where Schmitt offers his famous definition of the sovereign as he who decides the exception. However, sandwiched between byzantine early 20th century German jurisprudential debates and commentary about obscure anti-modern Catholic reactionaries are less well known but equally important concepts. This seminar will explore Schmitt’s concepts of the state of exception, sovereignty, and decisionism. We will also spend some time examining Schmitt’s critique of the liberal account of the rule of law within ‘Political Theology’.

Introduction to Carl Schmitt

Carl Schmitt and his work has been slowly clawing their way towards the political and academic mainstream in the English speaking world since his work began being translated into English in the 1980s. The ‘Crown Jurist of the Third Reich’ has become an important interlocutor for a sizable number of significant academics and political figures from Habermas, Derrida, and Agamben to Dugin, Vermuele, and JD Vance. In this first seminar, we will explore who Carl Schmitt was and how this contextualises his work.

Tamta Tsotskhalashvili

I am the Senior Development Executive for Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR), where I lead on securing philanthropic support for research and teaching in areas like democratic resilience, political leadership, and global stability.

Working closely with academics and colleagues across the University, I help shape fundraising priorities and build relationships with donors to support the Department’s ambitious goals. I’m passionate about connecting people with ideas that make a difference.

Adin Chan

Adin is a current DPhil student researching strategic culture, identity, and historical memory. He is particularly interested in Canada's peacekeeping identity and its relation to foreign policy decisions. Adin also completed his MPhil in International Relations at the DPIR, during which he researched strategic decision making in the international administered territories of Bosnia, Kosovo, and East Timor.

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Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, reinvented the role of Secretary-General and exercised global leadership during a turbulent period in world affairs. He tried to rescue the UN from irrelevance. Despite many obstacles, he kept the UN central to international diplomacy and norm setting. A transformational leader, he introduced enduring changes to improve the way the UN operates. With the UN in the crosshairs again, the lessons from Kofi Annan are particularly relevant to the UN’s retention of legal and moral authority.

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The collapse of the Soviet Union was one of the most significant geopolitical shifts of the 20th century. Today, more than three decades later, its legacy continues to shape the worldview of the Kremlin and the strategic ambitions of Vladimir Putin. As the possibility of a more permanent ceasefire in Ukraine looms, new questions arise about how Russia’s past informs its present—and what this means for the future of European and global security.

In Conversation with Prof G John Ikenberry: Is Liberal Internationalism Dead?

The liberal international order has shaped global politics since the end of the Second World War. But in an age of rising authoritarian powers, renewed great-power rivalry, and domestic political backlash, its future appears increasingly uncertain. Is liberal internationalism in terminal decline—or is it evolving to meet the challenges of a changing world?
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