My name is Oisin Kennedy-Baleztena, and I am completing the MSc in Political Theory Research as a member of Wadham College. I specialise in conservative political thought, with particular focus on the theoretical foundations behind the contemporary resurgence of right-of-centre ideologies. My research contrasts moderate, liberal Conservatism with Reactionism, reformulating the former—what I term “Wilful Conservatism”—by imbuing it with the dynamism needed to respond to radical political change, thereby positioning it as the more sophisticated alternative.
Before coming to Oxford, I studied Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with First Class Honours. My undergraduate dissertation centred on the methodology of Political Realism, particularly the Geussian tradition, as a counterpoint to the Rawlsian liberal mainstream. My interest in political philosophy begun during my year at UC Berkeley as a visiting student on a scholarship, where I pursued independent research on democratic epistemology under Professor Hans Sluga, resulting in an article submitted for publication. I have also held research assistantships at both Oxford and Edinburgh. At Oxford, I worked with Associate Professor Alexander Prescott-Couch on his forthcoming book “Deconstructive Genealogy: A Nietzschean Approach to Historical Critique”. At Edinburgh, I was the only undergraduate admitted to the Research Groups in Intellectual History and Political Theory, and I assisted Professor Mathias Thaler and David Levy with academic publications and the preparation of political philosophy courses.
Beyond academia, I have pursued a range of policy and research roles. Most recently, I worked as a freelance political consultant for governmental bodies, political parties and think tanks, advising on centre-right strategy. I also served as an assistant to MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White in the European Parliament, where I authored a policy paper on EU enlargement and participated in committee work on foreign affairs. My community engagement includes several years as a volunteer with intellectually disabled youth in Spain and founding a micro-charity to support an orphanage in Nairobi’s Kibera slum.
At Oxford, I am the founder and president of the Europeanist Society (EUSOC) and co-founder and chair of the Oxford Conservative Thought reading group.
Research Interests:
- Conservatism
- Reactionism
- Political Realism
- European Politics
Languages:
- English (Native)
- Spanish (Native)
- Basque (Native)
- French (Basic)
